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Victoria Christopher Murray

Auteur van The Personal Librarian: A Novel

32+ Werken 3,377 Leden 153 Besprekingen Favoriet van 2 leden

Over de Auteur

She has a degree in communications from Hampton Institute & a Masters in Business Administration from New York University. She lives in Inglewood, California. (Bowker Author Biography)

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Werken van Victoria Christopher Murray

The Personal Librarian: A Novel (2021) 2,380 exemplaren
A Sin and a Shame (2006) 117 exemplaren
Temptation (2000) 94 exemplaren
Truth Be Told (2004) 93 exemplaren
Grown Folks Business: A Novel (2005) 88 exemplaren
Joy (2001) 85 exemplaren
Too Little, Too Late: A Novel (2008) 68 exemplaren
Lady Jasmine (2009) 52 exemplaren
Stand Your Ground: A Novel (2015) 45 exemplaren
Sins of the Mother (2010) 40 exemplaren
Sinners & Saints (2012) 26 exemplaren
India (2008) 21 exemplaren
Diamond (2008) 12 exemplaren
Fortune & Fame (2014) 12 exemplaren
Never Say Never: A Novel (2013) 12 exemplaren
Forever an Ex: A Novel (2014) 11 exemplaren
Lust (2017) 10 exemplaren
Destiny's Divas: A Novel (2012) 10 exemplaren
Scandalous (2012) 7 exemplaren
Envy (2018) 7 exemplaren
Wrath (2021) 7 exemplaren
Pride (2023) 6 exemplaren
A Blessing & a Curse: A Novel (2017) 6 exemplaren
Veronique (2009) 5 exemplaren
Aaliyah (2009) 5 exemplaren
Touched by an Angel (2014) 3 exemplaren
If Only For One Night (2018) 2 exemplaren
Greed (2019) 2 exemplaren
Merry Ex-Mas (2013) 1 exemplaar

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Two authors wrote this historical novel, and it feels like it. Chapters vary wildly from one to the next and all too many of them have historical facts awkwardly shoved in, as if to prove that they did their research. Although there was a compelling figure behind this novel, the book itself is not compelling.
 
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AnaraGuard | 125 andere besprekingen | Mar 13, 2024 |
A fascinating novel woven around the facts of the life of a woman in early 20th century America as she grew up living the life of a white female but she and her family being of coloured background. Her achievements in gaining an education and subsequently becoming the librarian of a private collection of art and historical manuscripts owned by wealth businessman J.P. Morgan was very well written with the two authors exploring her challenges, dreams and achievements across the decades.
 
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ElizabethCromb | 125 andere besprekingen | Feb 6, 2024 |
Book on CD narrated by Robin Miles

As she has done with other women “lost in history,” Benedict shines a light on a little-recognized woman who had enormous influence on American culture. Belle da Costa Greene was J P Morgan’s “personal librarian,” tasked with curating and expanding his collection of rare manuscripts, books and art works, especially those dating from the Renaissance. As his librarian, Greene was required to attend auctions and society balls as a means of becoming friendly and known in the rarified world of high-stakes art collecting. Her success at beating the “boys at their game” was celebrated in news articles on both sides of the Atlantic. So, she was hardly “lost in history.” But … what no one knew was that Greene was born Belle Marion Greener, the daughter of African American parents.

I found this a very interesting look at America in the Gilded Age. I was unaware of the early Equal Rights Act (enacted just at the end of the Civil War), and how it was defeated after offering such promise. It’s no wonder that Belle’s parents left the south for New York and greater opportunity for themselves and their children. The difference in approach between Mr and Mrs Greener was also interesting to me; while she made the decision to register the family as white in the census, her husband embraced his role as a leader in equal rights, fighting AS a black man and was incensed by her decision.

I did get pretty tired of the authors constantly reminding me of the high stakes for Belle and her family if her true identity as a black woman was discovered. I got the first time, or certainly by the third time. I didn’t really need a reminder in virtually every chapter!

I’m glad that Benedict partnered with Victoria Christopher Murray, an African American author, for this work. I wonder why Benedict’s name came first on the cover, though.

Robin Miles does a fine job of performing the audio version. She has clear diction and sufficiently differentiates the characters, so I wasn’t confused about who was speaking.
… (meer)
 
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BookConcierge | 125 andere besprekingen | Jan 15, 2024 |
Belle de Costa Greene is hired as a personal librarian/curator to build the collection of the Pierpoint Morgan Library for J.P. Morgan. Her secret is that she is African American, but passes as white. She explains her olive coloring as "Portuguese." She becomes quite successful in securing rare manuscripts for a very grumpy and demanding Morgan, while hiding her secret for everyone.
½
 
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mojomomma | 125 andere besprekingen | Jan 4, 2024 |

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Statistieken

Werken
32
Ook door
1
Leden
3,377
Populariteit
#7,546
Waardering
3.9
Besprekingen
153
ISBNs
188
Talen
3
Favoriet
2

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