Sunday, July 6, 2014

Ville de Hemingway

As an English major and lover of The Sun Also Rises, I couldn't help but to track down some Parisian locations closely associated with Earnest Hemingway, the literature genius himself. 

It just so happens that my apartment is in the area that Hemingway and other expats spent a lot of time, the Latin Quarter. Specifically, my roommate and I travel through Rue Mouffetard frequently which Hemingway describes as a "wonderful, narrow crowded market street" in A Moveable Feast. To this day, as I stroll through a Sunday market, I can feel how Hemingway would soak in the choas of vendors and the smell of fresh food. Walking along the cobblestone makes it feel that not much has changed over these generations on Rue Mouffetard. When you reach the top of the rue, you can find another small street where Hemingway had rented his first Parisian apartment at 74 Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, which honors his memory with a plaque.


An afternoon on Rue Mouffetard, looking downhill. 

My next Hemingway journey took me north to visit the famous bookshop, Shakespeare & Company. Hemingway and other literary geniuses frequented this American themed shop for the hospitable owner and the peaceful environment. In a city that is bright with lights and noise, American writers used this shop to work on their soon-to-be classics. Once, Hemingway read a bad review while sitting in Shakespeare & Co, and impulsively broke one of the shop's lamps.



The shop had to be relocated after a fire, but it's environment is still as cozy as Hemingway would remember it. Even though the shop is filled with patrons, everyone has the same unspoken notion that this is a holy ground for literature lovers alike, and should respect it as we would when in the Notre Dame. Eventually I found myself in a small corner room upstairs dedicated to Syliva Beach, the original founder, that acted as an in-house lending library. I pulled out a book on the history of best sellers and sat down a few cushions away from the lazy bookshop cat. Although the book wasn't as interesting as I had hoped, the distant live piano and the comfort of the cushions pulled me in anyway. 



The Sylvia Beach Room in Shakespeare & Co.

I had two goals in mind heading into the bookshop, to find a book that was meaningful of the location and to find a book for my new classroom. Considering this is in fact a tourist destination and the euro exchange rate isn't quite in my favor, I unfortunately had to budget myself to just a couple items. When browsing in the Children and Young Adult sections, I found a book whose title in itself intrigued me, If I Were a Book. Each page is filled with a different way the narrator would want to capture his audience if he were a book. It is fascinating, encouraging, and inspiring to be the most engaging and influential person you can be. When I flipped through the small hardback, I was immersed in a list of how to make your life better each and every day. I cannot way to incorporate this into a lesson this year!

When I first entered the shop, right away I spotted a book that consisted of letters written from Syliva Beach throughout her life. The content apparently helped explain her life within and beyond her famous bookshop and even more famous patrons. I am very much interested in learning about someone through personal content rather than an autobiography, but as I was getting ready to leave the store, an even better classic caught my eye. A Moveable Feast, by Earnest Hemingway himself. This posthumous publication, which is binded by a cover of Hemingway standing in front of Shakespeare & Co, is symbolic of not only the shop, but of a lot of my journey! Sadly, I had to put away the Sylvia Beach book, but it was well worth the switch. 

Authentic Shakespeare & Co purchases.

Just when we were getting ready to leave, we noticed a subsection of the shop dedicated to rare books. I picked up a copy of Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea and flipped it over to look at the price. My jaw dropped when I spotted the 350 euro sign on the back corner! It turns out the book was a UK first edition, and the smell and instability helped declare so. I also looked around for my other favorite "lost generation" author, Scott Fitzgerald. I found a large binding of letters written from Fitzgerald to others such as Zelda, his daughter, and some business men. I spent about two minutes just flipping through and reading, since I have always been fascinated with the relationship between Fitzgerald and Zelda. 

Finally, a little growl from my stomach, made me realize I had spent two hours roaming this magical bookshop and it should be time to find some lunch. We grabbed a little corner table outside of Café Panis nearby. The restaurant had a clear view of both the bookstore and the grand Notre Dame, yet it wasn't overflowing with people, so our expectations weren't too high. However, the waiter was extremely accommodating with our broken French and answered all our questions with a smile. Lindsay and I both ordered a salmon dish, served with a  delicious sauce and a side of zucchini gratin.  Actually, it was my first experience with salmon served with the skin still on, so it had an even extra touch of freshness to it. After our first bites, at the same moment, we just looked at one another in awe. It certainly competes for the title of best meal in Paris yet, and I highly recommend it! 



Eating with the Notre Dame in the background.
A delicious lunch at Cafe Panis!
After a long day of exploring, we decided to make it a quiet Saturday night. However, the Hemingway themed day didn't end on our our doorsteps. We decided to watch Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," which explores the "lost generation" with vibrance and wit. Even though I've watched the movie before, this time it was with a fresh sense of understanding of the famous expat artists as well as the beautiful city I am spending my summer in. 

Truly, it was a literature lover's most magical day in Paris. Now, on this rainy Sunday afternoon, I am excited to curl up with my newest purchase and become acquainted like old friends. 

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