Sylvia Whitman

From another point of view

Sylvia Whitman

Shakespeare and Company is the most famous bookshop in Paris. Sylvia Whitman, the current owner, has continued the project launched by her father George in 1950, who created this community based on his philosophy: "Give what you can; take what you need". George invited artists - guests called "tumbleweeds" - to live temporarily in the shop in exchange for helping out in the shop and writing a one-page autobiography.

We were very excited to meet Sylvia, an incredibly warm, friendly and cheerful person. She invited us into her father's old living room above the shop, a cosy, dimly lit haven, like something out of a novel. There she talked to us about raising her two sons in a feminist world, and showed us the archive that housed the autobiographies of the "tumbleweeds". When Sylvia joined the family business at the age of 22, the project grew even more. She now runs the bookshop with her partner David Delannet. The shop organised four literary festivals (FestivalandCo) in the adjacent park, which also happens to be home to the oldest tree in Paris. Shakespeare's Macbeth was performed at one of these events. Sylvia also added a café, as well as the antiquarian shop in 1981 with first editions. We were delighted to discover things about Paris and hope to meet Sylvia again in the near future. Keep up to date with the bookshop's activities by clicking here or visiting Instagram.

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NT - What three words would you use to define the library?

SW - Utopia, Theatre, Angels.

NT - Do you have any memories or anecdotes from your early years living in the bookshop as a child?

SW - As a child I remember following my father around the bookshop, waving a big bunch of keys, dodging sleeping tumbleweeds, singing "Rise and Shine", and the ringing of the bells of Notre-Dame, right outside our window. The Beat Generation poet Ted Joans was often by the bookshop (it was where I got his mail every day) and recited his poetry to me: if you should see / a man / walking down a crowded street / talking aloud / to himself / don't run / in the opposite direction / but run towards him / for he is a POET! / you have NOTHING to fear / from the poet / but the TRUTH. (When you should see / a man / walking down a crowded street / talking aloud / to himself, / don't run / in the opposite direction / but run towards him, / for he is a POET. / you have NOTHING to fear / from the poet / but the TRUTH).

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NT - What is your favourite thing to do in the shop?

SW - I love to start the day with a matcha in the coffee shop next door, and then wander around the shop, wandering through its maze of books, discovering old and new titles and chatting to the wonderful booksellers who work here.

NT - Who is your favourite writer?

SW - Lawrence Ferlinghetti! He turns 100 this month, and he's an old friend of ours. As a tribute, I have immersed myself in his poetry and his forthcoming autobiography, Little Boy. I have great admiration and affection for him. He is an editor, a poet, a novelist, a painter, a representative of his time, and he excites me. Read him!

NT - How do you see the future of the bookshop?

SW - Brilliant! Books and writers and readers are one of the few things I see with optimism when I look to the future. Bookshops bring all three together, helping to nourish the soul and feed restless minds.

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NT - If you could bring a writer back to life, who would it be?

SW - Shakespeare! I'd love to know if he spoke as well as he wrote.

NT - Which person/artist/writer would you like to have visit the bookshop?

SW - We are lucky to have visitors from all over the world. Today alone, I have already met readers from Chile, Iran and Singapore. And our free weekly events are also attended by wonderful writers, most recently Valeria Luiselli, Annie Ernaux, Karl Ove Knausgaard and Jesmyn Ward. I only regret not having been able to welcome the incredible Ursula Le Guin, who died last year.

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NT - What other projects are you currently working on?

SW - I am working to turn the bookshop into a green bookshop. At this point, it seems to me that every business, everyone, every one of us should prioritise the environment wherever we can. Sometimes it frustrates me how slow progress can be, even in the bookshop, although we have already made some improvements, such as reusing book packaging and setting up a composting system for our café. On a side note: We will soon publish a book of poetry about Paris and we are expanding the children's section. When it's finished, it will be like entering Narnia.

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Booklet of autobiographies of the famous "tumbleweeds" of 1987.

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NT - Recommend us:

A book.

SW - I have just finished On the Future by Martin Rees. His message is clear: "We have to think globally, we have to think rationally, we have to think long term, empowered by 21st century technology but guided by values that science alone cannot provide".

A restaurant.

SW - My friend Ollie has opened L'Entente, an elegant restaurant in the 2nd arrondissement, serving British recipes made with the best French produce. He recognises the importance of establishing personal links with his resources: farmers, butchers, cheesemongers and others.

A film.

SW - Pawel Pawlikowski's Cold War, a story of impossible love in which some of the most beautiful scenes take place in Paris: darkness, a boat floating silently aimlessly on the Seine River, its lights illuminating intimate scenes on the riverbank, sailing, the occasional rustle of leaves...

A place.

SW - Père-Lachaise is one of the most poetic places in Paris, where the trees compete for space with the mouldy tombs, Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein, Proust. Strolling through the cemetery has a meditative effect, and often leads to interesting reflections...

A work of art.

SW - Anything by Australian artist Angelica Mesiti. Her fascinating work is currently on display at the Palais de Tokyo.

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