In the early twentieth century, Belle da Costa Greene serves as the personal librarian to financier J.P. Morgan, managing his vast collection of rare manuscripts and art. While she navigates the elite circles of New York City and negotiates high-stakes international auctions, she hides a secret that would ruin her career and social standing: she is a Black woman passing as white. Under the guidance of her ambitious mother, Belle crafts a Portuguese identity to protect her family from the era’s segregationist laws and racial violence.
Historical fiction enthusiasts read this book to understand the psychological pressure of racial passing during the Gilded Age. It appeals to readers interested in the internal conflicts of high-society figures who lack true legal or social agency. Readers walk away with a specific perspective on the origins of the Pierpont Morgan Library and the physical and emotional cost of maintaining a false public identity to preserve professional success and family safety.
- Published
- 2021
- Language
- EN
