Saturday, December 17, 2011

Se souvenant de George Whitman


From the website of Shakespeare and Company...

"On Wednesday 14th December, 2011, George Whitman died peacefully at home in the apartment above his bookshop in Paris.  George suffered a stroke two months ago, but showed incredible strength and determination up to the end, continuing to read every day in the company of his daughter, Sylvia, his friends and his cat and dog.  He died two days after his 98th birthday.

Nicknamed the Don Quixote of the Latin Quarter, George will be remembered for his free spirit, his eccentricity and his generosity.  He will be buried at Père Lachaise cemetery in the good company of other men and women of letters..."

Rest peacefully, gentle angel

Shakespeare and Company
37, rue Bûcherie
75005 Paris

27 comments:

helen tilston said...

May he rest in peace. This is a very famous bookstore. I have read of it and the name appeared in a book I was reading one time.

I join you in the beautiful prayer:
"rest peacefully, gentle angel"

Helen xx

Randy said...

Looks like my kind of bookstore.

Julie said...

You know, I had always though this to be THE original, the bookstore of Sylvia Beach and Hemingway and Joyce. It is only when reading the obits for Mr Whitman that I was rudely jolted into reality.

Sylvia K said...

May he rest in peace. Such a peaceful way to go. It does indeed look like my kind of bookstore.

Sylvia

French Girl in Seattle said...

Au revoir, Monsieur Whitman. Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Amanda Summer said...

God rest his soul.

What a beautiful place to have lived......just imaging all the famous literary types he must have seen in his lifetime! Shakespeare and Co. is one of my favorite places to go in Paris - I still have a copy of Sylvia Beach and the Lost Generation I purchased there.

Joyeux Noel dear Genie♡

Shell Sherree said...

Au revoir, Monsieur Whitman. How lovely that he was able to read until the end and with his loved ones around him. That we should all be so blessed. Bon weekend, Genie...

Ricardo Miñana said...

Hello, great pleasure to go through your beautiful space, I wanted to greet you this holiday season,
Happy Holidays!
a hug.

Malyss said...

A mythic place if ever.. Did you notice the bench?:)

Leon Sims said...

To exist for 98 years is a great achievement - To wander thru S&Co is to walk thru history. I brought back the paperback of shop''s history when there and later that night dined next door.
A great memory.
Leon

Pat said...

I know this place well, having browsed there many a time when I lived in Paris, and from when I stayed at Hotel Esmeralda two years ago. What a man he was; a long, wonderful life.

brattcat said...

a perfectly beautiful post.

This is Belgium said...

The bookshop is and will remain a true institution.

trump said...

Greetings from an Amish community in Pennsylvania, I'm just checking out different blogs and thought id leave a comment. Happy holidays to everyone as well. Richard from Amish Stories

Unknown said...

Ahhhhh a book shop one of my favourite places. Have a great Xmas Genie and all the best for 2012 Best Wishes Kev x

PerthDailyPhoto said...

He lived a long life and passed peacefully, who could ask for more. As you say Genie he will be in good company in Pere Lachaise!
btw when you said you surfed in your teen years I immediately got an image of Sally Fields in the role of 'Gidget' I bet you were cute as!!

Diane said...

Ahh now I know why it was closed on the day we visited in late October. xxxx

Cezar and Léia said...

God bless him!
Cezar

Shirley @ My Bookshelf said...

Last month's Issue of France magazine featured Shakespeare and Company, namely Sylvia Beach who founded the original bookstore in Paris. I read this article just a few days ago and then came across a newspaper article announcing the passing of its current proprietor, George Whitman. He sounds like a fabulous supporter of the arts, following and enlarging the footsteps made by Sylvia. May he rest in peace. FYI, his daughter is now running Shakespeare and Company.

Thanks for the post.

Starman said...

How lucky for us that he started this bookstore.

Sharon Creech said...

98? Think of all the stories he read and knew.

Jack said...

I have happily spent time here. I always thought it was the place made famous by its proprietor, Sylvia Beach, but in reading about Mr. Whitman, I learned that her bookstore was at a different location and was named Shakespeare and Company by Mr. Whitman to honor the earlier bookstore.

Virginia said...

I didn't realize that the still lived there. Amazing long life. He was a character that no one that met him will ever forget.
V

Anne said...

Love it, what a storybook storefront that is. Thanks for the pic!

TheChieftess said...

May his legacy live on...

Oakland Daily Photo said...

A sweet pean to this lovely man.

Parisian Heart said...

Oh, I did not know! Thank you for sharing the news and your lovely photo. I adore this spot in Paris ... What a remarkable haven Mr. Whitman nurtured.