Sunday, November 2, 2008

Shakespeare & Co.

shakespeare & co
Shakespeare & Company, Paris

My closest to reading Shakespeare is perhaps Julius Caesar which I did as a literature subject in secondary school and my roommate then would hear me droning quotes after quotes with language structure that seemed so foreign to her. But I bet hardcore fans of literature and books would worship this place, coz even I was awed by this neatly tucked bookshop.

Shakespeare and Company first opened its doors in 1951. For over fifty years, the bookshop has housed numerous writers and hosted readings by published and unpublished authors. Almost every available wall is laiden with books, arranged neatly in wooden bookshelves that rest against pealing plaster walls, and photographs hung above with a chandeliers lighting up the inner parts of the rooms. Upon ascending the stairs, you'd enter private study areas (that are preserved in its original state) with typewriters and benches that have become shiny due to constant wear and tear. There's a rare collection of literary choices (not for sale) of which you can pick of the shelf and read in the study.

Address:
37 Rue De La Bucherie, Paris