Circulating Ideas - 27 July 2021
Circulating Ideas facilitates conversations with the innovative people and ideas inspiring libraries to grow and thrive in the 21st century. This newsletter dives deeper into those conversations.
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As a lifelong book lover and library user, I have always been enchanted by the Morgan Library and its collections. Biographical novels and early twentieth century history are also favorites of mine so when I saw the announcement for The Personal Librarian, I knew it was for me. It was so much more than I could have hoped for! Authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray have brought J.P. Morgan’s first librarian Belle da Costa Greene to life with authenticity and care, beginning with her time at Princeton’s exalted Firestone Library, her love of illuminated manuscripts which led her to her career as the Morgan Library’s first librarian and director, curating one of the finest private libraries for one of the richest, most powerful men in a building specially designed by Charles McKim.
This novel is not only a history and homage to one of the world's greatest private libraries, it is also a social history, told through Belle, an exceptional young woman fighting for equality both as a woman and as a Black woman passing as a white woman of Portuguese descent.
Benedict and Murray turn Belle’s story into pure magic. There is much for book clubs to discuss; book lovers will be enthralled with the descriptions of the beginnings of the Morgan Library. Readers wanting to know more about Greene should turn to her biography An Illuminated Life by Heidi Ardizzone.
Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library, NJ
Episode 204
204: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray – Circulating Ideas — circulatingideas.com
In this episode, I chat with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, authors of The Personal Librarian, about their early childhood experiences in libraries, why they found Belle da Costa Greene's story so compelling and relevant to our modern times, and why they're writing soulmates.
204: Transcript — circulatingideas.com
For accessibility and findability purposes, I try to provide transcripts as much as possible.
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray — www.penguinrandomhouse.com
You can read more about and purchase the book here!
Book Club Kit — randomhouse.app.box.com
Penguin Random House has put together a great Book Club Kit for the book, including an interview with the authors, a timeline, and discussion questions!
Belle da Costa Greene came to life thanks to Victoria Christopher Murray and Marie Benedict - The Washington Post — www.washingtonpost.com
'The Personal Librarian' is the 'GMA' July 2021 Book Club pick: Read an excerpt | GMA — www.goodmorningamerica.com
'The Personal Librarian' is the 'GMA' July 2021 Book Club pick!
On the Importance of Libraries by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray — frolic.media
Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray talk all things libraries!
More About Belle da Costa Greene
The Belle Greene–Bernard Berenson Letters Project — www.youtube.com
Belle da Costa Greene, the Morgan’s First Librarian and Director | History of the Morgan | The Morgan Library & Museum — www.themorgan.org Belle da Costa Greene (1879–1950) was one of the most prominent librarians in American history. She ran the Morgan Library for forty-three years—nineteen as the private librarian of J. Pierpont Morgan and later his son, Jack, and twenty-four as the inaugural director of the Pierpont Morgan Library (now the Morgan Library & Museum).
An Illuminated Life | Heidi Ardizzone — wwnorton.com
If you're looking for a less narrative version of her life, this biography goes into the secret life of the sensational woman behind the Morgan masterpieces, who lit up New York society: An Illuminated Life, Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege, by Heidi Ardizzone.
Belle da Costa Greene - Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org
Belle da Costa Greene (December 13, 1883 – May 10, 1950) was the librarian to J. P. Morgan. After Morgan's death in 1913, Greene continued as librarian under his son, Jack Morgan. In 1924 the private collection was incorporated by the State of New York as a library for public uses, and the Board of Trustees appointed Greene first director of the Pierpont Morgan Library.
More About Marie Benedict
MARIE BENEDICT - Home — www.authormariebenedict.com
Marie Benedict's official website.
Author Marie Benedict brings a brilliant but forgotten female scientist's story out of the shadows — ew.com
Marie talks to EW about her book about scientist Rosalind Franklin, coming in 2022!
More About Victoria Christopher Murray
Victoria Christopher Murray — victoriachristophermurray.com
Victoria Christopher Murray's official website.
Victoria Christopher Murray (@VictoriaECM) | Twitter — twitter.com
The latest Tweets from Victoria Christopher Murray.
ReShonda Tate Billingsley — www.reshondatatebillingsley.com
Victoria mentions her many collaborations with ReShonda Tate Billingsley, who has written more than 50 books!
Recirculated
Don't get me wrong, I love chatting with librarians about their craft and their philosophy about the profession, but it's fun to take a diversion every so often and speak to authors, especially when their books are related to libraries! Here are some previous author interviews that have been on the show.
198: Imbolo Mbue — circulatingideas.com
Author of How Beautiful We Were and Behold the Dreamers.
189: Esther Safran Foer — circulatingideas.com
Author of I Want You to Know We're Still Here.
183: January LaVoy — circulatingideas.com
Actress and audiobook narrator of the President's Daughter by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, Legacy by Nora Roberts, Star Wars: Victory's Price, and many more.
181: Susan Elia MacNeal — circulatingideas.com
Author of the Maggie Hope series, including the newest installment called The Hollywood Spy.
28: Cory Doctorow — circulatingideas.com
Author of Little Brother, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, Attack Surface, and many more.
I teamed up with Allison and Michelle from the Authors are Rockstars! podcast to produce a short series of interviews together, in a series we called Librarians are Rockstars!
Tom Angleberger — circulatingideas.com
Author of Origami Yoda series, Crankee Doodle, Fuzzy, and many more.
Gwenda Bond — circulatingideas.com
Author of the Lois Lane series (Fallout, Double Down, and Triple Threat), Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds, Not Your Average Hot Guy, and many more.
Gene Luen Yang — circulatingideas.com
Author / cartoonist of Dragon Hoops, American Born Chinese, Superman Smashes the Klan, and many more.
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