6.2.10

Postcards from Paris: {Oh, and the books!}




Charmed over and over again am I by these little tucked away bookstores. And charmed was I by Merci's "Used Book" cafe, where one could order a warm little drink, and sip away while browsing through the worned, yellowing pages of a used book. When my family moved from southern California to Atlanta, Georgia during my freshman year of highschool, it took me a bit to adjust to the change. My highschool's library was extensive, and during lunch I would find comfort with the scent of an old book. I remember the library having a beautiful worn copy of The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I checked it out on several occasions, and was nearly tempted to have "lost" it and pay the necessary fines for it. Instead, I wrote a little note telling the next reader how much joy I felt for this book, and included a small list of other enjoyable books residing on nearby shelves, like The Sun Also Rises, and This Side of Paradise.
My favorite bookseller, which happens to be English, is of course Shakespeare&Company. On the ground level are new books and little cubbies where if one is lucky, a vacant seat on a velvet chair is a treasure in itself, and up the narrow-passage, red-painted, creeking staircase are stacks and stacks of worned, yellowing, old-scented pages of books: nostalgia for my highscool years.
None of the old books are for sale, which is basically an invitation for one to grab their favorite book, find a corner, and stay for an hour or two.
Bisous,
Reba

2 comments:

Moira Frances said...

What a delightful way to spend an extra hour or two.....sheer luxury!

Saxon Henry said...

I'm heading to Paris next week and I thank you for this post. I can't wait to visit this great shop. I listed you on my blog: http://bit.ly/biT6vN and put you on my fan page (http://www.facebook.com/DesignCommotion)
Can't wait to follow your posts!