From the June Newsletter.
by Charlotte Thompson
SDW/EG member Charlotte Thompson recently returned from a trip to Paris, and gathered a bit of literary history for us. Paris has long been a destination for writers: James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, Scott Fitzgerald and countless others have been drawn to this captivating city. Sylvia Beach, the original owner of Shakespeare and Company, published James Joyce’s Ulysses and was his financial backer and post office. The store provided a lending library and sense of community for countless writers. The present Shakespeare and Company still provides this for writers. Some have even lived for a time in the store.
Photo by Gered Beeby
George Whitman (1913-2011) founded the present Shakespeare and Company and carried on Sylvia Beach’s tradition of helping writers. His daughter, Sylvia Beach Whitman, now manages the store and has added an inviting cafe. The free Sunday afternoon gatherings (4 to 6 p.m.) continue, where you can meet an interesting and international group of people.
Writers’ groups, workshops, and retreats are readily available in Paris. Do check these out on the Internet if you are lucky enough to travel there.
