ShakespeareAndCompany

It‘s time to discuss this month‘s #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead ! I posted 8 questions as spoilers that can be found on my feed, the book‘s feed, or by searching the hashtags. Answer whenever you have a chance!

Next month‘s book is The Dress in the Window by Sofia Grant!

mcctrish, Julsmarshall, Cinfhen, melissajayne, Jerdencon, throwmeabook, kspenmoll, PurpleyPumpkin, BethM, megnews, mrp27, JamieArc, Sargar114, MoonWitch94, julieclair, AllDebooks

AllDebooks I didn't make time to read this. I would stll like to if it's recommended. I hope you all enjoyed it 😊 9mo

PurpleyPumpkin Unfortunately, I didn‘t get around to this one this month! And I was so looking forward to it! I look forward to following the group discussion as I‘m still planning to read it. 😉 9mo

kspenmoll This was a great choice; I learned so much!!! (edited) 9mo

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Jerdencon I read about 1/2 before the library took it back and I‘m back on the list for it. 9mo

Jerdencon And neither Libby nor the NYPL ebook have a copy of next months book but will try to get a copy from the library. 9mo

julieclair I‘m about halfway through and really enjoying it. Will comment when I‘m finished. 9mo

mrp27 Thanks for hosting. I learned so much! 9mo

Sargar114 Thanks for the tag, didn‘t get around to finishing this month 🤞 for next month 🙂 9mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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8. Have you visited Shakespeare and Company? More information here: https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

What is your favorite bookstore?

kspenmoll Visited in 1991. Favorite bookstore in CT is RJ Julia‘s Bookseller in Madison. 9mo

mrp27 No but it‘s definitely a bucket list item. I have been to Shakespeare and Co in NYC several times. It‘s been years and I don‘t even know if it‘s still there or if there is any relation to the Paris store. 9mo

julieclair No, but I hope to… someday. I love all indie book stores. Don‘t really have a favorite. 8mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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7. Many of us dream of owning a bookstore. If you owned one, what three authors—past or present—would you invite to read at your store? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

megnews Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison. Let me think about the third 9mo

kspenmoll Joy Harper, jane Kenyon, Mary Wollstonecraft. 9mo

mrp27 Ohhh tough question. Judy Blume, JD Salinger, Isabel Allende. 9mo

julieclair Jane Austen, Beatrix Potter, Thomas Hardy 8mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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6. The original epic poem The Odyssey, by Homer—on which Joyce based his novel Ulysses—is about Odysseus trying to get home to Ithaca after the Trojan War so that he could be reunited with his wife, Penelope. In what ways do the themes of home and reunion pop up throughout The Paris Bookseller? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

megnews It‘s a reflection on Joyce‘s trying to come home to his wife. They go back and forth between Ireland. Sylvia‘s family wants her to “come home” but she doesn‘t feel the US is home anymore. It‘s about making home and found home. (edited) 9mo

kspenmoll Joyce faced many trials in writing/publishing his book like Odysseus, Nora was Joyce‘s “home” as evidenced by his trying to woo her back with a lovely home when she left him for Ireland- Penelope was Odysseus‘s “ home”. Reunion was desired & experienced by both Joyce & odysseus. I have not read Ulysses, I imagine the protagonist‘s day was met with such trials. Dorothy Parker‘s view as Penelope the real hero🔽 9mo

kspenmoll 🔼 https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/penelope/ 9mo

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kspenmoll Joyce & WWI etc: https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/index.php/articles-posts/4647-the-roots-of-c... 9mo

kspenmoll @megnews Yes, Sylvia‘s found home became her bookstore & Paris. 9mo

mrp27 This book makes me want to read Ulysses. Just not entirely sure I‘ll get through it. Dubliners was a struggle. But yes, I saw it as Joyce‘s struggle with Ireland, his home. 9mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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5. The Paris Bookseller takes place from 1917 to 1936, from the end of the First World War into the Depression, and it‘s being published one hundred years later. Did you detect any resonance with the twenty-first century as you read about the lives of these characters living a century ago? How are attitudes, laws, censorship, and art the same? How are they different? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

kspenmoll Although I so wish it were different now, I think there are parallels to the time period in the book & our current time. Even before Covid people were reading so much. During & after the pandemic, so many musicians, artist, writers responded to this world wide virus. Diverse writers are recognized, although there is so much more to do to support their work. Women writers & supportive groups,awards,also are seen & recognized. An ultra 🔽 9mo

kspenmoll 🔼 conservative backlash has become front & center with book banning, libraries attacked, RON DESANTIS & other like minded politicians- seem to be taking over states. 9mo

megnews Art, in all forms, will always make people think. There are those who benefit from people not thinking & therefore there will always be attacks on art, including writing. I‘m not one to easily make comparisons with Nazi German but the book banning going on right now can become a terrifying slippery slope into a place I hope we don‘t want to go.The racists emboldened by these attitudes coming out of the woodwork, I hope isnt a sign of times to come 9mo

mrp27 If I read this 7 years ago I would have said thank goodness we don‘t live in a time like that, look how much we‘ve progressed!! But nope, we‘re back in the same troubled times. I do have hope that times like these are cyclical and we‘ll break free form these ignorant times and move forward again. 9mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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4. This novel is full of real-life strong women making history. Were any of their actions surprising to you, given the time period? Do you think there was something special about Paris at this particular time that made their actions possible? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

kspenmoll I do think there was something special about Paris, but then there still is something special about Paris! This time in between the Wars was a time of anti-everything in the United States and somewhat in England. Writers & artists & young people were reacting against WWI & its trenches, Trauma, etc. Joyce‘s experience with getting his book published was a prime example of the culture in the US -nothing new in life was accepted or understood.🔽 (edited) 9mo

kspenmoll Strong women emerged because they had tested themselves during WWI - actively working in war efforts at home & abroad, doing jobs men were not doing or available for. Why would some of these strong women want to lose their new found acceptance? I imagine their lives were enriched by these new experiences. 9mo

megnews It is surprising that women would be capable of opening their own business at this time, considering they couldn‘t get credit etc. I do think Paris was a special place where people bucking the system gathered which made new things possible. 9mo

mrp27 I was thinking that too, how did women get the opportunity to open their own business during this time? I don‘t recall reading about credit so was it strictly a cash business and that enabled them to do it? Curious… The lawyers and other publishers they worked with were certainly not kind to them nor did they take the women seriously. 9mo

julieclair I do think there was something special about Paris at this time, but I wonder just what it was. Why did so many artists and writers flock there? It‘s fascinating. 8mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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3. Adrienne and Sylvia disagree about how much time and energy Sylvia devotes to James Joyce. Why does Sylvia give so much of herself to the writer? Why does Adrienne disagree? How does this difference alter their relationship? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

kspenmoll It seems that Sylvia lost herself in Joyce & initially was blinded by what she saw as his genius. She did not allow for or see his flaws as Adrienne did. Also as Adrienne kept pointing out to her, she left herself no time for her own in her life and development. She gave her all to Joyce, who is no way appreciated it. 9mo

megnews Agree with everything @kspenmoll said 9mo

mrp27 Seems Adrienne was able a better judge of character and was able to see through Joyce. I wondered if she had some experience similar in her work and had learned early on how to deal with writers. I understand how Sylvia could feel defensive and have it seep into her relationship with Adrienne. Thankfully she came out of it in the end. 9mo

julieclair I did wonder why Joyce was so important to her. It was like an obsession. Adrienne was much more clear sighted and was doing her best to open Sylvia‘s eyes to reality. 8mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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2. At first Sylvia is stymied by all the famous writers in Adrienne‘s store, but she goes on to open her own store and befriend the most famous writers of her day without being self-conscious about it. What do you think enabled her to call Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and the others her friends? ~from Reading Group Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

kspenmoll I think because she let them be & did not impose herself on the writers, they could relax & over time see her store & self as a true home, one without judgement. 9mo

megnews She provided space for them to create and gave them their space to do it. Over time, their proximity drew them to share their lives with her. She provided a safe space to let them be themselves and create. 9mo

mrp27 I agree, she may have been intimidated but she provided a space and environment for the writers to be comfortable and come to her. 9mo

julieclair I agree with all that has been said, plus I think that having Adrienne introduce them as her friends made them seem like real people to Sylvia, right from the start. 9mo

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Librarybelle

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

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1. Sylvia and Adrienne are devoted readers. How does reading shape their lives? How has reading shaped your life? ~from Reading Discussion Guide #LiteraryCrew #BuddyRead

kspenmoll Books are so integral to both women‘s lives- defining who they are & allowing them to embrace unknown worlds, hone perspective taking, deepen their empathy- maybe more so Adrienne. Their bookstores were gifts as well as a home for/to writers,artists, many travelers who could not be themselves in the US & other countries. Both women are remarkable in their active support of writers.I cannot remember a time when I did not read or was not read to.🔽 (edited) 9mo

kspenmoll 🔼 surrounded by books & readers- both sets of grandparents, my parents, an aunt who Xmas & birthday gifts were only books/ our parents gave us each a book in xmas eve. The library was a standard trip. We were not stifled regarding what books we read-(except maybe explicit sex in books). I married a reader; we all did. Books opened up the world to me- I have traveled little outside US. Reading about other cultures, societies,etc.has enriched me.🔽 9mo

kspenmoll 🔼 I love teaching about books, exploring books with my students, discussing books with Littens & book clubs. I will stop now!!!! 9mo

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megnews Ditto what @kspenmoll said about the characters love for books, authors, readers, art, and creators. I received many books each Christmas. Spent all my allowance money on books. Would stay in Waldenbooks while my family shopped at the mall. Finish books in a day. Stay up late reading. As an adult, I don‘t think I could make it without books. 9mo

Jerdencon I think reading is what pulls them together initially. Reading is a great common bond! 9mo

mrp27 Agreed with everything here. Reading was an acceptable activity for women so it enabled both Sylvia and Adrienne to pursue books and their shops. As for me, I‘ve been a reader all my life and I‘ve lived and learned so much through my reading. 9mo

julieclair Reading is what brought Adrienne and Sylvia together in the first place. Books are their work, their leisure, and the basis for their social life. I suspect they feel like I do… as Thomas Jefferson said, “I cannot live without books.” 9mo

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kspenmoll

The Paris Bookseller | Kerri Maher

“ Adrienne play was making her gratin dauphinois that night, and Sylvia‘s mouth was watering just thinking of it.”
After I looked this recipe up in my husband‘s old Julia Child‘s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume One, my mouth too was watering - all that butter & cream!!! #booksandfood #literarycrew #14books14weeks

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