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Shirley F
Paris in the 1920a
This book introduced me to Bohemian Paris in the 1920s that I knew .very little about. The Paris Bookseller was mostly a historical biography of Sylvia Beach, and her relationship with Adrienne Monnier. The 2 women were among the many avantgarde of Paris and the continent who flaunted the conventions and morality of the era.
The women established an English language bookstore along with author talks, and provided a meeting space for American and English speaking expats to enjoy each other's company.
I was surprised at the number of authors mentioned who crossed the threshold of Shakespeare & Co - Hemingway,
…more Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, and I found their participation in the bookstore activities interesting. I knew that there was some controversy about Ulysses, but this book brought out the controversy and conflicts surrounding its publication. The stories of these famous people (and the publication of Ulysses) were for me, the most interesting parts of the book.
I felt that the book was too long and the relationship between the two women developed quickly, but I just didn't care about them. I was bored with the dinner parties and the affectation that Sylvia especially displayed, and the details of their relationship and its development. I guess that it just wasn't my favorite type of book.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Bookbrowse and the publisher for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. (less)There is much to anticipate when considering a novel about the wonderful bookstore Shakespeare and Company in Paris, but unfortunately, I struggled to finish this book. The storytelling lacked that certain spark that compels a reader to be unable to put the book down, and to eagerly anticipate picking it up again to resume the tale. Certainly the time period is interesting, the cast of characters includes not only the notable Sylvia Beach but also James Joyce and other celebrities of the era, the subject of censorship remains relevant - but somehow, it just didn't come together for me. I'm truly happy to see
…more that many early readers did enjoy the book, but it just was not my cup of tea. (less)I so enjoy that this book was based on the real Shakespeare and Co. book store, which I have visited a few times. I found Sylvia's publishing of James Joyce's Ulysses fascinating, as well as their rift at the end of their business relationship. However, I felt the book was too romanized for my liking, leaving me a bit unengaged at times, I did like the book better as it went on and felt very satisfied with the ending, but the beginning was much less satisfying. The book is well written and overall enjoyable.
Barbara E. (Rockville, MD)
A Tale of Ulysses
The subject matter of this historical novel is fascinating: the founding of the English-language bookstore, Shakespeare and Company in Paris in 1919 and the life of the owner, Sylvia Beach. Sylvia meets and befriends the leading luminaries of the Parisian world of letters, including Ezra Pound and James Joyce. When Joyce's Ulysses is banned, Sylvia, at great personal risk, fights to publish this leading work of the 20th century. Unfortunately, I found the writing to be plodding, dull, and too staid, which made reading the book very slow going. As much as I wanted to like this book, I really cannot recommend it.
Julie P. (Fort Myers, FL)
The Paris Bookseller
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres; I love reading about eras, people, and places I was previously unaware of. So reading about the literary life in Paris in the 1920s, the published authors, the up-and-coming writers, and the trials and tribulations involved in publishing James Joyce's novel Ulysses should have been fascinating. I had never heard of Sylvia Beach or her English-language bookstore, Shakespeare and Company. However, the book bogged down almost immediately; it was as if the author wanted to include every single writer or literary figure who crossed the threshold of Shakespeare and
…more Company. And every single conversation. And every single time Sylvia fell into the arms of her lover, Adrienne. I wish it had been 100 pages shorter. Even then I'm not sure I wanted or needed to know that much about Sylvia Beach's life. For me, an article or two on the internet would have sufficed; however, I'm sure this novel will appeal to those who enjoy a detailed literary memoir. (less)Generally I enjoy historical fiction, either because I'm able to connect with one of the characters, whether they are real or fictional or because I'm drawn in by the plot, the time period, or the setting. Unfortunately The Paris Bookseller did not provide any of these for me.
I think fans of James Joyce might enjoy seeing him from Sylvia's point of view. As most of the characters were real people, I suppose accuracy was more important than color. It was well written but lacked enough imagery for me. Book clubs may enjoy this book.
Judith M. (Granville, OH)
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher is a fictional account of the Shakespeare and Company bookstore and lending library (1919-1941) owned by Sylvia Beach that became the gathering spot for the artists residing in Paris between the World Wars – among them, James Joyce, Ernest Hemmingway, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and T.S. Elliot. The themes of the book include love, relationships, censorship, and art.
At the beginning of the book I was ambivalent about the writing. For example, the beauty of Adrienne asking "Did you find...your heart's desire?" compared with the crudeness of "made Sylvia sweat in her
…more sheets." But I found that both the beauty and crudeness reflected the recurring themes of censorship and art.
Much of the book was about the relationships between Beach and James Joyce, between Beach and her love Adrienne, and between art and censorship. The lawyer in the United States defended Joyce's Ulysses in the courts on the basis that the book was so ugly it couldn't corrupt instead of the "grounds of truth and beauty." Ulysses was declared pornography and banned in the United States meaning Joyce couldn't find a publisher, so Sylvia became the publisher. "Censorship is not commensurate with democracy or art."
Similar to today, the politicians are attempting to ban Beloved in schools and to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory, even though their interpretation is ignorant. Before WWII, "The rulers in America wanted to outlaw anything that offended its sense of decorum. Book, play, film, organization, activity, or person was in danger of being silenced. The very suppression created more of what they feared - more anarchism and Marxism and protests and unrest and it was books like Ulysses that sought to open minds rather than slam them shut."
I enjoyed the middle part of the book - the publication of Ulysses- more than the beginning or the ending. For further reading, Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach is the autobiography that is parallel to The Paris Bookseller. (less)
Becky H. (Chicago, IL)
interesting, but a bit long
I was half way through this book before I realized it is essentially an accurate and lengthy biography of Sylvia Beach and her English language bookshop. Beach and her Paris shop, "Shakespeare and Company", hosted many of the writers and thinkers of the early half of the 20th century. She came to fame with her publication of James Joyce's Ulysses when no one else would publish it. In fact, America had declared it pornography and prevented it from being published or sold in the US. The novel also covers her relationship with Adrienne Monnier and Monnier's French language bookshop. Both women were sponsors of
…more American, French and British writers.
The novel is well researched and well written but gets bogged down in the details. Joyce, Ulysses, Hemingway and Pound by themselves along with Beach could have made a fascinating tale that moved more quickly and kept the reader's interest from flagging. Still, the history alone makes the book worth reading. Personally, I could have done with a hundred fewer pages. (less)
