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Shakespeare and Company
Shakespeare and Company | Sylvia Beach
Sylvia Beach was intimately acquainted with the expatriate and visiting writers of the Lost Generation, a label that she never accepted. Like moths of great promise, they were drawn to her well-lighted bookstore and warm hearth on the Left Bank. Shakespeare and Company evokes the zeitgeist of an era through its revealing glimpses of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Sherwood Anderson, Andre Gide, Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, D. H. Lawrence, and others already famous or soon to be. In his introduction to this new edition, James Laughlin recalls his friendship with Sylvia Beach. Like her bookstore, his publishing house, New Directions, is considered a cultural touchstone.
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WildAlaskaBibliophile
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AnneCecilie
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#12Booksof2022 - day 11

A book about the early days of this famous bookstore in Paris and it‘s founder.

Andrew65 I love books about books and looks a good read. 1y
tpixie This was great! The REAL Shakespeare & Co! @Andrew65 @AnneCecilie (edited) 1y
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AnneCecilie
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#AdventRecommends December 21st

The story of the early days of Shakespeare and Company, it‘s customers and it‘s founder. This has given me some reading projects for 2023.

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AnneCecilie
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Pickpick

This is the funder of the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore‘s memoir. It focuses mostly on the 20s and in this period it was more than just a store, it was also a lending library and post office.

Several famous authors frequented the store, and Beach was trio with many of the them. All the positive descriptions makes me want to read their work, especially James Joyce‘s Ulysses and Hemingway. I‘ve had at least one book by Hemingway

AnneCecilie standing on my shelves close to 20 yrs. And I loved the ending with Hemingway saving rue de l‘Odeon after the war. 1y
TheKidUpstairs I've been wanting to read this one for years! I find Sylvia and Shakespeare and Co so fascinating. 1y
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AnneCecilie @TheKidUpstairs I loved this one so I would definitely move it up the tbr. 1y
RowReads1 😁 1y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 1y
Librarybelle Oh! I need to read this! 1y
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AnneCecilie
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They always forgave him, for when he did get there he entertained the company so wonderfully; and even while they waited for him, everybody had some story to tell of Fargue‘s doings - there were endless stories about him. That one, however, about his arriving two weeks late for dinner was enough to make any hostess shudder.

(Picture of Fargue found online)

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AnneCecilie
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#WeeklyForecast

Continue with the buddy reads; Villette and Jane Austen‘s Letters #PemberLittens

Continue with the daily reading of The Christmas Chronicles.

I want to finish Shakespeare and Company. To stop me from finishing that too soon I‘ve also started The Bullet That Missed and want to finish that.

I want to get to at least if not both of King Kong Theory and Black and Female.

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AnneCecilie
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A customer we liked, one who gave us no trouble, was that young man you saw almost every morning over there in a corner at Shakespeare and Company, reading the magazines or Captain Marryat or some other book. This was Ernest Hemingway, who turned up in Paris, as I remember, late in 1921. My “best customer,” he called himself, a title no one disputed with him. Great was our esteem for a customer who was not only a regular visitor, but spent money

AnneCecilie on books, a trait very pleasing to the proprietor of a small book business. 1y
SheReadsAndWrites I love this! We were able to visit Shakespeare and Company while in Paris. It was lovely. 🤓❤️ 1y
AnneCecilie @SheReadsAndWrites I‘ve visited the store several times and love it. This was actually a book I bought on my last visit in August. 1y
UwannaPublishme Great story! Love this photo of him! 1y
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AnneCecilie
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#BookReport

I‘m reading a chapter a day in Villette and trying to catch up with Jane Austen‘s Letters #PemberLittens

I‘m reading The Christmas Chronicles, following along to the dates in the books

I finished The Garden of the Gods and read The Forever House

I currently reading Beach memoir about Shakespeare and Company.

Cinfhen I picked up a fiction book this week on my kindle that‘s meant to be about Shakespeare & Co bookshop - im looking forward to reading it 1y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen So far I‘m loving the Beach memoir and the fiction book about her sounds great as well. 1y
AnnR Adding The Christmas Chronicles to my wishlist, probably for next year. 1y
Cinfhen I‘ll let you know and I‘m curious to hear more about the Beach memoir!!! 1y
AnneCecilie @Cinfhen So far the positive descriptions of 20s authors like Joyce and Hemingway, makes me want to read their novels. 1y
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AnneCecilie
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Languages apparently were Joyce‘s favorite sport. I asked him how many he knew. There were at least nine; we counted them. Besides his own, he spoke Italian, French, German, Greek, Spanish, Dutch, and the three Scandinavian tongues. He had learned Norwegian in order to read Ibsen, and had followed it with Swedish and Danish. He also spoke Yiddish, knew Hebrew. He didn‘t mention Chinese and Japanese. He probably left them to Pound.

Chrissyreadit My goal in life would be to be a polyglot, but unfortunately it did not happen. 1y
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AnneCecilie
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Finally, the day came when all the books I could afford were on the shelves, and one could walk around the shop without falling over ladders and buckets of paint. Shakespeare and Company opened its doors. The day was November 19, 1919.

(The picture is from the book)

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AnneCecilie
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AnneCecilie
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#WeeklyForecast

Continue with the buddy reads Villette and Jane Austen‘s Letters #PemberLittens

I‘ll continue with The Christmas Chronicles.

I‘m not that far into The Garden of the Gods andI want to finish that. I want to read The Forever House. Hopefully I get a start on Shakespeare and Company.

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Branwen
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Nothing better on a chilly night than curling up with a book and some hot chocolate! 😍 I may go into a sugar coma after this but it will be totally worth it! 🍫🍫🍫

youneverarrived 😍😍 2y
Leftcoastzen Sylvia Beach was amazing! Publishing Joyce was huge! While on a bus tour of Dublin,we came across Joyce‘s statue who he called “the prick with the stick” 😁The statue is life size bronze , Joyce leaning on his cane. 2y
Branwen @Leftcoastzen OMG that statue sounds amazing! 🤣😂 Beach really was incredible! If I could travel back in time it would be to visit her, Joyce, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and others at her store! What an amazing piece of history! ❤ 2y
Branwen @Leftcoastzen I visited the archive (at Princeton University Library) that houses her collection and it was AMAZING to see all the letters, papers, ledgers from her bookstore! The coolest thing though, was reading all the letters that people in America wrote her thanking her for smuggling their copies of Ulysses to them! 🤣😂 2y
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Books88
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Thank you for the tag @Nute
@TheSpineView

1. I've always wanted to visit Shakespeare and Company in Paris, The Last Bookstore in LA and John K. King in Detroit.

2. I usually never have a list. Sometimes I do go with one book in mind and accidentally walk out with more 🤣💕

TheSpineView Accidentally?!?😂 You sound like me! Thanks for playing! 2y
Nute I can‘t believe that I failed to mention Shakespeare and Co. That bookstore makes my list as well! There are so many that I would like to visit .🙂 2y
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Kimberlone
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Before my accident that afternoon, I was able to visit the iconic Parisian bookstore, Shakespeare and Company. As you can see, there was a long line of people waiting to get in, so I didn‘t actually go inside (was intending on coming back later at a less busy time). I did still enjoy myself looking though the various boxes of damaged books that were free to take.

BarbaraBB Wonderful pic. I hope you are feeling well despite the circumstances 💝 2y
sharread Hope all is okay. ❤ 2y
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marleed
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See what my son and DIL brought back for me last night! I had explained this shop was a Paris must-see. They loved it! The book is even stamped for their proof of location purchase. ...But Littens, look at their pic they took just for me!!

MicheleinPhilly AWWWW, this is so thoughtful and lovely. 🤗 4y
Tanisha_A Love it! 4y
Eggs This is amazing 👏🏻📚❤️ 4y
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erzascarletbookgasm Haha! So cute! ❤️ 4y
Cinfhen Adorable photo 😍🤩 4y
cathipink So sweet 💗💗💗💗 I love Shakespeare and Co, it's a definite must visit for Americans in Paris 🙂 4y
Graywacke That‘s really sweet and also kind of brilliant. Cool kids. 4y
readordierachel How cute! 4y
marleed @MicheleinPhilly @Tanisha_A @Eggs @Erzascarletbookgasm @cinfhen @cathipink @graywacke @readordierachel Thank you. They certainly did not need to purchase gifts for me on this adventure. But since they did, this is so awesome. I love it! 4y
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TheEllieMo
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brit91 Oh my gosh add on dream list!! 5y
OriginalCyn620 Me too! 📚❤️😊 5y
AnneCecilie A great store, small but great. I‘ve visited twice and brought books on both visits 5y
JamieArc I just checked it off my bucket list in May. Loved it, though there were way too many people to properly enjoy it at the time. 5y
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Emilymdxn
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The essential pilgrimage! Shakespeare and company was as wonderful as before. I‘ll always go every time I‘m in Paris. My boyfriend got the cat to sit on him while he read for ages but the cat didn‘t like me 😐 I bought some books translated from French to help work on my knowledge of French literature! I‘ll post pics when I get somewhere I can sit down.

I‘m completely under Paris‘ spell 🥰 I‘ve been before but I love it most this time

TrishB Love it here 💕 and Paris generally. 5y
Debdeb Shakespeare & Co is on my bucket list ... have you read the book by Jeramy Mercer? Books, Baguettes & Bedbugs? 5y
cariashley So awesome, I love that place!! Agree it‘s a must do whenever in Paris ❤️ 5y
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erzascarletbookgasm Awesome! I recently read about this amazing bookstore in The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell. #travelbucketlist 5y
Rachel_nyc I‘ve been under Paris‘ spell since my first as a high school student. I always make a stop at Shakespeare & Co. as well. 5y
Swe_Eva I‘ve been to Paris, but never made it to the store. 😒 #bucketlist 5y
Emilymdxn @TrishB @cariashley @Rachel_nyc it‘s amazing! I can‘t believe I‘m only here three days, I‘m already planning how to get cheap train tickets to come back and researching french evening classes. I don‘t know that I ‘got‘ Paris before but now I see why people say it‘s the most beautiful city in the world 5y
Emilymdxn @Swe_Eva I hope you manage to get there! 5y
Emilymdxn @erzascarletbookgasm I haven‘t heard of that but ill put it on my list! 5y
Emilymdxn @Debdeb haven‘t read it but ill put it on my list! 5y
youneverarrived It is the best city 💕 lovely photo. 5y
90 likes11 comments
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TrishB
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#lavieboheme #musicalnewyear
Quite a rebellious, bohemian bunch here 😁

Cinfhen Brilliant 5y
SW-T Love the cover 😊 5y
Leftcoastzen Excellent choice! 5y
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vivastory Definitely! 5y
batsy Delightful cover 💚 5y
ErinGoBragh1011 There are now 2 us stores with this name. One in NYC and one in Philly. I have never heard of this book before. It sounds good. 5y
TrishB @ErinGoBragh1011 it was a good read 👍🏻 5y
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TrishB
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#paris #augustisatrip
I was lucky enough to go to Paris last year for my 50th 😁and visit this bookshop!

youneverarrived I love it there 💙 hoping to go back next year for my 30th. 6y
Megara 😍 love Shakespeare & Co.! 6y
TrishB @youneverarrived @Megara it‘s wonderful 😁 6y
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AnneCecilie I love this bookstore. I only had some 40 min. in there the last time I was in Paris. Way too little, I could gave spent hours. But for my wallet, it was probably enough time 😉 6y
TrishB @AnneCecilie I spent about 3 hours in there and a lot of money! But I had a special allowance for my birthday! 6y
AnneCecilie @TrishB wish that had been me 6y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Oh I want to go!!!! 💗💗💗 6y
vkois88 Sounds like a lovely time!! ❤❤❤ 6y
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EricaCurtis11
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#backpackEurope I didn't do backpacking in my most recent trip to Europe but I did do some book shopping.

Linsy Looks fantastic! 6y
SandyW That bookstore looks so inviting! 6y
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TheKidUpstairs
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1. Gaiman. Amanda Palmer would be invited too, of course. Their dude can play with my dudes, and we'll eat, drink, and be merry!
2. 1920s Paris.
3. I've been told that I look like Holly Marie Combs from Charmed.
4. I tag my new Pen Pals @mellissimo and @Kelican17

#TuesdayTidbits @JenlovesJT47

MissAimz_55 Oh 1920s in Paris, yes!! 6y
JenlovesJT47 💚💚💚 6y
JazzFeathers I'd go to 1920s Berlin 😆 6y
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i.z.booknook
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And they stamp the inside for you! 😍🇫🇷

RaimeyGallant So cool! 6y
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TrishB
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#wanttogotoparis? #heartsandhardcovers
I have always wanted to and was lucky enough to go for my birthday last year 😁
This is a pic from inside Shakespeare and Co ❤️

Valeka So lovely! I‘m planning to go in October! 6y
readordierachel Awesome! 6y
Christine11 I loved Shakespeare and co - so old-timey ! 😊 6y
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful ❤️ 6y
mrp27 😍😍😍😍 6y
JaclynW Great picture! I loved that place! (How'd you get away with taking a picture inside? I got in trouble for doing that!) 6y
TrishB @JaclynW very quickly and no one about!! 6y
JaclynW @TrishB Tricky, tricky!! 😉😄 6y
JaclynW @TrishB I could have spent all day in that awesome book shop! 😍 6y
TrishB @JaclynW absolutely ? I did spend a good couple of hours there and a not insignificant amount of £!! 6y
JaclynW @TrishB 😊❤ 6y
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TrishB
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Check out their website for a book subscription offer.....expensive but you could always drop hints to Santa 🎅

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LyndseyReads
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Heaven. 🙌

LeahBergen 😍😍😍 6y
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cariashley
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Of course this was one of my first stops in Paris 🤗🇫🇷🙌 They even stamp your book when you buy one!

tjwill 😍🤓📚💕 7y
LeanneAslin I'd love to visit this shop, I've heard it's really cool! 7y
cariashley @LeanneAslin it's awesome, definitely worth a visit! 7y
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TrishB
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Pickpick

Entertaining, informative and fun read about this fabulous book shop in Paris. So many amazing stories about authors that frequented the shop. I had no idea about the publication of Ulysses.
Can't wait to visit in a few weeks, as long as @Lindy doesn't buy all the books before me!

LeahBergen You are going to have SO MUCH FUN! 👏🏻👏🏻 7y
Merethebookgal Awesome! Take pics so we Littens can live vicariously through you 😁 7y
Cinfhen So exciting ❤️❤️❤️ 7y
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LeeRHarry I loved it - enjoy! 7y
Lindy Shakespeare and Company will never run out of books, not to worry. I do plan to stop in there, of course. It's really close to a cosy vegetarian restaurant that we like: Le Grenier de Notre Dame. 7y
minkyb I remember being there but really couldn't enjoy it or spend money since our kids were so young and uninterested! 7y
batsy Enjoy! I look forward to your pics 💜 7y
TrishB @lindy - oh a vege restaurant too! 4 out of the 5 of us going are vege - one vegan. So that's good to know! 7y
TrishB @LeahBergen @Merethebookgal @Cinfhen @LeeRHarry @minkyb @batsy getting excited now 💗 my youngest is 15 so understands my book needs! 7y
Lindy @TrishB If I post on Litsy about some of the other vegetarian restaurants we go to while in Paris, I will tag you, ok? 7y
TrishB Thanks @Lindy that would be fab 💗 7y
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TrishB
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#currentlyreading - getting ready for our trip to Paris in a few weeks 😀😀
Got some reading time on the bus today as meeting 2 of my sisters for lunch. It's a 40 minute bus ride - they said 'will you be ok on your own'? (I'm the youngest sister they still think I'm 12!) I won't be on my own - I have a book!!

kspenmoll 👏😊 7y
Megabooks Have fun! 7y
writerlibrarian Great book. 7y
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minkyb Fun times! 7y
Jeg It is a great place to visit. Enjoy. 7y
Lindy I will be in Paris in June also. 😊 7y
TrishB @Lindy we get there on the 30th 😀 7y
Lindy @TrishB I will have cleared out all the best stock from the Seine bookstalls by then. 😉 7y
TrishB @Lindy oh no!! I'm going to have to send out a no books for Lindy alert!! 😂😂 7y
Lindy @TrishB Ha! I will be in my best disguise. They will never catch me! 7y
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Chachic
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Favorite indie bookstore that I've visited so far: Shakespeare and Company in Paris. Such a lovely bookstore! I wanted to stay there for hours. This was in 2014 and I still haven't read the copy of American Gods that I bought.😂 Love their tote bag and I keep using that.

#IndieBookstore for #AprilBookShowers
@RealLifeReading

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TrishB
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#holiday #lyricalapril
@Cinfhen
I have a significant birthday later this year and hubby has booked us 4 days in Paris. I get to do what I want and see Depeche Mode live 😀 (I'm an 80's girl!) I desperately want to go to this bookshop and am planning on reading these before I go!

Hooked_on_books I saw Depeche Mode back in 2010 and they were amazing! You would have thought they were at their peak. You're going to love that concert! 7y
LauraBeth This sounds so fun! 7y
LeahBergen Lucky you! 7y
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Lmstraubie Depeche Mode-AWESOME!!!! Have a fantastic time! 7y
Dragon Wow awesome birthday plans! 🎉 7y
Cobscook Sounds amazing! 7y
TrishB @Hooked_on_books @LauraBeth @LeahBergen @Lmstraubie @Dragon @Cobscook 😀 first time I've ever had a count down on my phone! 7y
Cinfhen Sounds fabulous 💝💝💝good job, hubby 👍🏻Depeche Mode can be found on my 80's playlist 😃 7y
AmandaL I almost touched Dave Gahan's hand during their Violator tour. In my teen years I could name all their songs, in order, by album. 😄 7y
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diovival
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I had to dig up this old photo from my visit to Shakespeare and Company. You see? Magical! There are nooks and crannies filled with books and notes all about. Some lucky folks even get to sleep inside the shop (for free!) on occasion. I'm not sure if that last thing is still a thing. Somewhere in here Kiki was waiting for me to find her.

IamIamIam *drool* 7y
diovival @iamiamiam I know right! And it's two stories. 7y
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brennahawleycraig
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Some of my current favorite bookmarks for today's #RiotGrams. 1️⃣ One that I got at Shakespeare and Co over Christmas. 2️⃣ Laird, my grandpa. 3️⃣ Leather Holland bookmark, which I got on our trip there when I was 11. 4️⃣ San Francisco, a gift from my most bookish friend. 5️⃣ Saint me Chapelle, bought at the church over Christmas. @bookriot

LeahBergen 😍😍 7y
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TrishB
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#bookmail
Arrived today 😀

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katedensen
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Stopped into my favorite indie bookstore (Shakespeare & Co. on the Upper East Side) to browse and get some delicious coffee. Was delighted to see this display of classics printed on their Espresso Book Machine. ❤ #getindie

Well-ReadNeck That's awesome!!! 7y
katedensen @Well-ReadNeck Right?! I love this store. It's been around for as long as I can remember. 7y
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BookswithTea
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#TBT Not sure if this qualifies for a #getindie bookstore photo, but I had the pleasure of visiting the Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore in Paris earlier this year, and it was wonderful!! 😍📚🇫🇷

scripturient Sure this qualifies! :) 8y
Curley_Bender Proposed to my wife on a trip to Rye, East Sussex. We then took a three day jaunt to Paris. When she asked what sights I wanted to see I replied, "Shakespeare & Company. All else is expendable". Sometimes she wonders about me...so yeah, I say it counts! 8y
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bananasbooks
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If anyone is ever in Paris, go to this bookstore! It's called Shakespeare and Company. It is absolutely beautiful, and it has many different types of books. It's located just across the river from the Notre Dame Cathedral.

supersophiesbooks It's beautiful inside! Did you buy any books there? 8y
bananasbooks @supersophie7 I bought Carry On by Rainbow Rowell! It was the last one in the store, and it was hidden behind a copy of Fangirl. 8y
supersophiesbooks Cool! I just finished that book (literally yesterday) and saw a bit of Carry On in the back. 8y
bananasbooks Hahaha nice! 8y
15 likes4 comments