Monday 18 July 2011

Shakespeare & Co

I've just returned from an incredible few days in Paris. I especially enjoyed Montmartre where I watched artists drawing portraits of diners; wandered passed other artists displaying their paintings and visiting small galleries.

Then walking through the streets from the grandeur of Sacre Coeur down passed Le Bateau Lavoir where the likes of Picasso, Matisse, Mondigliani painted whilst mixing with actors (Gertrude Stein, etc) and art dealers.

I spent hours wandering around Pere Lachaise taking countless photos and gazing at the gothic graves of many people and spotting among others the graves of Jim Morrison, Rene Lalique, Edith Piaf, and Oscar Wilde (covered in lipstick kisses).

One of best places I visited was Shakespeare & Co the second-hand bookshop on the Left Bank shown recently on The Book Show where writers including Ernest Hemingway have congregated since the early part of the Twentieth Century. I could have stayed for hours resting on one of the comfy settees, or sitting in a little cubby-hole where writers (including moi) have left short notes about their time spent in this fascinating place.

I was also there doing research and made a thrilling discovery, but it's something I needed for the book I've just finished writing, so I won't post about it for now. Suffice to say that sometimes in life things happen that are so serendipidous that if you wrote about them they would seem hard to believe.

21 comments:

Talli Roland said...

Oh, I love Shakespeare and Co! So glad you had a great time...

DAB said...

What a great city - so glad you had a great time :-)

Sue Guiney said...

Shakespeare and Co is the best. My 1st 2 books (dreams of May and Tangled Roots) are upstairs in the library. I sent them to the shop just because I wanted my work to be there! Now I just need to go back and give them " A Cash of Innocents." I'm so glad you discovered it!!!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

talli - I'll definitely be going back there again too.

DAB - it was wonderful and I can't wait to go back again.

sue - I wish I'd seen your books there. Great idea sending them to Shakespeare & Co.

Anna Scott Graham said...

Oh Debs, that sounds absolutely wonderful! Especially that discovery, and I completely agree; life can be so amazing, as if challenging fiction to be believed!

As for the book, I'm waiting to hear from Lulu, but if it's difficult for non-North American residents to order, I'll just upload a new version. You can get the ebook in the meantime, not the same I know, and as soon as I know something, it will be on the blog!

Pauline Barclay said...

Sounds like you had a fab time....well done! We love Paris, we once did the Friday night skate through the city....amazing!

Chris Stovell said...

I'm sorry to say I've never been to Paris! I can't believe I haven't been there, but I really should go as you've clearly had a wonderful time there. Oooh, to the research!

Melissa Amateis said...

Ooh, I'm jealous! Paris...writers...what more do you need? :-) Glad you had such a nice time (and made a thrilling discovery!).

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

anna - it was so thrilling and I'll post about it at some point.

I'll happily buy the e-version of your book, so will have to get that.

pauline - skating through Paris! Now that does sound exciting.

chris - it is a beautiful city, both in architecture and design. I loved it there and can't wait to visit again at some point.

melissa - thank you, the discover was most unexpected.

Flowerpot said...

Ooh that sounds wonderful Debs - haven't been to Paris for many years. Sigh....!

Jen said...

Just.. So. Jealous...

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

flowerpot - it was a wonderful trip and I managed to visit all the places I hadn't been to before.

jen - it was good.

HelenMWalters said...

I haven't been to Paris since I was a child. Sounds wonderful.

sheepish said...

I haven't been to Paris for many years but still have amazing memories of it. We shall try and get there next spring as the OH hasn't been at all! I find that visiting particular places can often bring unexpected ideas and coincidences related to a wip. Glad you had such a fruitful time.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

helen - it was, I really enjoyed every moment.

sheepish - I've certainly made some incredible memories from my trip. I hope OH enjoys it when he does visit Paris.

Phillipa said...

Deb - I am way behind the times in posting but your trip looks magnifique. I love Paris too.

galant said...

Glad you are back, safe & sound. I've never been to Paris ... too stuck in my little Dem'sher rut, har, har! But what a great time you had!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

phillipa - it was great fun.

galant - thanks very much. We had a terrific time and saw so many things. Great fun.

Jan said...

I love Paris...and not just in the springtime!!
I first went yrs ago... and will never forget my trip to the Rodin musee or indeed the clochards ( the beggars) cavorting on the banls of the Seine while we gobbled our sarnies...!

Sherri said...

I love Paris too - though I've never been to Shakespeare and Co. It will definitely be on the list for next time - which I hope is not too far away as it's already been too long.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

Jan -there's so much to take in, I love it there and could have stayed so much longer.

Bernadette - Shakespeare &Co is definitely a place to visit. I loved it there.