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leeeighv's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent glimpse into then Parisian Literary scene. I loved Sylvia’s accounts of the famous writers of the time and the heroic accounts of Hem’s liberation of the book shop!
rtate29's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed reading this one over a long period of time, taking in bits slowly! Following 84, Charing Cross Road, this book is the travel journal of Helene Hanff, who finally gets the chance to travel to London and meet some of the people she has been corresponding with. It’s fun to follow her on her day to day journey. It’s a very unique travel experience compared to today’s experiences. The friendships she built during her trip were so random and yet so perfect. Helene is hilarious and makes so many references to literature (it was fun to find and connect them).
I adored 84, Charing Cross Road quite a bit more, but this one was a fun read!
I adored 84, Charing Cross Road quite a bit more, but this one was a fun read!
catladyreba's review against another edition
4.0
To me, this is one of the books where fact reads like fiction. I am just at the very beginning, but already, Sylvia Beach has led a fascinating life. I am really looking forward to getting into this.
About halfway through and I love everything about this. Totally fed into my Hemingway obsessions. And now? I kind of feel obligated to read James Joyce.
Overall, such a charming, pleasant read. A little rambling, and disjointed at times, but that seems to make it all the more appealing.
About halfway through and I love everything about this. Totally fed into my Hemingway obsessions. And now? I kind of feel obligated to read James Joyce.
Overall, such a charming, pleasant read. A little rambling, and disjointed at times, but that seems to make it all the more appealing.
sethlynch's review against another edition
4.0
A good and easy read espcially if you like the Paris/Ex-Pat/Writing of the 1920′s
morganmcdon9's review against another edition
2.0
I got this book when I went to Shakespeare and Company in Paris, so for that reason it is a special book to me. The story was very interesting for me and I skipped through a lot. Booktube A Thon 3018 #3
juliaflorence15's review against another edition
3.0
Ich habe so unglaublich viel Respekt für Sylvia Beach. Sie hat selbstständig als amerikanische Frau eine Buchhandlung in Paris eröffnet, die sich zum Treffpunkt von allen Angloamerikanischen Schriftstellern des Beginns des 20. Jahrhundert entwickelt hat. Sie hat die Genialität von Ulysses von James Joyce erkannt und es erstmals herausgegeben. Während des zweiten Weltkriegs hat sie sich tapfer gegen einen Nazi-Offizier verteidigt und ihre ganze Buchhandlung leergeräumt anstatt die ganzen Werke und Möbel den Nazis zu übergeben.
Dieses Buch, dieser Bericht, ist höchstpersönlich und führt am Ende schon fast zu tränen. Man erlebt alles mit, wie Hemingway mit seinem Sohn die Buchhandlung besucht oder wie Sylvia Joyce zum Augenarzt bringt.
Das Buch ist ideal für alle, die in die „Lost Generation“ interessiert sind.
Wieso dann die 3 Sterne? Das Buch hat sich unglaublich gezogen und manchmal hat es sich angefühlt wie eine reine Aufzählung von Fakten und rekonstruierten Erinnerungen mit tausenden verschiedenen Jahreszahlen und Namen.
Aber trotzdem - Sylvia Beach verdient so viel mehr Anerkennung.
Dieses Buch, dieser Bericht, ist höchstpersönlich und führt am Ende schon fast zu tränen. Man erlebt alles mit, wie Hemingway mit seinem Sohn die Buchhandlung besucht oder wie Sylvia Joyce zum Augenarzt bringt.
Das Buch ist ideal für alle, die in die „Lost Generation“ interessiert sind.
Wieso dann die 3 Sterne? Das Buch hat sich unglaublich gezogen und manchmal hat es sich angefühlt wie eine reine Aufzählung von Fakten und rekonstruierten Erinnerungen mit tausenden verschiedenen Jahreszahlen und Namen.
Aber trotzdem - Sylvia Beach verdient so viel mehr Anerkennung.
toml72's review against another edition
3.0
In it's early stages I did like Sylvia and admired what she was trying to do. However, it became clear that although she could be very kind, she was rather a needy sort of person and a terrible business woman. Moreover her apparent crush on James Joyce and blind devotion to what in my opinion was an arrogant, largely terrible writer became her downfall and it was her own fault.
About midway through the book I found her to be rather an ego maniac like most of that crowd (Hemingway, Stein, Mc Almon, Fitzgerald in particular, as well as many of the French writers). I grew weary of her constantly expecting others to bail her out of debt and Joyce as well. They really were quite full of themselves.
That said it's a decent read although not always a very revealing one. You'll have to go elsewhere if you want more salient facts about the so-called Lost Generation and about Sylvia as well.
About midway through the book I found her to be rather an ego maniac like most of that crowd (Hemingway, Stein, Mc Almon, Fitzgerald in particular, as well as many of the French writers). I grew weary of her constantly expecting others to bail her out of debt and Joyce as well. They really were quite full of themselves.
That said it's a decent read although not always a very revealing one. You'll have to go elsewhere if you want more salient facts about the so-called Lost Generation and about Sylvia as well.
sfschmidt93's review
adventurous
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
One of Sylvia Beach’s major accomplishments was publishing James Joyce’s Ulysses. Her autobiography from about 1919 through the end of WWII seemed to compose of her close relationship with James Joyce, so it felt like you also got to know James.