black history

The Personal Librarian

January 14, 2026 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

I listened to The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, a bit back. I still think on it. I’d suggest you give it a read (or listen) if you have a chance to. Let me tell you why.

You’ll find romance, deception, books, and female determination. A strong matriarch, children divided about loyalties, and solid look into real life history. Come discover more about Belle da Costa Greene, personal librarian to J.P. Morgan.

image shows a pile of books text the personal librarian the story of bella da costa greene

The Basic Details for The Personal Librarian

Title: The Personal Librarian
Author: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
Narrator: Robin Miles (audio)
Publisher: Berkeley
Pages: 368 pages
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: adult fiction, historical fiction, racism, black & African-American women’s fiction, women’s fiction, American history, biographical,
Available formats: Paperback, kindle, audio, hardcover
Format Used: audio

About the Book and Author

Belle da Costa Greene lived in a time where black women were relegated to jobs such as maids and washer women. BUT she had lighter skin and a momma determined not to let people know she had African-American blood. This gave her children more freedom in the jobs they could hold. Enter in the story of Portuguese blood to help explain their darker colouring. Family fractures happen.

This story speaks to the hardship of hiding heritage, to the status of women, and the difficulties she faced. Learn more about how J.P. Morgan conducted himself, the work of a personal librarian, and catch glimpses into her personal life.

the authors

Marie Benedict is a lawyer who loves to discover stories about women in history and telling their stories. She loves to dig into history and discover the nuances about these women and bring their stories into the light of day. Victoria Christopher Murray has an MBA in Marketing, grew up in New York, and discovered her love for writing in 1997. She has since received numerous awards for her work. Some of her awards are for work as an African-American author.

Looking Deeper

I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about Bella da Costa Greene. She was a remarkable lady who learned how to function well as a woman in a man’s world. She did so with style and finesse.

Even though I admire all the work she did, and how determined she was to make her way, I didn’t like all the choices she made. It’s not necessary to like everything about a person and still like who they are overall though eh? 🙂

I loved that she was able to meet the various expectations of her family, both the immediate and the more estranged. This was a relief to her as well, albeit at times an added pressure to do well. I have a hard time imaging that one person could be so pivotal in helping their whole family do better. I wanted at times to shake a finger at her adults siblings (and their spouses) and tell them to do better themselves. That they shouldn’t expect one person to make it all more bearable.

I liked the story in and of itself and was happy to to have listened to it. For those who want to learn about a remarkable woman of history, listen to this story (or go read it). 🙂 You’ll see hard life decisions being made, see the joys of procurement of rare items, and satisfaction of learning the business end of life. Being able to scoop your rivals… fantastic! 🙂

Author’s Remarks

I did wish that I didn’t listen to the author’s remarks. Like many author’s remarks I expected to hear how the story was changed. This was accurate, but then they went to on to say why they wrote it and brought racism into the picture and tied it into life today. I would rather NOT have heard that part. It changed the story from one that I enjoyed into “one I should have used to learn hard life lessons.”

That’s not what I wanted. I wanted to learn more about a woman from history. Being, in essence, forced to consider deeper issues changed the whole impact of the life shown to me. It was a spoiler, not a help. A help to me is “this is the true story, this is how I revamped it to make it read better”. Or these things happened, but I changed the order, etc.

Final Thoughts

So go read The Personal Librarian. Skip the author’s remarks. Enjoy the story and let the history of the day seep into your beingness. Learn, but mostly just enjoy her story.

A Long Way Gone

October 11, 2023 By Annette1 2 Comments

I am not going to tell you that A Long Way Gone is an easy read. It might be a necessary read, but it is not an easy read. The hard things these boys went through, and yet, and yet their resilience. They stayed together, they fought for each other, and came out on the other side hurt, but figuring out there is something better. Something more worth fighting for. That hope in the end… made this hard read worthwhile and that’s not a bad thing!

Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated. 🙂

Basic Details for A Long Way Gone

Title: A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy Soldier
Author: Ishmael Beal
Publisher: Sarah Crichton Books; First Edition (August 5, 2008)
Pages: 229
Intended Audience: adult
Genre: Historical African Biographies, Boy Solider, African War, Biography, Black Biography
Available formats: Hardcover, Kindle, Audio, Paperback

My Thoughts

My mom I think gave me this book to read a while back. She told me it was interesting but a hard read.

I’d call that a fairly accurate description. Take some boys, going to school, enjoying their life and then throw them into a middle of a war. A war filled with brutality, complete loss of life, and families torn apart. Make them fight for survival. Have them do well, (well as well as can be expected), until they are captured and made to fight.

Not only were they taught to fight, they were drugged up and encouraged to be violent. Be violent and live, or die. Survival means living.

Life in that war-zone was so very hard. Not just for the boy soldiers but for anyone getting in the way of either side of the conflict. People died, villages literally disappearing overnight, people fleeing everywhere. Everyone just needing to survive.

Something beyond survival

Until one day it suddenly stops. And you have to learn a new way to be and it’s hard, just so hard to see beyond the now to the future.

So much was hard. I hated reading about the brutality and wondered why it needed to be included. Then I read about the end, about the need to change, and how sudden and difficult it was. And the hope offered once the boys figured it out things could be different. That hope at the end. It made all the pieces fit together.

So A Long Way Home, a hard read, but necessary if you want to understand the plight of the boy soldiers during the war in Africa. It is not one I would recommend for sensitive readers as it is not an easy read. But if you appreciate a hard book offering hope at the end, a book that speaks truth, this might work!

Black Boy, Black Boy

July 30, 2022 By Annette1 4 Comments

Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Black Boy, Black Boy) through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so, and is so much appreciated.

Young children can be inspired with a short walk through history in Black Boy, Black Boy. Told to a child, with children in mind, find yourself inspired and encouraged to move into your future confidently! A nice story for children, particularly black children, giving them black historical figures to look up to.

A general overview

Ali Kamanda and Jorge Redmond collaborated to produce a 40 page black history book to encourage young readers. Children 3-7 years old will delight in rhyming couplets as they consider men of history and are encouraged to look forward to their futures. Illustrated by Ken Daley with bright colours and a winding trail. Sourcebooks published.

I am reviewing an ARC on behalf of Raincoast Books.

Looking Deeper into Black Boy

Some books lend themselves well to Black History month, Black Boy is one of them. Giving us glimpses into the lives of 9 black people from history. We will delve into the lives of poets, athletes, musicians, aviators and more. A couple of the people mentioned are Chinua Achebe and Elijah McCoy.

Don’t you just love the bright colours that fill the page? From the multi-coloured trail that winds it’s way through the history of these men through the brilliant images depicting their impact on history.

rhyming verse connects the young black boy to these various men of history. For instance “show me the style of your favorite dance, Just like Arthur Mitchell look at my stance.”

A brief write up is included about each individual at the close of this picture book. Just three to four sentences for each notable individual. Things like their birth/death, what they did, and any notables.

Grab it up to read?

If you are working through a unit study of black people from history, this book will give you an easy list to start with. 🙂 Even though it is by no means in-depth, sometimes all you need is a starter book to encourage you in your studies. A good book to springboard from!

Even if you aren’t looking for black history, but just want a book to encourage your children to look to history for inspiration. Black boy, Black Boy does an excellent job of connecting young male readers to history. Do they like to dance? Here’s a dancer. Do they like to read… here’s an author. In the end, the reader is encouraged to leap into action.

To learn more about black history month and other African-American themed books I’ve read, please do check out my link.

A shorter review can be found on goodreads.

What Did I Read in April

May 2, 2022 By Annette1 1 Comment

So a friend of mine was doing this, and I thought it an excellent idea. She was sharing the books she was reading over the course of the previous month. Isn’t that a great way to meet new books? So just what did I read in April, and what did I think of them? Won’t you come along and see? Perhaps you’ll meet a new potential favourite, and then share one with me?

Just so you know Affiliate links will be used in this post.

Books I read for fun and learning!

Admittedly, a lot of the books I read lately are books that I listened to. I have the audible app and thoroughly enjoy having it. I so love getting a new book every month, and every day I get an email suggesting a new book at a discounted price. I’ve met some excellent books that way!

Books that I have listened to are:

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin. I loved this book. It was somewhat predictable so if I walked away and missed 30 seconds I didn’t fuss about it. But this historical romance was a romance of books and helping others. Was there personal romance yes, but it was definitely secondary to the romance of books. It was all about reading them, sharing them, organizing them, and discovering them.

It takes place in London, during WW2 of which there are a plethora of books lately. I loved the history and the look into the everyday lives of men and women during this time period. I enjoyed how the love of books infused the storyline. Well done.

The Dragon’s Blade Trilogy by Michael R. Miller. Now this book I started a fair bit ago. I love fantasy, I adore fantasy with dragons in it. It’s just a genre I really like. But this one was odd. It took me until the second book in this trilogy to really connect with the characters. I started to become invested in the life of the main character and some of the perifery ones. I even cared about a good “bad guy”.

Why was it a struggle? It’s VERY wordy. Oh my, the author could go on and on and on. But once I was invested, I was very persistent in listening all the way through. The end was a bit preachy, but thought-provoking. It’s a story where the good guys need to sacrifice to help those in need, and that was good. So it’s a bit of a mix, but overall I liked it enough that I checked out other books he’s written.

And I’ve started the following:

Women in White Coats. This is the history of women doctors in Europe and North America. This is a history textbooky, but also storyish. You feel like you are getting to know the characters which is good. Makes the history seem more real you know?

I am George. This is about the history of black pullman on the trains. So far, very interesting. It is not a story, it is more a retelling of history … like a textbook sorta. It’s making me ask questions. For instance, is it prejudiced to not envision a multi-cultural society? Sometimes people are so used to the way things are that to see something beyond that is not possible.

Physical books that I am into.

Currently reading An Encounter Easter. I take this to work for a short devotional time at work. I expect I’ll work my way through the entire book and it will take me longer than the 50 days of Easter. 🙂

Gentle and Lowly. This book by Dane Ortlund is an excellent read, drawing me into the very heart of Jesus. It is making me think deeply. I am very much taking my time going through it. Thus far it’s a book I feel like I was meant to read. GET IT!

Books I posted for reviews

Like always, I love to share my thoughts about a wide variety of books. I receive books from a few different places, each with their own focal points.

Teaching Books

The Perfect Rejection Resume. I think this book would be helpful in a college and careers class.
How to Homeschool. The author covers a lot of concerns with homeschooling. Shares a lot from his own homeschooling journey. Wasn’t my style, but a good book none-the-less.
Sheltering Mercy. A book of prayers as free verse. Based on the Psalms. I am using this book almost every weekday.
Food Triggers. Learn how to gain control of your food by knowing what triggers you. A helpful book. Go read my review.

Fiction for middle school through adult

Shine On, Luz Veliz. a young lady has to work hard to figure out who she really wants to be.
Until Leaves Fall in Paris. A WW2 historical romance. Nicely written with good details.

Picture Books

Be a King. Using the ideals from King’s life to encourage change. A good conversation starter book.
Our World is a Family. Consider the needs of immigrant families and help them feel at home. I found this book to be well done.

A Place Inside of Me

August 22, 2020 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

Zetta Elliot, in A Place inside of me, gives us a poem to heal the heart of young people of colour. In this sensitive picture book we see a young skateboarders’ response to living, before and after, a community member is wounded by the police. This review is on behalf of Raincoast Books.

Just so you know, affiliate links will be used in this post.

What I am Reviewing

Published by Farrar Straus Giroux, A Place inside of me is written by Zetta Elliot. Within it’s 32 pages of reinforced binding, this hardcover picture book contains a poem to heal the heart. Noa Denmom illustrates with care and feeling, bringing to light those hidden emotions inside.

From the cover:

Summertime is filled with joy – skateboarding and playing basketball – until his community is deeply wounded by a police shooting. As fall turns to winter and then spring, fear grows into anger, then pride and peace. …….

Here is a groundbreaking narrative that can help all readers – children and adults alike – talk about the feelings hiding deep inside each of us.

The details for A Place Inside of Me

This is not a book of simple rhyming poetry, but a poem filled with emotion from deep inside of a young man. Enjoying his summer, until damage happens. Then pain and anger flow out.

Illustrator Noa Denmon does an excellent job articulating the depth and nuances of a child’s experiences following a police shooting. You’ll see with washes of colour, the grief, and anger, and healing and eventually the community.

You’ll find the text generally in a large enough format to read with a group of children gathered round, and yet easy enough on the eyes to sit and read with a single child. A Place Inside of Me is geared to youth 4-8 years old, but would be good with older children as well.

Should you Get it?

Well-written, covering sensitive pain. Opening hearts and minds to the inner turmoil of others when a member of their community is hurt. Even though this specifically applies to Black Lives Matter, I can easily seen the theme crossing boundaries. An excellent bridge to help children be sensitive to the feelings of those around them.

A Place Inside of Me is definitely worth reading and I suggest you give it a good look. Add it to your history. 🙂

So Tall Within

June 21, 2018 By Annette1 Leave a Comment

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom is a lovely, meaty picture book containing poignant statements and images to that speak to the truth of hard times and hope. I loved reading through this book and showed it to a fellow homeschool mom who asked “Can I take this home and read it?” That makes for a nice book eh? Let me then, tell you all about it.

Written by Gary D. Schmidt, So Tall Within walks us through the life of Sojourner Truth on her way to freedom and living as an adult with a mission… freedom for slaves. I loved the set up of this lovely picture book, which is geared toward children 4-8 years old. The vignettes that opened each chapter spoke truth about what slavery was and did to the people trapped within that way of living. This opening page set the tone for the rest of the book, showing the promise within the hardship. I just loved how aptly the text fit the image created by Daniel Minter.

Schmidt walks us through Sojourner’s life, starting with her life as a slave with her momma Mau-mau Bett, learning to remember who her siblings were, to her eventual slavery, through the promise of freedom and finally needing to seize it. She married whom she was told to, had children and found her way to freedom with the help of good people. Despite her inability to read, she knew the law and her rights and fought for them. And through that, she developed her mission in life. Tell her story, help bring about freedom for others. And so Sojourner Truth walked and taught, and walked some more, telling her story to any who would listen. She travelled through Michigan, Iowa, Washington D.C, and beyond. Talking and walking, it was her life’s work fighting for freedom.

Interspersed among the 48 pages of the lovely book that causes one to think, ask questions, and ponder the will of a strong woman, are lovely pictures. Oh my! They are wonderful pictures filled with tons of images to point out to a young child, or that will inspire the thinking in an older one.

Images that are full of colour and darkness and light. Images to grab the artist within you and make you ponder all the more the story of Sojourner Truth. Seeing her faith, seeing her determination, seeing her will to succeed. Sojourner fought for what is right and didn’t let time or distance stop her.

She had help along the way, and we are shown that help. We saw her loss and fear. The Slavery was a Time images pulled out truth as we entered into a new part of Sojourner’s life.

Get this book. Read it with your youngsters. Use it as a start to a study on Black History. Let your teens read it as well! It’s not just a book for littles, but for anyone wanting to know more about Sojourner Truth and the struggles that black people had coming out of slavery. It was a tough time, but determination… wow.. it wins through.

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk Toward Freedom
Gary D. Schmidt
Daniel Minter (illustator)
Roaring Brook Press
48 pages, 4-8 years, Softcover, Picture Book
Biography, History, Black history
Reviewed for Raincoast Books
Find it on Amazon.

black history

The Personal Librarian

The Basic Details for The Personal Librarian