SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY BOOKSHOP

[varbren]

last visited May 2011, George Whitman, chapeau..! you will be remembered.. R.I.P.

[ptoivonen]

R.I.P. George Whitman.First time in Paris,it was 2004,visiting allso in Shakespeare & Co and joying in the teeparty.Really AMAZING place and owner in headrole.

Paula,FINLAND

[luisespinosadotcom]

I was there 2 days ago. The atmosphere of the shop is just amazing. As soon as you get there you feel there is some kind of magical aura in it. The only bad thing were the cashiers working that day... so rude and cold.

[8s8lw8d]

As a man who has made his living for 24 years as a writer, this simple video, this philosophy, this place, struck me to my core. Is there anything more grand, more touching than the written word? Art is the only thing that marks man's progress. Rest in peace, Mr. Whitman. You gave far more than you took. Sylvia, pulchritudinous spirit, burn brightly my dear, burn ever so brightly. Viva art, viva truth, viva life.

[roylopear]

"Avenue Victor Hugo Bookshop" In Boston (on Newbury St) was like this place, and there was one or two or three places like this in Berkeley, CA and San Francisco... as well as Philadelphia and New York. Even a couple in Los Angeles.

[Satchel334]

The song in this video is called The Edge of the Ocean by a female singer called Ivy. You can find the video on YouTube.

[striantafyllou]

she is gorgeous

[LittleLulubee]

This shop really is a magical place. I miss you, Paris!

[wabdatl]

No Nook or Kindle will ever garner this type of love.

[Solvinden]

Is there anyone knows what the music in the background is?? Very nice!

This bookstore was also visited(?) by Hemmingway during his Paris' years.. Lottie

[historyisanichtmare]

@Solvinden This is not the store that Hemingway (or Joyce) frequented. That store was run at 12 rue de l'Odeon in the 1920s and 30s by Sylvia Beach (1887-1962). This Sylvia Beach is not to be confused with Sylvia Beach Whitman, who runs the bookshop that is the subject of this video. The bookshop in the video was opened in 1951 at a completely different place to the Shakespeare and Company famously frequented by Hemingway, Joyce and others.

[Shlovingit]

I went last week. It is perfect. Though it may not be as big as Barnes and Noble, B&N has nothing on Shakespeare and Company. It has the vibe and diversity any bookstore would kill for. Oh gosh, the stamps. Just yeah. The stamps. There's your reason to buy everything in site.

[CharlieXCharlieX]

I will visit the shop monday ! :D

[AmericanEvita]

This is the best bookstore in the world. I love Shakespeare and Paris and I'm an aspiring writer/novelist. The cheap but charming historic old hotel Esmeralda is next door. I like the area (with views of the Cathedral of Notre Dame and Seine River) and there is an authentic Parisian and literary vibe all around. The bookstore is a great place for a writer to get inspiration. I hope to someday write in that bookshop (live there) and work for them in exchange!

[1994paramorefan]

read books,baugettes and bedbugs by jermy mercer if you want to know more about the bookshop

[theripper7675]

thanks for posting love it!

[Washinato]

Absolutely amazing. Incredible that there is an actual bookstore out there.

[Readna]

whats the song?

[Sissiaraujo]

Very beautiful bookshop, i loved...

[lizzielonglegs]

That lady at the beginning looks remarkably like the leading lady in Inglorious Basterds [I know the spelling of the film title is possibly different, I'm not sure that was right?]

[Burgvati]

Would love to shop and write there :)

[matttelepneffuk]

What is the backing track called?, it is fab.

[willimwillson]

Had an absolutely amazing time here on Valentines Day. AMAZING! Check my videos to see clips of it.

[arcataberry]

My favorite place in Paris. I was one of the writers who had the privilege of sleeping upstairs on a lumpy bed & sitting in a comfy armchair alternately reading & gazing out at Notre Dame. George is a real humanist.

[thepogpo]

i might be going there at the end of the year.

Maybe.

ID LOVE TO SEE IT

[defrooneyqueenrocks]

@thepogpo u lucky!

[andyns]

Time was soft there

[MushroomQueen27]

This is what Heaven looks like, I bet.

[MrPiqua]

@MushroomQueen27 No, that must be what Purgatory looks like.

[invademythoughts]

my dream is to be able to stay in this bookstore, even just for a night or two

[iamnamine]

it has always been my most desired dream to run away to that wonderfull bookstore, mindyou, I've never done anything so absurd in my whole life, especially considering I've never gone to Shakespear and Company or speak french, but one day I will live in that marvolous bookstore!!!!!!!!!

[Dionthepirate]

I'm actually going to work here for a week in June. AMAZING place. and she's truly a wonderful person.

[AhYaOk]

dont do it. its run by slaves and old people from a bygone era. used to be great, but no more. miller called it a "bin of rats" in his day and thats when it was civilized. i stayed there for 2 weeks in 86 and had a good time, but a drug addict stole my passport! asshole! the rule was you have to insult george in order to stay. i never did insult him. he let me stay anyway, which was cool. better to sleep on the street though.

[michaelwright999]

@Dionthepirate hope your having a interesting time, I was in the bookshop first time 1970, met the great man then. my hostel is 1635 in Marbella.

[michaelwright999]

@Dionthepirate  well did you ?

[sommerklang]

I've been there in 1995 and didn't want to leave that wonderful place ;-) I love books!

[fushigilady]

It was one of the most amazing places I have ever been! Once I get a bit of money, I will go to Paris and stay there for a bit. :D

[LeucadiaSurfSchool]

I lived upstairs at this bookstore and worked in it in the mid 1970s, and I am ready to go back and live there again, but I think the beds still have bedbugs. Me and some others moved after George the owner wanted us to clean up the basement, and in exchange, we could live upstairs in one of the apartments. Instead, we all left. We should have done the job and moved upstairs. Opportunities lost. Gerry Kantor

[CR65]

Wow! how very fortunate you were to have spent some time living in the bookshop. I hope that when I go to Paris in the not too distant future I will have the opportunity to live there as well even if its only for a few hours or a day or two.

[mifo13]

This is a most amazing book shop, when I stumbled across it I fell in love immediately.

[CR65]

I can't wait to go and see it for myself.

[avemvd]

I went there on June 2001. I was so excited, my first time in Paris, this bookstore I had heard so much about... Unfortunately, a guy who was working there treated me like shit. I finally bought the complete works of Oscar Wilde (the first thing that was at hand, as I was rather nervous) and left. I'm from Uruguay. In spite of what happened, I still believe it's a magical place. Hope next time things will be different.

[BookCollector100]

When I return to Paris one of these days, this bookstore will be the first location I will go to.

[mmartini50]

I visited at about 10.30 pm, a little drunk after a good meal in Rue St. Severin, and I bought a book about the English navigator James Cook, very good read for 3 euros only. AND I got the 'Shakespeare & Co' stamp in the front. Brilliant!

Sorry I'm not a 20 something, but I'm sure this kind of shop is not ageist, not with a 91 year old owner.

[curzmg]

Me and a friend tried to run away, hoping to stay at this bookshop - we got to Boulogne before running out of money. A great shame. Still I will be finally visiting this Saturday, it will be rather odd. xXx

[sebtamgeospa]

Thank you for posting it! I would love to visit it on November 23rd of any year on my birthday :)

[zrepeels]

This is not the original Shakespeare and Company owned by Sylvia Beach. That closed in 1941.

[bethy73]

Every time I go to Paris, I go there. Looking forward to my next trip witin a few weeks. Its a Paris Must!!!

[moteloverthere]

how old is she, do you know? she looks about my age i think. i can't wait to go there one day: it's my dream adventure :)

!

[shambler92]

think it's called edge of the ocean or something

[shadowcman]

What is the name of the music used in this video? I like it.

[LadyLisaLyon]

yeah go visit that bookshop! I've been there a few weeks ago and the atmosphere there struck me. also the people working there are very funny and nice. and there's a little piano with a sign on it saying "play me" : D

[elliepotten]

I saw a photo where someone had stuck another piece of paper over the top so it said 'Play Chopin' instead of 'Play Me' - I thought that summed up the bohemian quirkiness of the shop perfectly!

[elliepotten]

Wow! I'm 21 and I've read about the shop, and dreamed about it, and talked to friends about it, and told everyone about Whitmans' famous generosity and spirit... but I haven't been able to get there yet thanks to years of ongoing illness. It's my dream, my ultimate goal to get there, and this video has inspired me even more. Plus I had no idea Sylvia was so beautiful! Thank you so much for this.

[1JustBreathe]

Aw, that was a really sweet comment. I wish with all my heart that you will have many visits to the Shakespeare & company bookshop

[steampunk18]

It's like Paradise City!

But I'd just go to meet pretty Sylvia.

[greateywhitecat]

Thank you for this.

Although I'll probably never get a chance to go to Shakespeare & Co it's wonderful to see it.

And what a beaufiul young woman Sylvia is!

[greateywhitecat]

Oops, that should have been 'beautiful'....

[pcalberti]

Extremely well done... especially within the time frame.

[pcalberti]

I never miss an opportunity to visit George Whitman, and now his daughter, Sylvia, when I'm in Paris. Been doing so frequently since 1987.

Sylvia has added life to the first editions shop located separately next door to the main shop. On my last trip to Paris, I ran into them away from the shop, and took their picture together. It may be the only picture of George Whitman dressed to the 'nines'. The store evokes love.

[1JustBreathe]

I adore this bookstore, I didn't want to leave and I wish I had something like that here in Canada

[zsamy]

when I first went in there, I thought I would be inFlourish and Blott the Diagon Alley of the Harry potter Books ... its soo magical ... did you see the cat, sleeping on the books?? it's so great in there and the people are very friendly ... I really miss Paris, and this bookshop it one of the resons why.

[jactracbac]

Facebook has a group for those who have visited, or has thoughts about visiting Shakespeare & Co.

As Sylvia said, magical place.

[Andyderz]

Ahh what a wonderful place any visit to the best city in the world is not complete without a day spent perusing the books here *sigh*

[yourosewood]

Such a wonderful place! And Sylvia was named in honor of Sylvia Beach, the owner of the original Shakespeare and Company- she wears her name well.

[midnightmoonshine]

It is truly a magical place... the walls of the turkish toilet are scrawled to with a silly menagerie of writers' memories

[monny616]

That looks like such a cool place and you can live there!!! wow I wanna go to Paris just to see that