New York in the 1900s. A young girl fascinated by rare books defies all odds and becomes the director of one of the country's most prestigious private libraries. It belongs to the magnate J.P. Morgan, darling of the international aristocracy and one of the city's richest men.
Flamboyant, brilliant, beautiful, Belle is among New York society's most sought after intellectuals. She also hides a secret. Although she looks white, she is African American, the daughter of a famous black activist who sees her desire to hide her origins as the consummate betrayal. Torn between history's ineluctable imperatives and the freedom to belong to the society of her choosing, Belle's drama, which plays out in a violently racist America, is one that resonates forcefully, and illuminatingly even today.
The fruit of years of research and interviews, Alexandra Lapierre's magnificent novel recounts the struggles, victories, and heartbreaks of a woman who is free, astonishingly determined, daring, and fully, exuberantly alive.
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In late August 1943, Professor Dan Thompson, director of research on ancient painting techniques and fresco restoration, is standing at his desk, head down. PRELUDE, THE SEALED ENVELOPE
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(@EuropaEditions, 16 June 2022, ebook, 544 pages, #ARC from the publisher)
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I thought Belle Greene was a fascinating, absorbing novel. I'd never heard of her before or the library. This is a well-researched novel. The chapters were overly long for me and I would have liked more breathing space. I was hooked on the book from the opening pages and got sucked into the world and characters every time I read the book. I loved the little details in the research, for example how Belle and her family take the momentous decision to pass as white knowing how much they are risking. I loved this.