I received this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

This fictionalized version of the true story of the founder of Shakespeare and Company in Paris (Sylvia Beach) was very well-researched and it was clear the author knew her subject well. The bibliography at the end of the book was extensive and I admire the author for all the hard work she did to familiarize herself with Paris in the early part of the 20th Century as well as her subject and the literati of the time. Her writing showed she had great affection for the era and all the inhabitants of the tale.

The friendships of Ms. Beach with Ezra Pound, Earnest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, as well as James Joyce added luster to her life and life to the bookstore. Sylvia battled mightily for James Joyce’s book Ulysses to be published—eventually becoming the publisher herself. The ins and outs of their relationship were explored well by the author of this book. Quite frankly, I didn’t have any idea what kind of person Joyce really was. We’ve all heard about him, of course, but the way he was portrayed in this book made me quite dislike him. As the book was well-researched (including letters between Beach and Joyce), I don’t doubt the author’s portrayal as accurate.

The face that Ms. Beach and her partner were living openly in a same-sex relationship in the 1920s was remarkable to me. Paris and France were always more liberal than most places—and I was glad to see these relationships (like Gertrude Stein’s as well) were accepted and not looked at askance. There may have been a bit too much behind closed doors scenes for this reader, but it wasn’t too jarring.

I also enjoyed learning more about Ezra Pound and the kind of person he was—a great friend to Ms. Beach. The parts of the book dealing with the publication, banning and legal fights over Ulysses were especially intriguing. The journey to the publication of the book was fascinating and, as a lawyer, I was intrigued by the court battles over obscenity and the banning of the book in the United States.

This book was a pleasure to read—while based on real people and true events, the author made the history come alive by creating a heroine of Sylvia Beach that showed her as a kind, fascinating individual who stood up for what and who she believed in even if one of those people treated her abominably. I enjoyed the journey of the story and the way the characters were made real and fresh.

The good news is that I did finish the book. The other news is that the first chapter was so full of long, adjective-peppered sentences that I initially despaired of doing so.

Fortunately, the storytelling improved. I was totally unfamiliar with the life of Sylvia Beach and her contribution to the publication of James Joyce's Ulysses. I am glad to have learned about this episode in literary history.

An English bookstore in the heart of Paris during the 1920s makes for an intriguing story. Couple that with its owner, Sylvia Beach, being brave and determined enough to go against the grain and publish James Joyce's Ulysses when no one else would and you'd expect a masterpiece. Maher pays homage to the splendid blending of the minds that took place within the walls of the Shakespeare and Company bookstore. It is always interesting to read about how small the literary world was and discover who knew who when and how one influenced the other. There was a lot of focus on Joyce and his place in the artistic community. This of course was needed as one of the drivers of the plot is the publication of his book and the circumstances that stemmed from that.
I felt utterly lost in the way the book started. While it is always important to get a feel for the main character, I don't believe the way that Maher went about it in the first few chapters was well executed. I enjoyed how Sylvia's relationship with Adrienne answered some of the whys behind Sylvia's decisions. Overall the book was just ok for me.
I received an advance copy of this title via NetGalley.

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher was a fascinating look at Sylvia Beach, Shakespeare and Company, and the publication of James Joyce's Ulysses. While I knew the general history of this famous bookshop, it was fun to learn more as I read the book, both through the book itself and the research it inspired me to do. Maher does a beautiful job of bringing these famous historical figures to life and making you feel like you are there in 1920s Paris. I would highly recommend this book to any fans of historical fiction and the Lost Generation.

Being a librarian, I really wanted to like this book but it was just ok. A young American girl opens a bookstore in Paris in 1919. It is frequented by writers of the Lost Generation. She goes so far as to publish a controversial book, but there is a cost to taking such risks. She faces financial ruin and personal crisis. The book was a bit too slow moving for me. The writing style was ok but it didn't really gra me

An OK book, not great. Interesting story about the censorship of Ulysses’s and how it got published but otherwise not much to the characters considering who and where they were.

Sylvia Beach finally feels like she has found a place where she can be herself, Paris in 1919. She opens an English language bookstore, Shakespeare and Company that becomes a gathering spot for writers of the Lost Generation including Ernest Hemingway. When no one is willing to publish James Joyce's controversial novel, Shakespeare and Company publishes it but what is the cost?

I'm afraid that for me, this book was just 'fine.'

I'm a huge fan of stories involving bookstores, and a visit to the current Shakespeare and Company in Paris was one of the travel highlights of my life, so I had high hopes for The Paris Bookseller.

I did enjoy learning about the history of Shakespeare and Co., about the famous writers and artists who were part of the community there, and about Sylvia Beach herself. Unfortunately, I felt that in many places the narrative thread was thin and I had to keep myself reading, instead of being pulled along and completely absorbed by the story.

I imagine this book will do well because of the popularity of Shakespeare and Company and of historical fiction. It just won't be a top recommendation of mine.

Thanks for the opportunity to read an advance e-copy.

I truly wanted to like this book. I love all things Paris. I love books. I love book stores. I love historical novels. However, I just couldn't get into this book, even though I read it cover to cover.
I found the characters to be flat. There was no real development of any of them. Even the main character of Sylvie seemed like a cardboard cutout. Also, the story line was too repetitive, which did not make for an enjoyable read.
Perhaps the novelty of Joyce's writing made him a success in the 1920's. Especially since his book was banned. But, I'd be hard pressed to find anyone today who actually enjoyed reading, "Ulysses". I had to read it in college and disliked it intensely. Finding out how selfish and unfeeling Joyce was made me angry at Sylvie's devotion to this man. And at times it seemed even stronger than her devotion to Adrienne, her lover..
There just wasn't enough story, for me, to support an entire novel on this topic.
I do not recommend this book.

The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher
REVIEW: ⭐⭐⭐💫
GENRE: Historical Fiction
PUB DATE: Jan. 11, 2022

First I would like to thank #NetGalley and #BerkleyPub for the opportunity to review this book prior to publication.

My excitement could not be contained when Berkley Publishing approved this novel! As most already know, Historical Fiction is my jam and I could probably name at least 10 books I have read that made reference to the American bookstore in Paris, Shakespeare and Company, in the 1920s through the beginning of the German Occupation of Paris WWII. Although I knew that writers such as James Joyce and Hemingway frequented this establishment it was so interesting to learn about the owner, Sylvia Beach, her dreams, and how she helped the store thrive. It became so much more than a bookstore...it was an institution, a publishing house, a family, and a refuge. Sticking to a theme of late, this novel has a strong female protagonist paving the way in a man's world. The Paris Bookseller feels like the missing puzzle piece that ties so many other novels together. I learned so much, which is so often the mark of a good story for me. The characters had depth and the relationships were well written. I will say that at times, I felt too much legal information was given, although probably necessary to understanding the events. Great book if you are a fan of The Paris Wife!

I went to Paris and couldn't wait to get to Shakespeare and Company book store. I could of stayed in the store forever. Totally amazing place. And then I read THE PARIS BOOKSELLER and was thrilled that I made it to the bookstore. This story of Sylvia Beach' and the building of her bookstore, her love of James Joyce and his writing, how she promoted him and helped him publish Ulysses, is filled with love and intrigue and so much wonderful history. The story is told, very well I must say, with wonderful writers and artists. Filled, first page to last page.
I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in the SHAKESPEARE AND COMPANY Bookstore and its "residents." Historically full.

This historical fiction account of Sylvia Beach and her dedicated passion for the publication James Joyce's ULYSSES is delightful. Maher pulls you into Sylvia's life and love for the artists who help her grow Shakespeare and Company. Sylvia's life is portrayed through a third-person narrative, a little of which could have been a bit too much in my opinion - the lovemaking between Sylvia and her long-time companion Adrienne Monnier. Although these scenes were not in any way portraying the lovers to the extent of Joyce's depictions and the reasoning for banning his book. They bring the characters more to life, but I'm not sure this is not how Ms. Beach would have liked to have her life on display, even in a historical fiction novel.

Read if you: Love historical fiction, stories set in Paris, biographical fiction, and/or stories set (mostly) in bookstores. You've hit the jackpot with this one!


Libraries/booksellers: There's been a spate of historical fiction set in libraries or bookstores; patrons/customers love them! Also consider for readers looking for LGBTQ+ historical fiction.

Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sylvia Beach was an extraordinary woman for her time. She campaigned for suffrage, volunteered in the Red Cross during World War 1 and followed her dream to open a bookshop. Shakespeare and Company became a hub of expatriate literary life in Paris, thanks to Sylvia, who was a major catalyst in cultural exchange for aspiring contemporary authors such as Eliot, Pound,Hemingway, and Stein. An inveterate risk taker and a rebel at heart, she took on the task of publishing Joyce’s Ulysses when it was banned in the U.S. Her consequent trials and tribulations as a novice publisher are aptly described. France awarded her the Legion of Honor in 1938.

In this work of historical fiction, the author exquisitely portrays Beach as a woman of depth, loyalty, inspiration and vision. A good read about developing authors of the time, too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I simply could not get enough of this book or of the main character. Sylvia was strong and resilient and fought for the things she was passionate about. If that’s not inspirational I don’t know what is. I found myself enthralled and admired Kerri Maher’s writing all the way through. A stunning read to the end.

Thank you Net Galley and Berkeley Books for the eARC copy of this book.

Pub Date - January 11, 2022

Shakespeare and Company of Paris is one of the most famous bookstores in the world. In this story, Maher travels back in time to the creation of the store by American Sylvia Beach in 1919. Not just a bookstore and library, the building also provides a place for aspiring writers to live while they work to create their masterpieces. And indeed, masterpieces are created on the premises, by no less than the likes of Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. It’s the relationship between Joyce and Beach and her daring publication of his, at the time, shocking novel, Ulysses, that forms the basis of this fascinating book about a bookstore that continues to shelter the writers who illuminate the dark corners of our world