The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher is the story of Sylvia Beach, a young woman who moved to Paris in 1919 and went on to found one of the most famous bookshops in the world, Shakespeare &Co. Filled with famous faces from Gertrude Stein to Ernest Hemingway and of course the infamous James Joyce, this book is a treat for any literature lover. The author has clearly put a lot of time and effort into her research and her writing vividly brings both time and place to life on the page, as I read it was incredibly easy to imagine myself strolling along the Parisian boulevards before popping in to peruse the carefully curated shelves while glancing around in hopes of seeing a literary legend. Before reading this book I was not aware of the role of Sylvia and Shakespeare and Company played in getting Joyce's most infamous and most influential work, Ulysses, published at a time when it scandalised the censors and was banned in many countries, including the United States of America.
I really appreciated how the author paid attention to the personal life of Sylvia, it was refreshing to see a Sapphic relationship celebrated and acknowledged at a time when that was not always the case, even in the liberal city of lights. The developing relationship between Sylvie and Adrienne, who owned another bookshop in the city was beautiful as it unfolded , and the love and support the women showed each other was inspiring. The drama surrounding the publication of Ulysses moved the plot along at a decent pace, and the relationship between Sylvia and Joyce was a complicated and fascinating one.
The book ends in the 1930's and while I was a little disappointed that it did not include the Second World War Years, I understand that that would have been a huge undertaking. The author's notes at the end also helped as they filled out what happened to both Sylvia and the bookshop , as well as making clear which parts of the story had been fictionalised.
Overall this is a very enjoyable book and one that I would recommend to literature lovers and fans of historical fiction, or anyone who enjoys the story of a strong and determined woman.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

The Paris Bookseller delves into the life of Sylvia Beach who founded the infamous Shakespeare and Company Bookshop in 1920s Paris, a bookshop devoted to selling and lending books written in English. I completely lost myself in the atmosphere of the book, it is so richly descriptive and I was completely captivated with Sylvia Beach’s life. I adored the Paris setting, in fact that was what drew me to the book in the first place. As always the mention of food piques my interest and my mouth was watering with some of the descriptions of the French cuisine. For romance lovers there is a lovely little love story incorporated within the pages, between Sylvia and Adrienne Monnier, another Parisian bookshop owner.

The book is a work of fiction and non-fiction, most of the dates are factually correct and whilst the author can only imagine what some of these famous writers were like she did an incredible job of bringing them to life. It is beautifully written with lots of wonderful details and it has been incredibly well researched, you really get a sense of what is was like in this era.

This is a heartwarming and emotional read and also incredibly interesting learning about some of the history of Paris and this famous bookshop. Don’t miss the author’s note and bibliography at the end which outlines Sylvia Beach’s life post 1936, having lived quite a long life until she was 75 years old. A fascinating book which literature and history fans will treasure.

I really enjoyed the description and the setting between across a few decades in Paris. It was clear that a lot of research had gone into informing this books plot and this was greatly appreciated because it made the plot really interesting and captivating, I really enjoy reading an historical fiction book which makes me research more about the topic after reading the novel and this book was no exception to that. It successfully captured my interest and desire to read more around the topic. Sylvia had a really fascinating life and one that will fully immerse the reader and take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. Overall, this was a great book!

I was keen to read this book – not because I am a James Joyce fan (I have never read ‘Ulysses’, and I doubt I ever will) – but because I was fascinated by the idea of a single American woman opening up an English language bookshop in Paris in the 1920s AND being the first person to publish such an influential book as ‘Ulysses’.
The book was about Sylvia Beach, her shop ‘Shakespeare and Company’, her travails with James Joyce – and so much more.
It was a really beautiful romance between Sylvia and Adrienne Monier (another ground-breaking single female bookshop owner, this time French), who were drawn to each other through their love for books and literature, and their beliefs that women capable of so much more than the traditional roles of wife, mother, servant …They both believed that people should be free to love whom they choose, and write what and how they will. Censorship was rife in the USA at the time (hence the banning of ‘Ulysses’), prohibition was in full swing, and homosexuality illegal, whereas France was much more liberal on all counts. So, no wonder Sylvia – and many fellow Americans – were drawn to an exuberant Paris that sparkled with culture old and new. That Paris was also inexpensive at the time, added to the appeal.
It is also a story of friendships, legal wrangles and betrayals. The clientele of ‘Shakespeare and Company’ were a who’s-who of the leading lights of early 20th century literature: James Joyce, Earnest Hemmingway, F Scott Fitzgerald, André Gide to name but a few. They all frequented the shop – as purchasers, as lending-library-card-holders – but also as friends, to meet and discuss literature. Many other famous authors were linked to the shop and Sylvia: Gertrude Stein; Alice B Toklas; George Bernhard Shaw, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean‑Paul Sartre … I loved the idea of Ezra Pound fixing wobbly chairs and shelves in the bookshop, and would have been ecstatic to have listened to T S Elliot reading ‘The Wasteland’ at one of the soirees.
The printing and publication of ‘Ulysses’, and the subsequent legal wrangles regarding copyright and distribution form a large part of the story. James Joyce becomes ever more demanding:
“That he is a very great writer but not a great man.” Was that what she’d (Adrienne) said? When they first talked about her publishing Ulysses? … “But he is such a genius.” “Geniuses are not always good husbands.”
Nor did Joyce turn out to be a good friend nor a good associate, bringing Sylvia and ‘Shakespeare and Company’ close to bankruptcy on several occasions, and seldom appreciating the tremendous effort that Sylvia put in on his account – though he did eventually redeem himself (a bit!)
The book us very well written and remarkably easy to read. It is a work of fiction, though very well researched, with a keen sense of time and space that was Paris in the 20s and 30s. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books and literature – whether you have read any of the authors mentioned or not, and also to those who want a bit of romance in their books.

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I went into this book without realising it was based on the true story of Silvia Beach and the founding of the very Instagrammed Shakespeare and Co bookshop of Paris

The writing transports you to the interwar years
and the bohemian lifestyle of the ‘lost generation’ for whom the bookshop was a second home, including Hemingway, Stein and James Joyce, whose book Silvia agreed to privately publish after it was banned for being ‘obscene’

What was surprising to me (and happily so) was the acceptance of Silvia’s sexuality and relationship with fellow bookshop owner Adrienne Monnier, not only by their friends but also their families.

Would recommend to all book lovers!

The Paris Bookseller is based around the life of Sylvia Beach an American in Paris, her desire to publish James Joyce's Ulysses and her relationship with Adrienne Monnier.

Both Sylvia and Adrienne run their own bookshops in Paris, Sylvia catering for the American market and Adrienne for the French.

The book is set In the 1920's and 1930's and gives the reader a lovely insight to the literary life of the city during this period.

This was a heartwarming and emotional read all at the same time!! I was utterly captivated by this book all the through and couldn’t put it down but also didn’t want it to end at the same time 😂 I urge anyone who loves historical fiction to read this. One of my tops of the year!

I had never heard of Sylvia Beach before I read this novel but this book has inspired me to learn more. The storyline was amazing, I loved the setting and the characters were so appealing to me. I couldnt put this book down I really enjoyed it.

I will admit, before reading The Paris Bookseller, I was not familiar with Sylvia Beach and her importance to American literature, particularly in Europe. This book prompted me to do quite a bit of outside research, not just about Sylvia, but about many of the other authors mentioned. For example, whilst I have heard of James Joyce, I was not familiar with Ulysses and it being banned; definitely have heard of Walt Whitman, but am not familiar with many of his works; and definitely did not realize how many authors spent significant amounts of time in Paris (and Europe in general) throughout the '20s and '30s.

Whilst I do applaud this book for inspiring me to learn and do the research, this took me a lot longer to get through than many books. There wasn't something to fully captivate me, perhaps because I wasn't familiar with many of the characters in a way that pulled me in. I did enjoy the storytelling and the historical fiction of the novel though.

To give a fully fair review, I would say 3.5/5 stars.

A couple of quotes:
- "Not every star is like the etoile polar, cherie. Some are more elusive, more subtle. But they are no less brilliant, no less important."

- "'I live more among books than people,' Adrienne said."

- "She saw herself in Stephen Dedalus's search for meaning through intellectual inquiry and found a kind of vicarious release in his description of lust, which for merciful moments obliterated the overactivity of his mind. What would that be like, to be so consumed with passion I could forget my other troubles?"

- "One year ago, almost to the day, America, Britain, and France signed a treaty ending a war the likes of which our nations have never seen. But liberte, egalite, et fraternite triumphed, and here, a place of exchange between English and French thinking, we get to enjoy the spoils of peace: literature, friendship, conversation, debate. Long may we enjoy them and may they - instead of guns and grenades - become the weapons of new rebellions."

Paris is always a good setting for a novel! It comes to life in this gorgeous story!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

I have been fascinated with Shakespeares bookshop for many years and was keen to read a book on the subject of Sylvia Beach. I managed to read almost half but unfortunately the writing style was not to my taste. It is highly descriptive and I was a little bogged down in the narrative. It may be a bit off-putting to all but the academic who is interested in detail. I am grateful to Netgalley, the Publishers and the Author for an advanced copy of The Paris Bookseller.

Loving historical fiction and having a soft spot for Paris, I was excited about reading this one. Unfortunately, I didn't finish it as the writing style wasn't my cup of tea and it was over detailed, which might be great for other readers but not for me. Whatsmore, I didn't realise until I read other reviews that this book is like a biographical fiction book about Sylvia Beach and the English bookstore she opened in Paris; I know nothing about Sylvia and this book could have been great for me if it had been written differently.

Definitely one for the history and literature lovers. Sylvia is a great lead and very wilful. A great telling with literary "stars" planted along the way.
I felt whisked away to Paris to a time of great uncertainty as it travels through the years. Wonderfully portrayed.

Welcome to Paris where the best writers of their day congregate. We follow the story of a young Sylvia Beach who starts off Shakespeare and Company bookshop. A fascinating story of a pioneering woman who has made such a difference to the literary world as she follows her heart to support some of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Utterly fascinating book that transports the reader back to 1920's Paris.

If you love books and historical fiction this book is for you
It tells the story of the famous Shakespeare and company bookstore in Paris
The landscape is the post world war 2 Paris and is painted wonderfully in words
One for book lovers to treasure
Thank you for netgalley giving me an advance copy for an honest review

A romance blossoms between two women Adrienne and Sylvia. I enjoyed the book, and readers will notice lots of references to authors, such as Walt Whitman, Wilfred Owen and Baudelaire. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for giving me a copy of the book.