To fully appreciate the backstory of the fabled Shakespeare & Company bookstore, we must rewind to 1919, when a young female entrepreneur, bookseller and publisher named Sylvia Beach opened a bookshop in St. Germain-des-Prés.
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Jane Austen lived in Bath for five years and set two novels in the pretty Georgian city, Northanger Abbey & Persuasion. Bath was an important chapter in her life and shaped her life irrevocably, almost ruining her writing career. It was noisy, chaotic, and stifled her capacity to write. Here, she also came to terms with the true quandary of being an unwed woman in Regency England without means to support herself.
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The steps of the classical forecourt were dotted with people waiting for the doors to open. Most hurried inside to find a quiet corner and others just marvelled at the beauty and grandeur of the architecture.
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Tucked away just off the King’s Road in Chelsea is a wonderful little bookshop, John Sandoe Books. The three-story shop remains in the same building where Sandoe first set up shop, now spanning three side by side stores acquired over fifty years.
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Inverness is the most northerly city in Britain and the capital of the Scottish Highlands. Here, nestled on the banks of the Ness, you’ll find the iconic Leakey’s Bookshop, a former Gaelic church filled floor to ceiling with stacks of books.
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Chawton Cottage in Hampshire, now the Jane Austen House Museum, may be the most prominent Jane Austen site in the world, yet the symbolic value of this house goes beyond bricks and mortar. This modest cottage changed the course of history.
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Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum is home to over 8,000 priceless artworks, including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and Steen… but did you know about the secret library? There is a magnificent art history library that is easy to overlook.
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It’s really no surprise that Edinburgh is teeming with top-notch literary haunts – from exceptional libraries, quirky independent bookshops, and illustrious literary history, the Scottish capital is a wonderland for bibliophiles.
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A once-wandering 1920’s barge has taken up residence on London’s Granary Square, yet this is no ordinary passenger barge, it’s a floating bookshop called Word on the Water – a treasure trove of books.
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Who knew Adelaide was hiding such a stunning library? I accidentally stumbled upon it while perusing a “Most Beautiful Libraries” article and the State Library of South Australia was there on the list!
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To mark the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death, the Dressing Australia – Museum of Costume is presenting a rare and wonderful exhibition bringing the era of Jane Austen to life, with a showcase of original items of the time. Be Persuaded features fashion, accessories and ephemera from the 18th century, rarely on display outside of major museums.
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The Turn of the Screw is perhaps the most famous ghost story ever written. To this day there are elements of this creepy tale woven into the framework of the horror genre. Gothic literature is my obsession, I love suspense, intrigue, and mystery. The Turn of the Screw features a big haunted house, an isolated woman, beautiful yet creepy children, menacing ghosts and unexplained occurrences that will leave you both perplexed and infuriated.
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