Download or read book The Personal Librarian written by Marie Benedict and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-06-07 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Instant New York Times Bestseller! A Good Morning America* Book Club Pick! Named a Best Book of the Year by NPR! Named a Notable Book of the Year by the Washington Post! “Historical fiction at its best!”* A remarkable novel about J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation, from New York Times bestselling authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. 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 in New York City society 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 create 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 she must go to—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.

Download or read book The Only Woman in the Room written by Marie Benedict and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2019-01-08 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER THE USA TODAY BESTSELLER Bestselling author Marie Benedict reveals the story of a brilliant woman scientist only remembered for her beauty. Her beauty almost certainly saved her from the rising Nazi party and led to marriage with an Austrian arms dealer. Underestimated in everything else, she overheard the Third Reich's plans while at her husband's side and understood more than anyone would guess. She devised a plan to flee in disguise from their castle, and the whirlwind escape landed her in Hollywood. She became Hedy Lamarr, screen star. But she kept a secret more shocking than her heritage or her marriage: she was a scientist. And she had an idea that might help the country fight the Nazis and revolutionize modern communication...if anyone would listen to her. A powerful book based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist, The Only Woman in the Room is a masterpiece that celebrates the many women in science that history has overlooked. Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Marie Benedict: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie Lady Clementine Carnegie's Maid The Other Einstein

Download or read book Lightning Strike written by William Kent Krueger and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-07-05 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An instant New York Times bestseller, this prequel to the acclaimed Cork O’Connor series is “a pitch perfect, richly imagined story that is both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and an evocative, emotionally charged coming-of-age tale” (Kristin Hannah, #1 New York Times bestselling author) about fathers and sons, small-town conflicts, and the events that shape our lives forever. Aurora is a small town nestled in the ancient forest alongside the shores of Minnesota’s Iron Lake. In the summer of 1963, it is the whole world to twelve-year-old Cork O’Connor, its rhythms as familiar as his own heartbeat. But when Cork stumbles upon the body of a man he revered hanging from a tree in an abandoned logging camp, it is the first in a series of events that will cause him to question everything he took for granted about his hometown, his family, and himself. Cork’s father, Liam O’Connor, is Aurora’s sheriff and it is his job to confirm that the man’s death was the result of suicide, as all the evidence suggests. In the shadow of his father’s official investigation, Cork begins to look for answers on his own. Together, father and son face the ultimate test of choosing between what their heads tell them is true and what their hearts know is right. In this “brilliant achievement, and one every crime reader and writer needs to celebrate” (Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author), beloved novelist William Kent Krueger shows that some mysteries can be solved even as others surpass our understanding.

Download or read book What Could Be Saved written by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2021-01-12 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a mysterious man claims to be her long-missing brother, a woman must confront her family’s closely guarded secrets in this “delicious hybrid of mystery, drama, and elegance” (Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author). Washington, DC, 2019: Laura Preston is a reclusive artist at odds with her older sister Beatrice as their elegant, formidable mother slowly slides into dementia. When a stranger contacts Laura claiming to be her brother who disappeared forty years earlier when the family lived in Bangkok, Laura ignores Bea’s warnings of a scam and flies to Thailand to see if it can be true. But meeting him in person leads to more questions than answers. Bangkok, 1972: Genevieve and Robert Preston live in a beautiful house behind a high wall, raising their three children with the help of a cadre of servants. In these exotic surroundings, Genevieve strives to create a semblance of the life they would have had at home in the US—ballet and riding classes for the children, impeccable dinner parties, a meticulously kept home. But in truth, Robert works for American intelligence, Genevieve finds herself drawn into a passionate affair with her husband’s boss, and their serene household is vulnerable to unseen dangers in a rapidly changing world and a country they don’t really understand. Alternating between past and present as all of the secrets are revealed, What Could Be Saved is an unforgettable novel about a family broken by loss and betrayal, and “a richly imagined page-turner that delivers twists alongside thought-provoking commentary” (Kirkus Reviews).

Download or read book Lady Clementine written by Marie Benedict and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-01-07 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Marie Benedict, the New York Times bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room! An incredible novel that focuses on one of the people with the most influence during World War I and World War II: Clementine Churchill. In 1909, Clementine steps off a train with her new husband, Winston. An angry woman emerges from the crowd to attack, shoving him in the direction of an oncoming train. Just before he stumbles, Clementine grabs him by his suit jacket. This will not be the last time Clementine Churchill will save her husband. Lady Clementine is the ferocious story of the ambitious woman beside Winston Churchill, the story of a partner who did not flinch through the sweeping darkness of war, and who would not surrender to expectations or to enemies. The perfect book for fans of: World War I historical fiction Novels about Women Heroes of WWI Novels about women hidden by history Biographical novels about the Churchills Recommended by People, USA Today, Glamour, POPSUGAR, Library Journal, and more! Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Marie Benedict: The Mystery of Mrs. Christie The Only Woman in the Room Carnegie's Maid The Other Einstein

Download or read book Sinners Saints written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-10-30 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jasmine Larson Bush and Rachel Jackson Adams are each fighting to become the first lady of the National Baptist Association, until the current first lady steps in, a woman bigger, badder, and more devious than either of them.

Download or read book Truth Be Told written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Essence bestsellers Temptation and Joy returns with a story about one woman's personal and spiritual journey to overcome the consequences of her husband's dark secret. Grace Monroe has the ideal life: a devoted husband, adoring daughters, and a booming career in politics. Newly elected on a Christian platform to the Los Angeles city council, she is determined to put her mistakes behind her and focus on her bright future. But when a secret from her husband's past is revealed, setting off a chain of attacks that threaten to rip her family apart, Grace must face a dilemma that will force her to question her life and her faith.

Download or read book The Paris Hours written by Alex George and published by Flatiron Books. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Like All the Light We Cannot See, The Paris Hours explores the brutality of war and its lingering effects with cinematic intensity. The ending will leave you breathless.” —Christina Baker Kline, author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World One day in the City of Light. One night in search of lost time. Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians, a glittering crucible of genius. But amidst the dazzling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four regular people are each searching for something they’ve lost. Camille was the maid of Marcel Proust, and she has a secret: when she was asked to burn her employer’s notebooks, she saved one for herself. Now she is desperate to find it before her betrayal is revealed. Souren, an Armenian refugee, performs puppet shows for children that are nothing like the fairy tales they expect. Lovesick artist Guillaume is down on his luck and running from a debt he cannot repay—but when Gertrude Stein walks into his studio, he wonders if this is the day everything could change. And Jean-Paul is a journalist who tells other people’s stories, because his own is too painful to tell. When the quartet’s paths finally cross in an unforgettable climax, each discovers if they will find what they are looking for. Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours takes four ordinary people whose stories, told together, are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit.

Download or read book Diamond written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2010-05-11 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the bestselling author of The Personal Librarian​ comes the first in the The Diva series, following the stories of four fifteen-year-old girls who form their own singing group. Diamond Winters is the one who formed the Divas singing group. With her wealthy, loving parents and an endless supply of charm, she's always been able to sweet-talk her way into anything. But this time, has Diamond talked her way right into trouble? Diamond has support for her group from her family and church, but she has a lot going on. She's made it onto the school's varsity cheerleading squad, and she's caught the eye of the totally cool senior Jason Xavier. Jax is sweeping her off her feet, but Diamond is starting to feel as if she's in over her head. Diamond has always been so sure she's in control. Will she have the courage to ask for help and guidance when she needs it? And will the Divas even manage to stay together long enough for the first round of the talent competition?

Download or read book This Time Next Year We ll Be Laughing written by Jacqueline Winspear and published by Soho Press. This book was released on 2021-09-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A 2021 Edgar Award Nominee for Best Critical/Biographical “Jacqueline Winspear has created a memoir of her English childhood that is every bit as engaging as her Maisie Dobbs novels, just as rich in character and detail, history and humanity. Her writing is lovely, elegant and welcoming.”—Anne Lamott The New York Times bestselling author of the Maisie Dobbs series offers a deeply personal memoir of her family’s resilience in the face of war and privation. After sixteen novels, Jacqueline Winspear has taken the bold step of turning to memoir, revealing the hardships and joys of her family history. Both shockingly frank and deftly restrained, her story tackles the difficult, poignant, and fascinating family accounts of her paternal grandfather’s shellshock; her mother’s evacuation from London during the Blitz; her soft-spoken animal-loving father’s torturous assignment to an explosives team during WWII; her parents’ years living with Romany Gypsies; and Winspear’s own childhood picking hops and fruit on farms in rural Kent, capturing her ties to the land and her dream of being a writer at its very inception. An eye-opening and heartfelt portrayal of a post-War England we rarely see, This Time Next Year We’ll Be Laughing chronicles a childhood in the English countryside, of working class indomitability and family secrets, of artistic inspiration and the price of memory.

Download or read book The Mystery of Mrs Christie written by Marie Benedict and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2020-12-29 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER! "A stunning story... The ending is ingenious, and it's possible that Benedict has brought to life the most plausible explanation for why Christie disappeared for 11 days in 1926."—The Washington Post The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room returns with a thrilling reconstruction of one of the most notorious events in literary history: Agatha Christie's mysterious 11-day disappearance in 1926. In December 1926, Agatha Christie goes missing. Investigators find her empty car on the edge of a deep, gloomy pond, the only clues some tire tracks nearby and a fur coat left in the car—strange for a frigid night. Her World War I veteran husband and her daughter have no knowledge of her whereabouts, and England unleashes an unprecedented manhunt to find the up-and-coming mystery author. Eleven days later, she reappears, just as mysteriously as she disappeared, claiming amnesia and providing no explanations for her time away. The puzzle of those missing eleven days has persisted. With her trademark historical fiction exploration into the shadows of the past, acclaimed author Marie Benedict brings us into the world of Agatha Christie, imagining why such a brilliant woman would find herself at the center of such murky historical mysteries. What is real, and what is mystery? What role did her unfaithful husband play, and what was he not telling investigators? Agatha Christie novels have withstood the test of time, due in no small part to Christie's masterful storytelling and clever mind that may never be matched, but Agatha Christie's untold history offers perhaps her greatest mystery of all. Fans of The Secrets We Kept, The Lions of Fifth Avenue, and The Alice Network will enjoy this riveting saga of literary history, suspense, and love gone wrong. Other Bestselling Historical Fiction from Marie Benedict: Lady Clementine The Only Woman in the Room Carnegie's Maid The Other Einstein

Download or read book Destiny s Divas written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-06-05 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THEY CAN TALK THE TALK, BUT CAN THEY WALK THE WALK? Sierra, Raine, and Liza are Destiny’s Divas, a fresh, new gospel group whose unique blend of singing and testifying has gained them fans across the country. They tell the world about how good God has been to them, but off-stage, each is living a life totally opposite to what she preaches—and each is harboring a secret that could ruin them all. Twenty-something Sierra Dixon speaks about the joy of being single and celibate, though she is anything but, drifting from one relationship to another. Although she stresses the importance of unconditional love within the family, Raine Omari has hit her breaking point with her mother-in-law and is ready to take drastic steps. And when Liza Washington discovers that her pastor-husband is in the middle of a scandal that could bring down more than just their ministry, she knows she must do something to stop him. One fateful evening their secrets are exposed, and one diva commits an act that could land her in prison for the rest of her life. Each has motive—who will crack?

Download or read book The Gifted School written by Bruce Holsinger and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2020-06-30 with total page 562 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER "Wise and addictive... The Gifted School is the juiciest novel I've read in ages... a suspenseful, laugh-out-loud page-turner and an incisive inspection of privilege, race and class." –J. Courtney Sullivan, author of Friends and Strangers, in The New York Times Smart and juicy, a compulsively readable novel about a previously happy group of friends and parents that is nearly destroyed by their own competitiveness when an exclusive school for gifted children opens in the community, from the author of The Displacements This deliciously sharp novel captures the relentless ambitions and fears that animate parents and their children in modern America, exploring the conflicts between achievement and potential, talent and privilege. Set in the fictional town of Crystal, Colorado, The Gifted School is a keenly entertaining novel that observes the drama within a community of friends and parents as good intentions and high ambitions collide in a pile-up with long-held secrets and lies. Seen through the lens of four families who've been a part of one another's lives since their kids were born over a decade ago, the story reveals not only the lengths that some adults are willing to go to get ahead, but the effect on the group's children, sibling relationships, marriages, and careers, as simmering resentments come to a boil and long-buried, explosive secrets surface and detonate. It's a humorous, keenly observed, timely take on ambitious parents, willful kids, and the pursuit of prestige, no matter the cost.

Download or read book Summary and Detail Review of the Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray written by Pressprint and published by . This book was released on 2021-07-26 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF THE STORY-LINE, FULL PLOTS AND CHAPTER TO CHAPTER SUMMARY. GET ALL THE DETAILS OF THE BOOK AS YOU READ THROUGH THIS SUMMARY. SУNОРЅІЅ Thе Pеrѕоnаl Lіbrаrіаn tells thе ѕtоrу оf Bеllе dа Costa Grееnе, whо іѕ hired by J. P. Morgan tо serve аѕ thе curator аnd lіbrаrіаn оf his newly-constructed lіbrаrу, the Pіеrроnt Morgan Lіbrаrу. Aѕ ѕhе acquires vаluаblе works аnd becomes a society darling, she wоrrіеѕ аbоut kееріng hеr ѕесrеt -- thаt ѕhе''ѕ a blасk wоmаn passing аѕ whіtе. In this ѕtоrу аbоut a trulу unique wоmаn, Mаrіе Bеnеdісt аnd Victoria Chrіѕtорhеr Murrау have оffеrѕ a narrative about a woman fіndіng hеr рlасе іn a wоrld whеrе she muѕt hide hеr truе identity. ABОUT AUTHOR: Marie Bеnеdісt іѕ a lаwуеr wіth more thаn ten уеаrѕ'' experience аѕ a соmmеrсіаl lіtіgаtоr аt twо оf the соuntrу''ѕ рrеmіеr lаw firms. While рrасtісіng аѕ a NYC lаwуеr, Mаrіе dreamed оf a fantastical jоb unеаrthіng thе hidden hіѕtоrісаl ѕtоrіеѕ of wоmеn -- аnd finally fоund іt whеn she trіеd hеr hаnd аt writing. She еmbаrkеd оn a nеw, thematically соnnесtеd series of hіѕtоrісаl fісtіоn excavating thе ѕtоrіеѕ of important, complex аnd fascinating women frоm thе past with THE OTHER EINSTEIN, whісh tеllѕ thе tale of Albеrt Eіnѕtеіn''ѕ fіrѕt wife, a рhуѕісіѕt hеrѕеlf, аnd the rоlе she mіght hаvе рlауеd in his theories. Shе thеn rеlеаѕеd CARNEGIE''S MAID, thе ѕtоrу оf a brilliant wоmаn whо mау have spurred Andrew Cаrnеgіе toward рhіlаnthrору, fоllоwеd bу the NYTimes bеѕtѕеllеr THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, the tаlе of thе Gоldеn Age оf Hollywood асtrеѕѕ Hеdу Lаmаrr whо mаdе a wоrld-сhаngіng іnvеntіоn, аnd LADY CLEMENTINE about Winston Churchill''s wіfе. Her latest bооk -- THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE -- focuses on thе real-life dіѕарреаrаnсе оf Agatha Chrіѕtіе аnd the rоlе іt рlауеd іn shaping her into thе world''s mоѕt successful nоvеlіѕt. Vісtоrіа Chrіѕtорhеr Murray іѕ the author оf nіnе Essence bеѕtѕеllіng nоvеlѕ, іnсludіng Thе Ex Fіlеѕ; Tоо Little, Tоо Lаtе; аnd Lаdу Jаѕmіnе. Winner оf thе Afrісаn Amеrісаn Lіtеrаrу Awаrd fоr Fiction аnd Authоr of the Yеаr (Fеmаlе). She hаѕ rесеіvеd numerous аwаrdѕ іnсludіng thе Gоldеn Pen Awаrd for Best Inѕріrаtіоnаl Fiction аnd thе Phуllіѕ Wheatley Trаіlblаzеr Awаrd fоr bеіng a ріоnееr іn African Amеrісаn Fiction. Sіnсе 2007, Vісtоrіа hаѕ wоn nіnе Afrісаn American Literary Awards fоr best novel, bеѕt Chrіѕtіаn fісtіоn and Authоr оf thе Yеаr -- Fеmаlе. Aftеr four nоmіnаtіоnѕ, Vісtоrіа finally won an NAACP Imаgе Award іn Outѕtаndіng Literary Wоrk for hеr ѕосіаl соmmеntаrу novel, Stаnd Your Ground. Vісtоrіа ѕрlіtѕ her time bеtwееn Lоѕ Angеlеѕ аnd Wаѕhіngtоn DC.

Download or read book An Illuminated Life Belle da Costa Greene s Journey from Prejudice to Privilege written by Heidi Ardizzone and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2007-06-17 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The secret life of the sensational woman behind the Morgan masterpieces, who lit up New York society. What would you give up to achieve your dream? When J. P. Morgan hired Belle da Costa Greene in 1905 to organize his rare book and manuscript collection, she had only her personality and a few years of experience to recommend her. Ten years later, she had shaped the famous Pierpont Morgan Library collection and was a proto-celebrity in New York and the art world, renowned for her self-made expertise, her acerbic wit, and her flirtatious relationships. Born to a family of free people of color, Greene changed her name and invented a Portuguese grandmother to enter white society. In her new world, she dined both at the tables of the highest society and with bohemian artists and activists. She also engaged in a decades-long affair with art critic Bernard Berenson. Greene is pure fascination—the buyer of illuminated manuscripts who attracted others to her like moths to a flame.

Download or read book Stand Your Ground written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-06-30 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Janice Johnson's 16-year-old son was murdered and the shooter hasn't been arrested. Shelly Vance's husband is facing murder charges for shooting a teenager who he says attacked him in a parking lot. This tragedy is magnified by the racial divide it has created. She wants to stand by her man, but she's keeping a secret that could blow the case wide open. Alax Wilson is the jury foreman. Faced with a dramatic trial that has turned into a media frenzy, Janice, Shelly and Alax are forced to face their own prejudices.

Download or read book Temptation written by Victoria Christopher Murray and published by Walk Worthy Press. This book was released on 2000-09-06 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kyla and Jefferson Blake count their 16 years together as a wonderful blessing from God. Their marriage is passionate, their daughter is a joy, Jefferson's medial career is prospering and they have loyal friends. Kyla knows her newly divorced and lifelong friend, Jasmine, is desperately unhappy and no amount of prayer or encouragement seems to help. But what Kyla doesn't know is that Jasmine has a plan to move her life forward with the type of man she feels she should have married in the first place. A man like Jefferson. Alexis Ward, Kyla's, best friend, is single and successful and willing to wait for the right man for all the right reasons. But, when "Mr. Right," Dr. Brian Lewis, finally appears she finds herself facing a new challenge. Does she really have to walk away from what she believes in order to have a man in her life? As people who love God, Kyla, Jefferson and Alexis discover, each in their own way, what happens when they truly allow God to be first in their relationships. Full of contemporary characters who struggle to keep their strength, friendships and daily lives framed by the Word of God, Temptation is a novel no reader will soon forget.