The second bookstore is situated at 37
rue de la Bûcherie, in the
5th arrondissement, and is still in operation today. Opened in 1951 by American
George Whitman, it was originally called "Le Mistral," but was renamed to "Shakespeare and Company" in 1964 in tribute to Sylvia Beach's store
[3] and on the 400th anniversary of
William Shakespeare's birth. Today, it continues to serve as a purveyor of new and second-hand books, as an antiquarian bookseller, and as a free reading library open to the public.
[4] Additionally, the shop houses aspiring writers and artists in exchange for their helping out around the bookstore. Since the shop opened in 1951, more than 30,000 people have slept in the beds found tucked between bookshelves.
[5] The shop's motto, "Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers Lest They Be Angels in Disguise," is written above the entrance to the reading library.
如此善待陌生人的老喬治 ⦿辜振豐
一般人對於巴黎的印象，不外乎名牌、艾菲爾鐵塔、羅浮宮和一些觀光景點，至於書店倒是受到忽視。巴黎的文化能夠展現多采多姿的面貌，就是善於接納外人。二十世紀初期，一些畫家如畢卡索、馬蒂斯、莫迪安尼、梵谷都曾經呆在巴黎，至於作家如海明威、休伍德 ・安德森、費茲傑羅、喬伊斯也於此留下足跡。喬伊斯當年的名作《尤里西斯》就是由巴黎的莎士比亞書店推出上市。這家書店的女主人就是來自美國的希薇亞 ・畢奇，但二戰之後，莎士比亞書店卻更換了主人，這背後當然有一段奇妙的故事。
傑若米・莫爾瑟所撰寫的《時光如此輕柔：老喬治和他的莎士比亞書店》，內容就是敘述這段令人感動的故事。有趣的是，老喬治也是來自大西洋彼岸的美國，過去浪跡世界各地，最後落腳於巴黎。一開始在索邦大學修課，閒來無事，用街上要來的錢到處淘書，因此在旅館內成立小型圖書館。某日，鑰匙丟了，以後乾脆就不鎖門。他信仰財產共享和人民公社，先後以咖啡和食物請客。因此，莎士比亞書店的構想就此萌芽。一九五一年八月，喬治的書店正式開張，取名為「密斯托拉」，奉行馬克思名言「竭力奉獻，取之當取」。
一九六二年，希薇亞 ・畢奇去世，兩年後，適逢莎士比亞四百歲冥誕，喬治買下她的藏書，易名為「莎士比亞書店」（ Shakespeare & Co. ) ，平時鼓勵、接納未成名作家、希望每個住戶每天工作一小時和讀一本書。跟希薇亞的書店相比，這家以新面貌亮相的書店也有許多知名作家前來光顧，如亨利 ・米勒和安娜伊絲 ・寧而愛爾蘭作家勞倫斯 ・杜瑞爾在此創作 《亞歷山大四部曲》（The Alexandria Quartet）。
作者能夠完成此書，倒是要歸因於生命的偶然。他是一位加拿大記者，整天為了新聞，到處扒糞，揭人隱私。上個世紀末，報導一位竊賊而遭到了電話恐嚇，為了生命安全，匆匆買了機票，逃到巴黎。不過，住了幾天之後，便幾乎花光身上的零用錢，靈機一動便投靠莎士比亞書店，從此生命出現了轉機。
莎士比亞書店跟巴黎都樂於接納外人，尤其店裡一扇門的門框上漆上—— 「不得怠慢陌生人，他們可能是喬裝的天使」。這就是主人喬治所展現的善意，但他故鄉麻州的塞勒姆 ( Salem ) 在十七世紀曾經發生「獵殺女巫」的醜聞，劇作家亞瑟 ・米勒曾經以此事件撰寫了《激情年代》 （ The Crucible ），但主旨是隱射一九五〇年代麥卡錫的白色恐怖！這故事也改編過電影。從部落社會開始，人跟陌生人初次見面，難免帶有不安和敵意，這時善加款待（ hospitality ），彼此可以拉近距離。顯然，這就是莎士比亞書店所展現的「地靈 」（genius loci ）。 hospitality 後來演變成客棧（hostel ）和醫院 （hospital ），兩者都帶有「款待」之意。獵殺女巫是排除異己的行為，但款待則是積極與異己交流，因此兩相比較，老喬治的確跳脫故鄉舊有的框框！
老喬治宣稱莎士比亞書店是一個「社會主義理想國」，但這並不是說各個住客之間沒有角力，畢竟人具有權力慾望和自尊。這一來，作者一住進書店之後，難免有些疑惑，因為老喬治的條件竟然是要他趕走一位叫賽門的詩人。根據店內掌櫃高楚人的說法，他經常偷錢，也不守規矩，另一個叫克特的住客建議趕走他。作者跟賽門聊天之後，得知他來自倫敦，有一段得意的日子，但後來由吸毒而販賣毒品，這一來就遭到起訴。作者跟他明示老喬治的決定，他仍然沒有離開的意願。接著，作者並沒有堅持，等到他告知喬治，這位書店主人只是開玩笑說：「你中了他的魔法」。日後，老喬治並沒有再繼續堅持要他滾蛋！
誠如作者指出，如果莎士比亞書店真的是作家的庇護所，那麼，眼前這位詩人還沒有準備好重回現實世界。他沒有全力執行趕人的任務，心中有一種不夠忠心的罪惡感，可是，他真心覺得，喬治已經收留這個人那麼久，他決不想採取克特大膽建議的的手段，把這個人的家當直接丟到馬路上。老喬治愛才跟寬容之心，可見一斑！他總是給這些失意人更多好機會，等待他們日後在作品中大放光芒！果然，上帝不負苦心人，後來，愛爾蘭丁格爾鎮的文學祭，邀請賽門去朗誦詩歌，而且由作者陪同。當天，賽門朗誦作品的內容是關於「莎士比亞書店前的櫻桃樹已經開花」！
其實，老喬治不管是對人或書店，總是能夠化危機為轉機。一九六八年，巴黎爆發學生運動，學生罷課，工人罷工，這一來整座花都風聲鶴唳。當時治安人員時時監控學運分子，而莎士比亞書店也難以倖免，因為老喬治收留一些左派分子。為此，老喬治受到警告，並要他每天用文字回報店內住客的身分背景，然後再送到派出所。從書店到派出所，由步行而騎自行車，固然省下不少時間，但他不勝其煩。最後，老喬治發揮想像力，要每位住客親自寫下自己的自傳，並描述來到書店的機緣，後來警察才收手。
老喬治是一位老左派，二戰之後，他加入共產黨，時時發言批判美國軍事經濟，甚至揭發冷戰的謊言和反對越戰。書店曾一度被迫停業，他認為是美國背後施壓，之後，法國政府以沒有繳交外國人在法國做生意的相關文件為藉口，禁止書店繼續營業。但他繼續保持強勢，再度收留激進分子，舉辦演講、開放圖書室，接著還寫信向當時的文化部長安德烈 ・馬爾羅（ André Malraux ），經過一年多的努力，終於取得營業執照。
他並沒有罹患左派幼稚病，成天吶喊革命，或是幻想資本主義即將崩潰！正如同作者指出，在他所期待的「革命」到來之前，他被迫住在資本主義社會裡，以不傷大雅的方式來參與經濟。顯然，老喬治心中念念不忘還是將書店好好經營下去，並繼續照顧未成名的作家。喬治早就學會了過簡單生活，他曾經周遊世界，隨身行李只有一件換洗襯衫，和一本平裝書。開了書店，這些節儉經驗，更形重要。他用手洗衣服，只吃最基本的食物。盡量不上餐廳和電影院。在這種生活方式下，不但靠著書店微薄進賬而過活、提供伙食，還能夠存錢擴張書店。
作者洞察到喬治的生意經，因為喬治認為賣書不一定能夠致富，但他善於運用腦筋，才得以讓莎士比亞書店持續經營下去。印製明信片賣給遊客。從教會買二手書，然後高價轉售。把外表尚新的二手書偷偷塞在原價出售的新書中。書店營業到十二點。挨家挨戶賣書。最大的創舉——亨利 ・米勒《北迴歸線》在美國遭到查禁，他拜訪巴黎各個美國學生住處，推銷這本不道德的書，很少有推銷不成的時候。
毫無疑問地，作者深具洞察力精準掌握書店的生態，但行文之間也坦率交代自己的心理問題。比如說，一位來自波士頓的史考特本身研究班雅明，特別來到巴黎踏查這位德國思想家所留下的足跡。老喬治向來欣賞有才氣的新住客，每逢客人前來造訪，總是大力推崇一番，甚至表明出國期間史考特可以住在他的臥室。對此，作者認為史考特已經取代他而成為喬治的頭號助手，嫉妒之心油然而生。但後來史考特跟一位叫蘇菲的女住客太親近，使得喬治大為不滿，於是兩人開始貌和神離，歸根究底就是喬治不希望住客因愛情而破壞情緒，畢竟愛情大多以毀滅收場。
看來，在莎士比亞書店裡，美好的愛情跟婚姻總是短暫的，而令人難過的衝突、嫉妒也是短暫的。不過，也因此穩住書店的未來。首先，喬治有兩次婚姻和一些愛情的火花，而第二次婚姻生下女兒希薇亞，但太太總是希望喬治好好照顧這個「小家庭」，但他太愛護書店和住客所形成「大家庭」，以致兩人以離婚收場。這一來，女兒便跟媽媽前往倫敦定居。此時，作者擔心老喬治身體老邁，來日不多，而喬治也得知一位旅館大亨企圖收購書店。喬治很怕死後留給女兒之後，太太從中搞鬼，然後賣給大亨，以便賺一大筆錢。最後，所有住客也不再為了小事而心懷鬼胎，大家齊心協力運用各種方式，以保住書店。
其中，還是善解喬治心意的作者想出最有效果的方案——說服她女兒擔任接班人。作者親自到倫敦跟他女兒見面，並轉達喬治的心意。幸好，希薇亞回心轉意，決心回到巴黎，繼續經營莎士比亞書店。
本書以生動的文筆敘述莎士比亞書店主人喬治的大半生，誠如作者指出，「......是的，它在文壇有極高的重要性，可是，更重要的是，莎士比亞書店是個庇護所，就像對岸的教堂一樣，是一個主人讓每個人取之當取、竭力奉獻的地方。」不過，另一方面也記錄了作者精神成長的歷程——過去為了私利，到處揭人隱私，但受到喬治的感染而為書店、他人貢獻一己之力。也難怪作者在結尾強調：「和喬治在一起住在莎士比亞書店徹底改變了我，讓我質疑被我拋棄的生活、以及我真正想要過的生活。現在，我坐思、我打字、我努力成為更好的人。人生是未完成的課題。」
《時光如此輕柔：老喬治和他的莎士比亞書店》......
George Whitman's bookstore[
edit]
In 1951, a new English-language bookstore was opene7d on Paris's
Left Bank by American ex-serviceman
George Whitman under the name of "Le Mistral." Its premises, the site of a 16th-century monastery,
[13] are at 37
rue de la Bûcherie, near
Place Saint-Michel, just steps from the
Seine,
Notre Dame and the
Île de la Cité.
[13] Much like Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare and Company, Whitman's store quickly became the focal point of literary culture in
bohemian Paris. Early habitués included writers of the
Beat Generation--Allen Ginsberg,
Gregory Corso, and
William S. Burroughs, who is said to have researched sections of
Naked Lunch in the medical section of the bookstore's library.
[13] Other visitors were
James Baldwin,
Anaïs Nin,
Julio Cortázar,
Richard Wright,
Lawrence Durrell,
Max Ernest,
Bertolt Brecht,
William Saroyan,
Terry Southern, and editors of
The Paris Review, such as
George Plimpton,
Peter Matthiessen, and
Robert Silvers.
George Whitman had modeled his shop after Sylvia Beach's. In 1958, while dining with Whitman at a party for
James Jones who had newly arrived in Paris, Beach announced that she was handing the name to him for his bookshop.
[14] In 1964, after Sylvia Beach's death and on the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's birth, Whitman renamed his store "Shakespeare and Company," which is, as he described it, "a novel in three words."
[3]
Shakespeare and Company, Paris, 2013
Whitman called his venture "a socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore".
[15] Henry Miller called it "a wonderland of books."
[5] The shop has beds tucked among the shelves of books where aspiring writers are invited to sleep for free in exchange for helping around the bookshop, agreeing to read a book a day, and writing a one-page autobiography for the shop's archives. These guests are called "
Tumbleweeds," after the rootless plants that "blow in and out on the winds of chance," as Whitman described.
[5] An estimated 30,000 people have stayed at the shop since it opened in 1951.
Several literary publications have had their editorial address at the bookstore, including the avant-garde journal
Merlin, which is credited for having discovered
Samuel Beckett, it being the first to publish him in English. Among the journal's editors were
Richard Seaver,
Christopher Logue, and
Alexander Trocchi. Jane Lougee was the publisher. From 1959 to 1964, Jean Fanchette published Two Cities from the bookshop; the journal's patrons included
Anaïs Nin and
Lawrence Durrell, and it published, among others,
Ted Hughes and
Octavio Paz. From 1978 to 1981, a group of American and Canadian expatriates ran a literary journal out of the upstairs library, called Paris Voices. The journal published young writers such as Welsh poet
Tony Curtis and Irish playwright and novelist
Sebastian Barry. The editor-in-chief was
Kenneth R. Timmerman and the editorial team included Canadian
Antanas Sileika. Other publications established from the bookstore include Frank magazine, edited by David Applefield with contributions from writers such as
Mavis Gallant and
John Berger, and Whitman's own The Paris Magazine (or "The Poor Man's Paris Review," as he called it), with contributors including
Lawrence Ferlinghetti,
Jean-Paul Sartre,
Marguerite Duras,
Pablo Neruda, and—in a more recent edition--
Luc Sante,
Michel Houellebecq, and
Rivka Galchen. The first issue debuted in 1967, the most recent in 2010.
Shakespeare and Company, Entrance to Reading Library, 2015
George Whitman was awarded the
Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2006, one of France's highest cultural honor.
[16] He died at the age of 98 on 14 December 2011 in his apartment above the bookstore.
[17]Whitman's only child,
Sylvia Whitman, named after Sylvia Beach, began helping her father with management of the bookstore in 2003. She now runs the shop with her partner, David Delannet, in the same manner as her father did.
[18] Regular activities are a Sunday Tea Party, writers' workshops, and weekly events that have included writers such as
Dave Eggers,
A. M. Homes,
Jonathan Safran Foer, and
Naomi Klein.
[18]In 2003, Sylvia Whitman founded
FestivalandCo, a
literary festival that was held biennially at the park next-door to the bookstore,
Square René-Viviani. Participants included
Paul Auster,
Siri Hustvedt,
Jeanette Winterson,
Jung Chang, and
Marjane Satrapi.
[19][18]In 2010, the bookstore launched The Paris Literary Prize for unpublished novellas, with a top prize of 10,000 euro provided by the de Groot Foundation. The winner of the first contest was Rosa Rankin-Gee, whose entry, The Last Kings of Sark, was subsequently published by
Virago. The winner of the second prize was C. E. Smith; his entry, Body Electric, was co-published by the bookstore and
The White Review.
Partnering with Bob’s Bake Shop, Shakespeare and Company opened a café in 2015, located next door to the shop in what had been, since 1981, an abandoned garage. The café serves primarily vegetarian food, with vegan and gluten-free options. George Whitman had been trying to open a literary café in the same space since as early as 1969.
Shakespeare and Company, Paris, 2011
In 2016, the bookstore published its own history in a book titled Shakespeare and Company, Paris: A History of the Rag & Bone Shop of the Heart, edited by Krista Halverson with a foreword by
Jeanette Winterson and an epilogue by Sylvia Whitman. Other contributors to the book include
Ethan Hawke,
Lawrence Ferlinghetti,
Allen Ginsberg,
Anaïs Nin,
Robert Stone,
Ian Rankin,
Kate Tempest, and
Jim Morrison. The book features an illustrated adaptation of Sylvia Beach’s memoirs. It also includes a selection of George Whitman's letters and journals written along his “hobo adventures” during the
Great Depression. The kindness he received from strangers along the way inspired the founding ethos of the bookstore: "Give what you can; take what you need."
[5]The bookstore was a sanctuary for some twenty of its customers during the
November 2015 Paris attacks.
[20][21]The four "Shakespeare & Co" bookstores in New York City, which opened starting in 1981, are not affiliated with the Paris store.
