Like most avid readers and book collectors, I have my favorite bookstores. Some of them are local, some are one or two states away from Houston; others are across the Atlantic. One that I've mentioned before is Shakespeare and Company, a Paris bookstore that has to be seen to be believed.
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George Whitman and daughter Sylvia in his bookstore bedroom
Painting by Rosy Lamb |
Shakespeare and Company, in its current incarnation, was reborn in 1961 when George Whitman opened up his English-language bookstore in the heart of Paris. Whitman, who was born in 1913, plans to live in the bookstore until he reaches his hundredth birthday. Thankfully, his 30-year-old daughter plans to keep the store open even after her father leaves the business.
This is a must-see spot for book lovers but, despite its proximity to Notre Dame, it is easily missed unless one is specifically looking for it. This video gives a taste of what the bookstore is like, but hardly does justice to the real thing:
This April 21
Los Angeles Times article brings the Shakespeare and Company story current - and what a story it is.
Shakespeare and Co. certainly has an atmosphere unlike any other bookstore I've been to! Upon walking in, it's like you have entered a playground for books :) Love it.
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