Saturday, February 4, 2012

Samedi Signes - Tribute


This banner hangs over the doorway at *Shakespeare & Co. as a tribute to founder George Whitman who died on Decemeber 14, 2011 at the age of 98.  He established the bookstore in 1951 and lived in a small apartment over the shop till his death.  George was quite a character. I love the photograph they chose here.

* The shop's website has a lovely tribute that you might want to see.

Shakespeare and Company
37 rue de la Bûcherie
at

14 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 4, 2012 at 12:04:00 AM CST

    I totally went on discovery walk trying to find this store in my last visit. ... haha

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  2. MalyssFebruary 4, 2012 at 3:32:00 AM CST

    One of my favorite places when I'm in Paris. So mythic!

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  3. Shell SherreeFebruary 4, 2012 at 3:32:00 AM CST

    It's a fabulous shot, V. How about that jacket and tie. It takes some verve to pull off an ensemble like that.

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  4. JulieFebruary 4, 2012 at 5:39:00 AM CST

    But this is not the Shakespeare & Co bookstore of Sylvia Beach and James Joyce et al.

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  5. Cezar and LéiaFebruary 4, 2012 at 6:47:00 AM CST

    It would be lovely to have a chat with him... 98 y.o., wow, that's an age to achieve!
    God bless you!
    Cezar

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  6. c'est Jeff iciFebruary 4, 2012 at 7:17:00 AM CST

    Shakespeare & Co was my refuge in my early years in Paris. Later, as I learned to read French Gibert Jeunne became my haunt but I walked past Shakespeare every day on my way home. If the weather was good George would often be standing at an open window on the floor above the shop, looking as he does on the poster

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  7. Janey and Co.February 4, 2012 at 8:01:00 AM CST

    Wonder when that picture was taken? He looks like someone you would love to sit by at a dinner party! Thanks for a great post V!

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  8. VirginiaFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:30:00 AM CST

    JEff, Thanks for sharing that memory with all of us.

    Shell, I love the get up.

    Janey, I think you are so right he most certainly would.

    Julie, yes, this was orginally name le Mistral and he later changed the name.

    Cezar and Leila, I heard he died in his apt. over the shop. Visitors are allowed on the second floor and I have photos from there. I wondered where his apt . was.

    Ara, I do hope you found it!

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  9. HarrietFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:46:00 AM CST

    From the clothing alone, we can see that he must have been 'a character'--I'll bet he was a good storyteller! Do you know what will happen with the bookstore? Hopefully someone will keeping it going for another 60 years.

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  10. JFebruary 4, 2012 at 3:20:00 PM CST

    Very touching post. Shakespeare & Co has a lovely website indeed made with love and in style.
    We've bought there a couple of classics paperbacks for our sons a few years ago stamped with a special logo as a souvenir.
    George Whitman even named his only daughter Sylvia Beach after the founder of the original S&Co store. She continues the tradition running the shop.

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  11. Jewel Yet to FindFebruary 4, 2012 at 3:24:00 PM CST

    I meant to thank you Virginia before posting the comment it accidentally slipped away...

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  12. StarmanFebruary 4, 2012 at 3:28:00 PM CST

    Thankfully, his daughter has taken over the management so we don't have to worry about it closing anytime soon.

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  13. AlexaFebruary 4, 2012 at 4:49:00 PM CST

    I loved George—he never minded that I was in there all the time, obviously to read the books when I was too poor to buy them.

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  14. PerthDailyPhotoFebruary 5, 2012 at 10:10:00 AM CST

    Sounds like he was a lucky man Virginia, living to a good age and doing what the loved in Paris, can't be much better than that!!

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Merci pour votre comment!