Wine, cheese and Benedict & Murray's "The Personal Librarian"

We invite you to an engaging evening of wine, cheese and lively conversation around Marie Benedict and Victoria Chrstopher Murray's The Personal Librarian, Goodreads 2021 Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction. The remarkable, little-known story of Belle da Costa Greene, J. P. Morgan's personal librarian—who became one of the most powerful women in New York despite the dangerous secret she kept in order to make her dreams come true.

From Goodreads:

In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture on the New York society scene and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps build a world-class collection.

But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle's complexion isn't dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.

The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths to which she must go—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

As always, please feel free to join even if you have not finished the book - no stress :-)

All attendees are asked to please bring one of the following:

1. A bottle of wine
2. Cheese and Crackers
3. An alternate beverage or nosh of your choice

Host will provide glasses, wine opener, plates & napkins.

To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends.

📚 Exciting Updates for 2026 Book Club! 📚
Starting in January 2026, we’ll be implementing a new system for book recommendations that will make our reading selections even more collaborative and engaging!
Book Recommendations:
From January through October, members can submit book recommendations at each meeting, via email, text or Meetup DM.
All suggestions will be added to a shared Google Sheet, which will include links to Goodreads and other pertinent information for each book.
LINK to 2027 BOOK LIST
Voting for 2027 Reads:
Our voting for next year’s book selections will take place during the November 2026 meeting. Members in attendance will have the opportunity to cast 12 votes for their favorite picks. If you’re unable to attend the November meeting, you can still participate! Simply submit 6 votes via email, text, or DM through Meetup before the start of the November meeting.
Announcement of Selections:
The chosen books for 2027 will be revealed at the end of the November meeting.
We’re excited about this new process and can’t wait to see the amazing book recommendations you all have! 📖✨

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTEND WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join us. In the event you do not communicate and are a no-show, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

If you are unable to join us in March, we hope you'll remain interested and join us for an evening in the future. Looking forward to wine & cheese with you soon - happy reading!