Legendary bookstores

[Ponder]

http://www.shakespeareco.org/

George is still alive, wow!

He used to hide his money everywhere. Behind books, in books, toilet, etc, etc...

If you worked a few hours a day in his bookstore George allowed you to sleep for free among the thousands and thousands of books.

 

[mjp]

Ha, I bought something in there in '84, '85? Wish I could remember what it was...

 

[the only good poet]

wish george had stashed some in the Faber collection of 20th century women's poetry...

 

[Ona Nizm]

Abandoned Planet

In the Mission, SF. Was there last year enquiring about books by Harold Norse. The owner said, well we don't have any, but you can meet the man. And there he was right there reading a paper, 90 years old, shock and awe. We talked about poems, the people he'd met. Man, the people he'd met. Check out Memoirs of a Bastard Angel. This guy fucked everything (male) that moved. Auden, Baldwin. I think his greatest work stands there cheek to jowl with the great 20th C. poetry.
He's a lovely old man. And the bookshop has engravings by Jack Micheline. Cool cats too. Also, the guy who edited Open City seems to lounge there all day. (Don't ask him about Bukowski though. Not flattering. As it should be.)

 

[Bukfan]

Also, the guy who edited Open City seems to lounge there all day. (Don't ask him about Bukowski though. Not flattering. As it should be.)

Unfortunately, he does'nt lounge there all day anymore. His name was John Bryan and he died recently...:(

 

[Ponder]

Thank you for the nice story, Ona!

 

[Black Swan]

Me, sitting in front of Shakespeare and Company, having a great time.



I was in Paris this last may 2009 and bought a first ed. hc of Death on Credit by Celine, published by John Calder Ltd, for 60 euros.
I don't know if it was a good deal but the book is perfect.

 

[hoochmonkey9]

very nice. beautiful store.

 

[roni]

yeah, beautliful.

I know a nice picture of Hem in front of that store, but have never seen the inside.

Seems the owners favorite Bukowski is 'Ham'. Good choice.

 

[a beautiful tragedy]

Ona that is an amazing story, very sad now though because Harold Norse just passed away about a week ago. I do want to read Norse's Memoirs though, going to make a concentrated effort to do so.

 

[Gerard K H Love]

Who is the cute little babe sitting on the bench?

 

[the only good poet]

that's what i was thinking.

i was there '98 or '99. i forget. i got a couple of Japanese tourists to take a shot to prove it. later i took a stroll along by the Seine. it was perfect, until i got the arm of my jacket caught in one of those stalls that dot the bank, and almost ripped it clean off.

 

[Bukfan]

Nice photo's and a nice looking book store! Thanks, Black Swan.

Who is the cute little babe sitting on the bench?

That's Brigitte Bardot's younger sister, Gerard...:rolleyes:

 

[ROC]

Gerard?!

That's a strange name for Brigitte Bardot's little sister!

:) Ah, those whacky French.

 

[Bukfan]

Oops, I meant Gerardine, of course...;)

 

[Joe Batters]

In the Mission, SF. Was there last year enquiring about books by Harold Norse. The owner said, well we don't have any, but you can meet the man. And there he was right there reading a paper, 90 years old, shock and awe. We talked about poems, the people he'd met. Man, the people he'd met. Check out Memoirs of a Bastard Angel. This guy fucked everything (male) that moved. Auden, Baldwin. I think his greatest work stands there cheek to jowl with the great 20th C. poetry.
He's a lovely old man. And the bookshop has engravings by Jack Micheline. Cool cats too. Also, the guy who edited Open City seems to lounge there all day. (Don't ask him about Bukowski though. Not flattering. As it should be.)

Such a great post.

 

[Mrs. Slimedog]

I guess it's not legendandary, yet! But I love Barnes and Noble.

 

[CRBSMILE]

Me, sitting in front of Shakespeare and Company, having a great time.

I was in Paris this last may 2009 and bought a first ed. hc of Death on Credit by Celine, published by John Calder Ltd, for 60 euros.
I don't know if it was a good deal but the book is perfect.

Thanks for posting Swan! What a wonderful place!! God, I would love to go there some day...:)CRB

 

[Ambreen]

That's Brigitte Bardot's younger sister, Gerard...:rolleyes:

Do you mean that witch ?

(She's not very appreciated here, now, though being at the head of the main French association fighting for animal protection. She is considered as being racist.)

It's strange, I know the Latin Quarter quite well, I often met my friends in its bars and I still like loosing myself in its little streets...but I've yet never noticed that bookshop :confused: Maybe it's because I'm used to daydream while walking.

I've noted its address and will have a look at it the next time I'll be in this quarter !

And I hope your foot is now completely recovered, Black Swan ;) Next time, whether your foot is hurt or not, we will meet...I'll be a perfect nurse, no matter if we spent the whole day sitting on a bench and feeding pigeons :D

 

[Bukfan]

Do you mean that witch ?

No, I meant Brigitte Bardot's younger sister!

 

[LickTheStar]

I guess it's not legendandary, yet! But I love Barnes and Noble.

I work there and... I think they do an ok job of promoting little known\unknown authors... but the small press focus is almost non-existent. Usually an author has to get a major publisher to get our attention (The Shack is one of those few exceptions to that rule).

But yeah, I still like the store, generally... As a shopper, I like Powell's more if only because they carry BSP books. Plus their small press area is great too.

 

[Ambreen]

I finally went there this afternoon. I didn't know that street, though it is the street which is just after the street with that famous little theatre with which I'm quite familiar...

A charming place, indeed ! But my friend and I were unanimous : most of the books are expensive ones ! Even the little pocket books with paper of low quality cost around 10 euros !
I can't deny that this bookshop contains some things which can't be found anywhere else but if, like me, you're just looking for classical books, you don't need to ruin yourself in Shakespeare & co. There is a Gibert Jeune bookshop only devoted to books in foreign languages not far from there, that's where I usually go to buy books in english. Here I found the John Keats poetry book I was seeking, for a very reasonable price. I also couldn't help buying Little Women, one of the books that enlightened my youth. :D

 

[Black Swan]

And I hope your foot is now completely recovered, Black Swan ;) Next time, whether your foot is hurt or not, we will meet...I'll be a perfect nurse, no matter if we spent the whole day sitting on a bench and feeding pigeons :D

Maybe January, Ambreen.

My toe got smashed by a very heavy metal ashtray at a flea market in Holland, 3 days before I was to leave. On queen's day. It nearly got cut off.

The nail is slowly growing back.

 

[Bukfan]

Ouch! That sounds painful, Black Swan. I'm glad you did'nt loose a toe.

 

[Black Swan]

That is what happens when you wear flip-flops in a crowd of thousands.
btw, this is the other door of the bookstore, where they sell rare books.

 

[Bruno Dante]

This place is great if any of you are ever in the vicinity.
http://www.atlantisbooks.org/

 

[Ponder]

Documentary on Shakespeare & Company

Portrait of a Bookstore as an Old Man

beginning, second, trois, cuatro, funf, fin [These videos are unavailable.]

 

[Ponder]

Here is a better link (51 minutes): http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5574284408427118756

 

[Black Swan]

What a great find,

you slept in there didn't you? First floor or second?

Did you get to eat the funny tasting pancakes?

 

[Ponder]

I'll tell you tomorrow when we drink
a few bottles of wine together.