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In 1917, Sylvia Beach walked into a Paris bookshop, where she met Adrienne Monnier, the woman who would become her life companion. In 1919, Beach opened her own English-language bookshop and lending library, Shakespeare and Company, which would become the cynosure of an entire literary movement. Literary expatriates were drawn to her shop, and Ernest Hemingway declared of Sylvia, "No one that I ever knew was nicer to me." But her most celebrated literary efforts are those she made on behalf of her literary idol, James Joyce, undertaking the publication of Ulysses. Noel Riley Fitch uses Beach as the focal point for a fascinating portrait of an artistic community filled with anecdote after anecdote. From the intellectual salons at Natalie Barney's residence--of which "William Carlos Williams would recall only the lesbian women dancing together"--to the seemingly constant presence of Ezra Pound, Fitch's account solidifies the importance of the time and place he so vividly re-creates. --Ron Hogan
Customer Reviews:
Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation.......2007-02-10
Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation
This is an ambitious and serious work, accessible in style, and packed with information in over four hundred pages. It has three main themes, clearly defined in the introduction.
The first is the love between Adrienne Monnier and Sylvia. The details of this, so we are told, 'were and are still little known' in 1983 when this book was first published. The second is her admiration for, and championship of, James Joyce. The third is her bookshop, Shakespeare and Company, which was a key feature of the literary scene in Paris between the two World Wars.
By far the most detail is provided on her professional relationship with Joyce. Her efforts to get Ulysses published and smuggled into America, her financial and personal efforts to support the author, and the amount of time and energy she invested, are the key theme of the book.
Naturally Sylvia knew all the other familiar literary figures of the time. Hemingway and Pound are frequently mentioned, as is Gertrude Stein.
As intimated in the introduction there is less to be said about more personal relationships. In a way this seems rather a pity. The anecdotal style and recurring references to various incidents along the way give the writing a rather disjointed feel. Inevitably there is also a certain sense of déja vu particularly for anyone familiar with biographies of Hemingway for example.
The strength and the weakness of the book is the amount of text devoted to James Joyce. Joyce attracts great, but not universal, enthusiasm. The man himself seems to have had more arrogance than charm. Depending on the side of this divide which the reader favours this book will firmly hold the attention or will, in places, rather pall.
A Fantastic Insight Into The Most Famous Bookstore in Paris .......2005-12-02
This is quite a spectacular book, a privileged look into the most famous English language bookstore in Paris, Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare & Company. Not only is it delightful to read the history of how Sylvia's modest dream became such a huge success, but it is also fascinating to read about Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and James Joyce when they were young. The language is rich and fulfilling, the photos insightful, and in the end, I really felt as if I had been part of it all, sitting in Sylvia's bookstore, hearing the rustle of pages as the day passed away.
WELL RESEARCHED - FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN OUR LITERATURE.......2005-04-13
This one has been around for some time now and it is not the worse for wear. For those interested in our literature and literary Paris during the 1920s and 1930s, then this is one of those "must reads" (I truely hate that term, but know of no better to describe the improtance of this work at this time). The author's research is absolutely miticulous and fills in many gaps in the story of this remarkable woman. Do be warned though. Many of the names of people mentioned here are rather obscure (at this day and time) for those not immersed in the literary world. This can make the work a bit difficult to follow at times. That being said, this is a wonderful work to read to cause many of these names to become less obscure than they are now...one more of the many reasons to read this work! The book covers some of the intimate details of Beach's relationship with friends and lovers that she so well side steps in her own account of this time. Recommend this one highly. Actually, you probably should purchase this one as it is one that is a good book for reference and one you will probably want to reread.
History-Biography-Delectation.......2004-10-24
This is one of those books where you care about the characters. Their past and future becomes important and that the characters are real people make this book all the more fasinating. A book one does want to end. But end it does with style.
keen and insightful...........2004-05-17
This is one of the best books that I've ever read about the 'lost generation' of Americans literary refugees in Paris. The writing is excellent, the research exhaustive and thorough with unparalleled access to Ms. Beach's 'surpressed' portions of her autobiography "Shakespeare and Company". It is readily apparent from this book that without Ms. Beach and her unflinching support, there would have been no "Ulysses" (and maybe no James Joyce). But there was so many other authors she supported and nurtured as well, as the quote from Ernest Hemingway cited above illustrates as well. This book is almost a 'must read' for those persons interested in American literature of the mid 20th century.
Book Description
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.
Customer Reviews:
Shakespeare would be proud.......2005-04-11
What a wonderful find! This book is truly a treasure and made me wish I had been an author in Paris during the 20's. Sylvia Beach ran her library Shakespeare and Company on the left bank on Rue l'Odeon for many years and served as the location for English language books in Paris. During that time she worked closely with Joyce and personally handled not only publishing Ulysses but also took care of all his mail and the shipping of his books to various customers around the world.
There is a rather funny scene she describes. Because it was so hard to get Ulysses into America (since it was banned), Sylvia had a dilemma concerning distribution. Hemingway, who proclaims himself Sylvia's "best customer", tells her not to worry and within a few days he comes back to let her know he has a friend who has moved to Canada who will personally bring the books into America by ferry, stuffed in his pants.
I cannot say enough what a beautiful book this is. Beach is as gifted as the authors she esteemed and brings to life a world you wish you could climb into.
I would also highly recommend A Moveable Feast by Earnest Hemingway in conjunction to this.
A Pleasant, Chatty Memoir.......2004-12-31
I've been carrying a first edition of this book around from state to state for several years, and never really quite got around to reading it, as I was more involved with books by the writers Beach writes about, and with the more mundane details of life. What a shame. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and chatty memoir of one rather significant (but don't overstate this) expatriate member of the so-called "Lost Generation". The book is an easy read -- certainly no literary masterpiece, though I doubt it was intended as one. Beach recounts her efforts a running a little book store specializing in modern American literature (and, of course, publishing a small work by an Irish writer, as well), and details her encounters with various figures of the era, be they French, English or American. At times, particularly early on, Beach resorts to simple name dropping -- one day so-and-so came in, this person was a regular customer, etc.; but that is really just a quibble as the sheer volume of significant names brings to mind a roll call of the major modern literary figures of the English language. And "Shakespeare & Co." also has a nice little side effect -- it reminded me of some writers (and a composer - Georges Antheil) that I haven't read yet, or haven't read in a while. I highly recommend this book.
not quite what I expected.......2004-10-05
good, though not quite what I expected, September 12, 2004
I purchased this book knowing little about Sylvia Beach and her bookstore Shakespeare and Company, but hoping to find out more. Since this particular book is rather autobiographical, I figured I could learn a lot from it about her. Actually it was more about her famous friends (Joyce, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and many other writers and other prominent social and literary figures of the day; if you're familiar with the Algonquin Round Table and their expanded circle of friends, a lot of these people cross over), with only rather modest information provided about herself. It is still an interesting read, and the stories she recounts are well done and witty, but the spotlight is less on her own story and more on the people she surrounded herself with. I would like to seek out a more objective biography of her to couple to the information I've learned in this book. Still, do read it, especially if you are interested in the literati of the 1920s-30s.
A real treat for book lovers........2004-09-13
Every once in a great while I stumble upon a book I've never heard of and feel as though I've discovered treasure. This is such a book. Though I had heard of Sylvia Beach and her famous book shop/lending library, her memoir "Shakespeare & Company" was unknown to me. In an easy, conversational style, Beach gives the history of her shop and observational portraits of the various artists who treated her establishment as a salon of sorts. These artists included Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, T. S. Eliot and Andre Gide, among others. She expounds upon her experiences as James Joyce's publisher and benefactress to a considerable depth, while never overtly acknowledging the intimate nature of her relationship with Adrienne Monnier. Beach's life in Paris and her interactions with 'the lost generation,' was published almost fifty years ago, but remains engaging, enjoyable and relevant today. Indeed a treat.
good, though not quite what I expected.......2004-09-12
I purchased this book knowing little about Sylvia Beach and her bookstore Shakespeare and Company, but hoping to find out more. Since this particular book is rather autobiographical, I figured I could learn a lot from it about her. Actually it was more about her famous friends (Joyce, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and many other writers and other prominent social and literary figures of the day; if you're familiar with the Algonquin Round Table and their expanded circle of friends, a lot of these people cross over), with only rather modest information provided about herself. It is still an interesting read, and the stories she recounts are well done and witty, but the spotlight is less on her own story and more on the people she surrounded herself with. I would like to seek out a more objective biography of her to couple to the information I've learned in this book. Still, do read it, especially if you are interested in the literati of the 1920s-30s.
Product Description
4 Scripts by the RSC: All the Great Books (abridged) -- The Complete History of America (abridged) -- The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) -- Wester Civilization: The Complete Musical (abridged)
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Inside Shakespeare: Essays on the Blackfriars Stage (Apple-Zimmerman Series in Early Modern Culture)
Manufacturer: Susquehanna University Press
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ASIN: 1575910772 |
Book Description
Sometimes you just can't get too much of a good thing. At least that's how we feel about some of the greatest works of the English language. We just couldn't resist "gilding the lily" (literally in this case). Not only have we gold foiled our favorite writing series, but we've also embossed and embellished these journals until they are something very unique indeed. Even better, we've added some of the most famous signatures of all time to the back covers. Find out how Will Shakespeare really did sign his manuscripts.
Customer Reviews:
Absolutely Beautiful.......2006-03-16
The journal was so pretty that I didn't want to write in it. It was well worth the money and came quickly...I would definitely shop this vendor again!
Great journal!.......2003-12-23
This is a great hardcover journal and the embossing is very well done! The pages are sturdy and the binding is excellent, I just wish there were more of them!
Book Description
In 1999, Jeremy Mercer fled Canada for Paris with gangsters on his trail and nothing but his meagre savings. Nearly homeless after a few weeks, he met George Whitman, owner of Shakespeare and Co. In exchange for work in the legendary bookstore, Whitman allows struggling writers to live in and around the shelves. He offers Jeremy a cot and thereby begins a charming Parisian story filled with unforgettable characters like the eccentric British poet, Simon, and the beautiful blonde Pia. Time Was Soft There winds in and around the City of Lights as the staff fall in love, drink in the lowliest watering holes, manage to sell a few books, and help Whitman find a way to keep the endangered bookstore open. QUOTES An evocative, funny and romantic account of his time among the artists, eccentrics and sundry down-and-outers who congregate in and around George Whitman's famous Left Bank bookshopLike so many before him, he discovered there's no better place to be young than the City of Light. Ottawa Citizen
Customer Reviews:
Welcome to Bohemia.......2007-07-17
I happened on this book in an English-language bookstore in Paris during a recent trip (not Shakespeare & Co., if they had it, I didn't see it), and I'm glad I did. It was the perfect read for my journey. I've been to S & Co many times, but had no idea there was a whole down-the-rabbit-hole bohemian lifestyle associated with the place (complete with mad tea parties). Mercer's book brings that little world to life and leaves you thinking that bohemia sounds magical--but you just don't know if you could do without a daily shower. A must-read for lovers of Paris and books.
Just okay.......2007-07-03
I was excited to get my teeth into this memoir but found it ultimately a little disappointing. There are some nice passages describing Whitman and his crazy personality, but I finished 'Time Was Soft There' with the feeling that Mercer had filled it out in order to have enough material for a book. Considering the literary culture of the shop, and the legacy of the authors that passed through it, there is something off-putting about this.
Great character study of both Store and Store Proprietor.......2007-05-07
I've had the pleasure of visiting Shakespeare & Co. on my many visits to Paris in the last decade. George was always in place at the front desk, waiting (if you can call it that) on the store's patrons. He was delightful, if you were respectful of the books and the other people in the store.
But he could also exhibit a certain crankiness and excentricity. I once saw a young customer ask how much a particular book was, and George opened the book, saw no price tag anywhere, and answered, "oh, about 35 francs." The young man then looked aghast at that price (which was about 7 bucks at the time), and replied, "What?! That much?" To which George snatched the book out of this guy's hand and tossed it over his shoulder. He spat at the would-be customer, "Forget it. You can't have it. You don't deserve to read it." The guy was then unceremoniously shown the door.
This personal antedote pretty much sums up George and the bookstore planted on the lovely Left Bank of the Seine.
Jeremy Mercer captures much of the feeling and tone of Shakespere & Co. during that time, while also writing a lovely - yet unvarished - portrait of owner, George Whitman.
A good read, whether you've visited the Paris location or not.
A Novel Novel.......2007-02-07
Escaping circumstances stemming from position life as an Ottawa crime reporter which have endangered his life, 28 year old Mercer runs to Paris. Broke, he is invited to tea at Shakespeare and Co., the small Left Bank bookstore which "is a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore". In exchange for unpaid labor, Whitman, the owner, allows struggling writers to live in the bookstore. Mercer takes up residence in the upstairs library, and experiences modern-day Bohemian Paris, "drunk on alcohol, drunk on Paris, drunk on our sudden new lives, we felt for all the world like the best of friends" (p. 161).
This book is a must for anyone who loves books, writing, independent bookstores, and Paris after the liberation-the Paris of romance, intrigue, freedom and creativity.
The one major flaw with the book is that it is hard to like Mercer, the narrator. Mercer begins his story by describing how he betrayed one of his friends, spent all his money on alcohol, drugs, and a BMW. And Mercer isn't in Paris to redeem himself. Mercer has a convenient way of painting his story around his personal acts of heroism instead of the heroics of the store. Mercer paints George Whitman as an eccentric who needs to be saved-by Mercer of course. The poet living in the antiquarian room is saved by Mercer. Fires are put out by Mercer. Passports are found by Mercer. Daughters are found by Mercer. Drunken brawls are broken up by Mercer. Mercer takes a punch in the face. The store is going to be saved by Mercer via Oprah. In this story, everyone is a big mess and Mercer is mana from heaven. Accordingly, some of the writing feels a bit affected. Mercer is trying way too hard to find the story here. Just having lived through something doesn't make a writer. It's similar to the people who think they've got a story to tell because they ran with the bulls in Spain like Hemingway.
Mercer's writing and psychology are heavily influenced by his crime reporting days. The first line of the book is "It was a grey winter's Sunday when I came into the bookstore." That kind of line seems extremely passe to me-the beginning of airport crime fiction, not a story about one of the greatest bookstores in the world. You get the feeling Mercer became a crime reporter to be a savior-it's the same mentality that his brought him to Shakespeare and Company and it dictates this story. Nurses tend to develop a sort of munchausen syndrome. After reading this book I tend to think that crime reporters have a similar sort of affliction. They place themselves in situations and places where they can play hero. I think the story of Shakespeare and Company is amazing, but I am not sure Mercer delivers it well.
Still, the story is a unique and quick read.
Stepping Back in Time...........2007-01-14
Reading Mercer's memoir was like stepping back in time for me. I've been to George's book store many times, but it's been a few years. So reading his accurate account was a wonderful return back to a special place.
I came across George and his book store in the early 90's and when I questioned if he had a book about Kiki and her memoirs, the answer I got from George was, "Come to the tea party Sunday afternoon." It was an experience I'll never forget and Mercer described that tea party perfectly....sitting there wide-eyed, trying to figure out what it was all about.
I enjoyed his book tremendously and my only regret was that it had to end. I also wanted to give Mercer credit for "tying up loose ends" in regard to George, the book store and George's daughter, Sylvia. It was a great ending with good information. I'll be back in Paris in 9 weeks and very much look forward to a return visit to the book shop with Sylvia now in charge.
If you love Paris or are planning a trip there....you won't be disappointed in this piece of history. It's the first book I've come across with so much detail and info on George Whitman.....who just happened to be raised in my hometown, Salem, Mass.
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Reduced Shakespeare Company Millennium Musical
Manufacturer: Laughing Stock Production
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Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: 1902607139 |
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Canterbury Tales (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Manufacturer: Nick Hern Books
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 185459883X |
Book Description
Two-part adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer's tales by Tony award winner adaptor Mike Poulton. All the famous characters are here as well as many less well-known but equally full of life. Each of the stories has its own style-heroic verse for the Knight's Tale, vernacular rhymes for the Miller's Tale etc.-echoing the many narrative voices employed by Chaucer himself.
Book Description
A silly, sly, and slapstick take on the holiest of seasons! Listen as these wacky guys chase those Yuletide blues away with this hilarious spoof of Hanukkah, Kwanza, and an obscure little holiday called Christmas. This troupe has toured the world, and they always play to a sold-out house. Listen in as these wacky guys describe the word "theological" as an oxymoron, muse about God's sense of humor, and sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" to the baby Jesus. 1 compact disc.
Customer Reviews:
Almost As Funny as Seeing Them In Person.......2000-06-21
The Reduced Shakespeare Company is one of the funniest entertainment we have around. They have a great mix of intelligent and slapstick comedy, and never take themselves too seriously. They are hilarous to see live and to listen to!
Customer Reviews:
Shakespeare like you've never heard it.......2001-09-26
I've been an RSC fan since their early renfaire days, & their work is as timeless as the Bard's. This is Shakespeare thru the eyes of American pop culture with references to everything from Casablanca to Dr. Ruth to rap music. But it's not Shakespeare for dummies -- the RSC lads know the real texts inside & out. They show Shakespeare's greatness thru their humor -- & they remind us how funny Shakespeare really is. The RSC would be an excellent introduction to Shakespeare for students or anyone who thinks the Bard is stuffy & boring.
Ripping Good Fun.......2000-04-13
As the child of a teacher of English, I'd been introducted to many of Shakespeare's plays at a very early age. This has lead to two things - a twisted sense of humour and an appreciation of the same. The Reduced Shakespeare Company fits the bill perfectly. Silly, witty, and intelligent, the RSC puts life back into the bard. If you're looking for a serious scholarly thesis on Shakespeare, look elsewhere. If you're looking for somthing that will make you laugh until you cry, the RSC is for you! And hey, you never know - you might learn something too.
Very funny!.......1998-07-18
A whimsical mixture of slapstick humor and witty parody. Somewhat sophmoric at times, but generally insightful.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company knows their stuff, and are very creative about their presentation.
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