The Paris Bookseller Audiobook By Kerri Maher cover art

The Paris Bookseller

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Paris Bookseller

By: Kerri Maher
Narrated by: Lauryn Allman
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.25

Buy for $20.25

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

“A love letter to bookstores and libraries.”
The Boston Globe

The dramatic story of how a humble bookseller fought against incredible odds to bring one of the most important books of the 20th century to the world in this new novel from the author of The Girl in White Gloves.

A PopSugar Much-Anticipated 2022 Novel ∙ A BookTrib Top Ten Historical Fiction Book of Spring ∙ A SheReads’ Best Literary Historical Fiction Coming in 2022 ∙ A Reader’s Digest’s Best Books for Women Written by Female Authors ∙ A BookBub Best Historical Fiction Book of 2022

When bookish young American Sylvia Beach opens Shakespeare and Company on a quiet street in Paris in 1919, she has no idea that she and her new bookstore will change the course of literature itself.

Shakespeare and Company is more than a bookstore and lending library: Many of the prominent writers of the Lost Generation, like Ernest Hemingway, consider it a second home. It's where some of the most important literary friendships of the twentieth century are forged—none more so than the one between Irish writer James Joyce and Sylvia herself. When Joyce's controversial novel Ulysses is banned, Beach takes a massive risk and publishes it under the auspices of Shakespeare and Company.

But the success and notoriety of publishing the most infamous and influential book of the century comes with steep costs. The future of her beloved store itself is threatened when Ulysses' success brings other publishers to woo Joyce away. Her most cherished relationships are put to the test as Paris is plunged deeper into the Depression and many expatriate friends return to America. As she faces painful personal and financial crises, Sylvia—a woman who has made it her mission to honor the life-changing impact of books—must decide what Shakespeare and Company truly means to her.

©2022 Kerri Maher (P)2022 Penguin Audio
Biographical Fiction Fiction Genre Fiction Women's Fiction France
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup

Critic reviews

“A beautiful ode to Sylvia Beach, the renowned Shakespeare and Company owner, a real-life heroine who has left her mark on us all.”—Marie Benedict, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Personal Librarian

“Maher vividly reimagines the indomitable Beach, who struggled for years to get Ulysses published.... In one poignant scene, Maher has Beach declaring: ‘Censorship is not commensurate with democracy. Or art,’ a comment that still rings true.”—The Washington Post

“Wholly immersive, a literary romp through Left Bank Paris…an enchanting glimpse of the storied lost generation through a female gaze.”—Toronto Star

Rich Historical Details • Immersive Storytelling • Excellent Narration • Compelling Literary History • Uplifting Story
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I have been so looking forward to hearing this book. I waited till after midnight for it. But... the narrators voice is so big and heavy and thick when she speaks French. I almost cringe. It’s not pretty or pleasant at all. So I’m Listening in short bits of time. I’m hoping she mellows out or maybe I’ll get used to it.

I can’l barely stand the narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Um delicioso mergulho na história e na literatura.A sensação é que esses autores famosos e tão maravilhosos, estivessem, por um tempo, fazendo parte de nossas vidas.

Biografia muito cativante

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I am a writer, a musician, and a lover of books. My husband and I are heading to Paris and other parts of France tomorrow! I was so excited to listen to this charming story of Sylvia Beach - a true Parisian icon - just days before visiting Paris and the bookstore named after hers. I was immersed and delighted!

Immersed & delighted

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

After a slow beginning, this based-on-fact account of 1920’s Paris and the bohemian literary community became quite interesting. A sign of good historical fiction is when I am so interested in the real life characters that I research them. The prose is really evocative, with a good ear for dialogue. High marks to the narrator, too. She was excellent !

Excellent historical fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I listened to this novel with the eagerness of a child. I loved the characters. The way women were able to have shops in their names. I appreciate your time dedicated to the realism of names and places. Thank you for this novel.

The Paris Bookseller

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I found the telling of this story to be rich with details of Sylvia Beech’s amazing literary life in Paris, blended with a masterful interpretation by the author. I’m feeling compelled to read Ulysses, as well as Shakespeare and Co. to further immerse myself in this history. Well done!!

Thoroughly enjoyable!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The narrator’s attempts at French accents, and men’s pixels was clumsy and distracting. Otherwise, a very interesting book!

Terrible narrator, good story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

My first audible book and loved it. Great way to "read". Love stories about Paris.

Highly interesting . A great read/listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The narrator is so dramatic and dripping with obvious emotion - if she’d just read the text, maybe with a slightly different intonation for various characters it would be so much less irritating. It makes Sylvia Beach sound like a senseless school girl which of course she wasn’t. And the French accents are cartoonish … it’s all unfortunate.

Over the top narrator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

The reading made the book come alive in a way not possible with a mere reading.

Stellar Performance of Knockout Book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews