The Paris Bookseller

The Paris Bookseller is a beautiful window into the life of a fascinating woman who defied convention in almost every area of her life and succeeded in publishing one of the most controversial novels of the early twentieth century.

Set in Paris at the beginning of the Jazz Age, this historical novel follows the life and career of American expat Sylvia Beach, who opened the original Shakespeare and Company bookstore in 1919. It became one of the most influential English-language bookstores of the era.

While the main plot follows Beach’s quest to print James Joyce’s novel Ulysses, the author creates an almost effervescent narrative arc that not only vividly describes one of the most sparkling and experimental periods in Western literature, but also encompasses the all too relatable and sometimes visceral journey of an unconventional woman trying to make sense of her life and find purpose in a rapidly evolving society still very much mired in patriarchal and heterosexual conventions.

The emotional depth that Maher gives to historical figures who have achieved almost mythological status in our cultural ethos is riveting and leaves readers with a lingering sense of familiarity that won’t soon be forgotten.