Sylvia Beach facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sylvia Beach
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| Born | 14 March 1887 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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| Died | 5 October 1962 (aged 75) Paris, France
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| Other names | Nancy Woodbridge Beach |
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| Known for | Founder of Shakespeare and Company |
Sylvia Beach (born Nancy Woodbridge Beach on March 14, 1887 – died October 5, 1962) was an American bookseller and publisher. She spent most of her life in Paris, France. Sylvia was a very important person among Americans living in Paris between World War I and World War II.
She is famous for her bookstore in Paris, called Shakespeare and Company. There, she published James Joyce's famous book, Ulysses (1922). She also helped publish and sell Ernest Hemingway's first book, Three Stories and Ten Poems (1923).
Contents
Sylvia Beach's Early Life
Sylvia Beach was born in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, on March 14, 1887. Her father was a minister. She was the second of three daughters. Her older sister was Holly, and her younger sister was Cyprian. She was named Nancy at birth, but she later chose to be called Sylvia.
Her family moved to France in 1901. This happened because her father became a minister at the American Church in Paris. Sylvia lived in Paris from 1902 to 1905. She then returned to New Jersey in 1906. She visited Europe many times after that. She even lived in Spain for two years. Before World War I ended, she went back to Paris. She wanted to study French literature there.
Starting Shakespeare and Company
While studying in Paris, Sylvia Beach found a French literary magazine. It mentioned a bookshop and lending library called La Maison des Amis des Livres. This shop was at 7 rue de l'Odéon in Paris. When she visited, she met the owner, Adrienne Monnier. Adrienne was a young woman who loved books.
Sylvia immediately joined Adrienne's library. She often went to readings by famous authors there. These authors included André Gide and Paul Valéry. Sylvia was inspired by the exciting literary life in Paris. She dreamed of opening her own English-language bookstore.
She had $3,000 from her mother. New York was too expensive for her dream. But Paris rents were much cheaper. With Adrienne's help, she opened her own shop. She named it Shakespeare and Company. It was located at 8 rue Dupuytren in Paris.
Growing the Bookstore
Shakespeare and Company quickly became popular. Many French and American readers visited it. It also attracted new writers. Sylvia offered them a friendly place and encouraged their work. As more Americans came to Paris, her shop grew. It soon needed more space.
In May 1921, Shakespeare and Company moved. It went to 12 rue de l'Odéon. This new spot was just across the street from Adrienne Monnier's shop.
Publishing Ulysses
In July 1920, Sylvia Beach met the Irish writer James Joyce. He joined her lending library soon after. James Joyce was trying to publish his big book, Ulysses. But he was having trouble finding a publisher.
Sylvia saw his struggle and offered to publish it herself. Shakespeare and Company became very famous after publishing Ulysses in 1922. This happened because Joyce couldn't get the book published in English-speaking countries. Sylvia faced financial difficulties later. Joyce signed with another publisher, leaving her with debts from publishing his book.
Challenges and Closure
Shakespeare and Company faced money problems in the 1930s. This was during the Great Depression. But wealthy friends, like Bryher, helped support the shop. In 1936, Sylvia thought she might have to close.
Then, André Gide started a club called "Friends of Shakespeare and Company." Members paid money each year to attend readings at the bookstore. Famous French and American writers gave these readings. This brought a lot of attention to the store. Sylvia remembered that business improved greatly because of this.
The shop stayed open even after Paris was taken over during World War II. But by the end of 1941, Sylvia was forced to close it. She hid her books in an empty apartment upstairs. Ernest Hemingway later "freed" the shop in 1944. However, it never reopened for business.
Sylvia Beach's Later Years
In 1956, Sylvia Beach wrote a book called Shakespeare and Company. It was a memoir about her life in Paris between the World Wars. The book describes the exciting cultural life of Paris at that time. It includes her observations of many famous writers. These include James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, and Gertrude Stein.
Sylvia Beach did not have a lot of money in her later years. But she was highly respected for publishing Ulysses. She was also honored for supporting new writers in the 1920s. On June 16, 1962, she opened the Martello Tower in Dublin as a museum. This tower is where the first scene of Ulysses takes place. She stayed in Paris until she passed away in 1962. She was buried in Princeton Cemetery. Her writings and papers are kept at Princeton University.
An American named George Whitman opened a new bookshop in Paris in 1951. It was first called Le Mistral. But in 1964, he renamed it Shakespeare and Company. He did this to honor Sylvia Beach. After George Whitman passed away in 2011, his daughter, Sylvia Whitman, took over the shop.
Images for kids
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Sylvia Beach at her bookstore.
See also
In Spanish: Sylvia Beach para niños
