I’ve been to Paris three times now, and it’s safe to say that I’ve got a love/hate relationship with that city. On the one hand, there’s no denying that the French people have made countless contributions to the world at large, including, but not limited to, French fries and that awesome Ratatouille movie. On the other hand, I’ve noticed that after a while, Parisians can just be so… Parisian. They all tend to exhibit a particular air, not so much an attitude of superiority, but rather a subtle form of humblebragging. This personality trait manifests itself through a need to constantly remind you of their presence, like the way all those bicyclists whipping along the Champs Elysses never fail to ring their bells at you, even though you’re nowhere near close to blocking their path. And don’t even get me started talking about the last time my traveling circus rolled through town. Posted up outside the big tent, a Paris night policeman nearly talked my ear off complaining about the hardships of his four-day work week…
Look, I agree, Paris is a wonderful city, but for us carnies more accustomed to staying at the Motel 6 or chowing down at the Golden Corral, the City of Light can feel a little grating after only a few days. That’s why, during my last visit, I was absolutely thrilled to stumble across the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. One of the only English-language bookstores in town, Shakespeare and Co. is a hideout for Anglophiles, tucked in along the Left Bank (not to be confused with the Rive Gauche). When I stumbled inside the shop, those overstuffed stacks full of BOOKS IN ENGLISH offered a brief, welcome respite from the continual onslaught of berets and baguettes outside.
The current Shakespeare and Company store was opened by an American expatriate during the 1950s, a tribute to the legendary 1920s store by the same name. Long considered an institution in Paris, the storied shop even went so far as to publish a book of its own history in 2016. So if you ever find yourself stuck in Paris for whatever reason, be sure to stop in and grab yourself something to read. If nothing else, having your nose stuck in a good book will help you avoid having to make conversation at the sidewalk cafes…