pickI really enjoyed this and it didn‘t matter that I‘d already read The Personal Librarian previously - yes, I knew the general outline but the books are quite different stylistically, and complement each other.
This one felt a little bit more NF (even though the author doesn‘t claim that it is) and I thought Belle herself came across a bit more mercenary and unlikeable in this version.
Thanks @jlhammar for being a great host! #europacollective
pickMy second to last #10BeforetheEnd book. I think I might make it!
This was an interesting look at art, capitalism, privilege, racism, etc. A lot of big ideas but Kunzru pulls it off, IMO. Jay was a performance artist who disappeared at the height of his career. Now, delivering groceries during the Covid pandemic, he encounters former friends from his art school days. We flash back to their friendship and then catch up to their uneasy present.
What a delightful #jolabokaflod package! Thank you so much Danielle!! I am so pleased to have the Hardwick collection (love a NYRB edition) and Toffifees are a favourite! Also loved the card & paper.
It is a very snowy Christmas eve day in my part of the world (40+ cms expected ❄️❄️❄️❄️). Guess I'll have to stay at home and read. 😀
@StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego @MaleficentBookDragon
pickEye opening in so many ways! 😲 I have mixed feelings about Bella and some of her decisions. Ultimately, they cost her dearly and the question is whether it was worth it.
The weird thing is no mention is made of whether & what Belle liked to read recreationally! It appears her real passion was collecting & organizing & preserving treasures.
My only quibble with the book is it‘s a bit long in the detail at times. #Europacollective
Learn something new every day they say! Well, I‘ve been informed by my teens we celebrate what is commonly referred to as a “tacky Christmas.” 🤣
Definitely NOT in keeping with Morgan & Greene standards. Our decorations aren‘t matchy or themed. Wait, I guess the theme IS tacky.
Again the 💵 is simply astounding in this book. One shipment of collectibles alone was worth over $1B (BILLION). It was scheduled to come over on the Titanic. 😳
Belle Greene was a remarkable woman!!! The Morgan Library owes its ‘ life‘ to her!
I cant imagine what it would be like to carry the secret of passing.
This was another great read for #EuropaCollective.
I decided to see how much she inherited:
She I nherited $50,000 in 1913 from JP Morgan
Today‘s equivalent would be $1.6 million
She also inherited $50,000 in 1943 from his son
Which the equivalent today is $900,000
The older I get the more I realize how much of my own culture has been lost to time in the name of assimilation and the search for safety.
Enjoying learning more about the fascinating Belle Greene for #EuropaCollective
Thanks for curating such wonderful books this year @jlhammar 🩵💙🩵
A great companion book is The Personal Librarian
pickI had to buy this when I saw it a few months ago - a book about languages, and also about NYC?! ❤️
This is a fascinating account of 6 speakers of little-known, almost extinct, languages who all live and work in NYC, all well as a history of immigration to that city and diversity within it. It looks at grammar and language structure, alongside cultural histories.
Of course, I had to pair the book with my Strand bookmark!
