Brief review of The Personal Librarian [audio]

This audiobook recounts the story of Belle da Costa Greene, the world-renowned Personal Librarian to JP Morgan at the prestigious Pierpont Morgan Library. 

Cover of the Personal Librarian

Disk one of the audiobook 

This historical fiction written by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray is based on the life and accomplishments of Belle de Costa Greene, the librarian to Mr. Morgan (2021). This exciting tale shares the many fortunes and heartbreaks of Ms. Greene in New York in the start of the 20th century. Benedict and Murray capture the time and people of Belle’s life with vivid color for the reader. And as this was an audiobook which I read the reading of Robin Miles brings Belle to life in a way that reading it alone would not. Each element presented draws readers along on an adventure. Though I was disappointed in the sudden summary of the life of Ms. Greene following the death of JP Morgan, while her early years at the library were told in detail the final shift from a private collection to public seemed quickly summarized in a quick paced afterward to the main tale.  

The story follows both Belle’s public and personal life, which each have their own secrets that were never to be reviled to anyone lest she fall from grace. The cast of her life is full of powerful names, as she went from being a reference librarian in the Princeton library to a confidante of one of America’s most powerful men.  

I enjoyed listening to this tale and could feel the emotion being conveyed. Robin Miles brings Belle and her inner dialog to life in a way as to make it feel that one is sitting with Ms. Greene. The artfully told story shows the skills of both Benedict and Murray to research a woman who was little know and bring her to life for the common person. I highly recommend picking up this book, even if you do not enjoy historical fiction, simply for the wonderful storytelling. 

Reference 

Benedict, M. and Murray, V.C. (2021). The personal librarian: A novel [Audiobook CD]. Penguin Audio. 

Images taken of CD case & CD by blog author of images owned by Penguin.