He puts an end to that fantasy, demanding an abortion and then leaving her alone when she is hospitalized with an infection. Belle is torn when she discovers she is pregnant, wondering if she might have this child with Bernard.

Bernard and Mary are married in name only, and Mary encourages their affair. Bernard is an expert and author in the art world and Belle finds herself pulled toward him. Being a woman in the art community is already difficult, but a Black woman would be immediately and completely ostracized.īelle has a chance encounter with Bernard and Mary Berenson. Genevieve created a Portuguese grandmother to explain the swarthy complexion, but Belle knows she has to be careful with her secret – especially around Pierpont and his peers. There are a few negative points in her life, including that she knows she can never marry and have children for fear that a dark-skinned child will give credence to the rumors that sometimes circulate about her. She demonstrates that she is cunning, determined, and in control of millions of dollars as she chooses which manuscripts are most important to Pierpont's collection.

She begins to meet dealers and curators, often the only woman present for those conversations and auctions. She quickly finds herself involved in the Morgan family's social circles as Pierpont has her attend parties and other functions.

She moves back to New York and begins to settle into the role. Morgan, known as Pierpont, and he hires her for the job. They are light-skinned Black people living as White, and Genevieve often reminds Belle how important it is that she act in a way that never brings undue scrutiny.īelle impresses Mr. The preparation is necessary because Belle's family has a secret. The night before the interview, Genevieve questions Belle about how she will act and what she will say.

The family is barely making ends meet, and Belle knows that landing this job could help the family's financial status. Her older two sisters are working as teachers, and her brother Russell and sister Teddy are in school. Belle returns to New York where her mother Genevieve is living in a small apartment with Belle's four siblings. Kindle AZW file.īelle da Costa Greene is working in a library in Princeton in 1905 when she learns that John Pierpont Morgan, the famous financier, is looking for someone to take control of the vast collection of art and manuscripts he has collected. Penguin Random House, New York, NY, 2021. The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Benedict, Marie and Murray, Victoria Christopher.

The book the personal librarian