The photo at left is an iconic English language bookstore: Shakespeare and Company, located on the left bank of the Siene River in Paris. Sylvia Beach, an American expatriate, opened the shop in 1919. It was during this time that American expatriates who were members of the “Lost Generation” settled for a time in Paris. This is the generation that came of age during World War I - characterized by disillusionment, aimlessness and a pursuit of pleasure to cope with the trauma of war.

Perhaps the best known of this group were Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Joyce - all who were penniless at the time. Each went on to become a literary giant and published works that are considered classics today. As young men they honed their craft in Paris, and were all regular visitors of Shakespeare and Company. The each became close friends of owner Sylvia Beach. In fact, James Joyce’s novel Ulysses was banned in all English speaking countries because of obscenities. Sylvia took a risk and published his novel, which went on to become a masterpiece.

As a young adult I read all of Hemingway and Fitzgerald’s works. They each deeply moved me. I became a big admirer, so visiting Shakespeare and Company was very special. I imagined Hemingway sitting outside, just as the young man in the bottom left of the photo, reading or working on the manuscript of A Farewell to Arms, which he wrote while living in Paris.