The Paris Bookseller

In this new book by the author of The Girl in White Gloves, the epic tale of how a modest bookseller battled overwhelming obstacles to deliver one of the most significant books of the 20th century to the world is told.

When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself.

Shakespeare and Company is more than just a lending library and bookstore—many of the Lost Generation's well-known authors, including Ernest Hemingway, see it as a second home. It's the scene of some of the most significant literary friendships of the 20th century, none more significant than the one that exists between Sylvia herself and Irish writer James Joyce. When Joyce's controversial novel Ulysses is banned, Beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of Shakespeare and Company.

However, there are high expenses associated with publishing the most notorious and significant book of the century, despite its popularity and renown. When other publishers pursue Joyce due to Ulysses' popularity, the existence of her cherished business itself is put in jeopardy. As many of her friends who are expatriate return to America and Paris sinks more into the Depression, her most treasured connections are put to the test. Sylvia, a lady who has dedicated her life to honoring the transformative power of literature, is faced with difficult personal and financial decisions. She must determine the true meaning of Shakespeare and Company for her.