Time Was Soft There

Time Was Soft There recounts journalist Jeremy Mercer's experiences living at Shakespeare and Company, the famous English-language bookstore in Paris. After fleeing Canada due to threats related to his crime reporting work, Mercer finds himself broke in Paris and takes refuge in the bookstore's community of writers and wanderers. The narrative follows Mercer's daily life at the bookstore under the guidance of its eccentric owner George Whitman, who provides shelter to "tumbleweeds" - traveling writers and artists who work in the shop in exchange for accommodation. Mercer documents the unique atmosphere of this literary sanctuary, where residents sleep on makeshift beds between shelves of rare books and participate in the store's cultural events. The memoir captures a specific moment in Shakespeare and Company's history while exploring the store's legacy as a haven for expatriate writers since the 1950s. Mercer's account includes encounters with visiting authors, discussions of literature, and observations of the varied characters who pass through the shop's doors. This book examines themes of belonging, artistic community, and the role of literature in creating connections across cultures and generations. Through its portrayal of Shakespeare and Company, the memoir reflects on how physical spaces can nurture creativity and human bonds.

Readers describe the book as a love letter to Shakespeare and Company bookstore and its eccentric owner George Whitman. Many appreciate the intimate portrayal of life inside the famous Paris bookshop, with its rotating cast of writers and wanderers. Positive reviews focus on Mercer's candid accounts of his own struggles and the sense of community among the store's residents. Several readers note the book captures a specific moment in Paris literary culture at the turn of the millennium. Common criticisms include uneven pacing and that Mercer sometimes comes across as self-absorbed. Some readers wanted more historical context about the bookstore's legacy. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (2,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (130+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.8/5 (250+ ratings) "A charming memoir that makes you want to drop everything and move to Paris" - Goodreads reviewer "The author's personal drama overshadows the more interesting bookstore stories" - Amazon reviewer

Books in My Life by Henry Miller A memoir of Miller's life among the writers and artists in 1930s Paris connects readers to the same bohemian literary world explored in Time Was Soft There.

Shakespeare and Company by Sylvia Beach The original Shakespeare and Company bookstore owner tells the story of her Paris bookshop and its role as a sanctuary for writers between the world wars.

The Greater Journey by David McCullough This history chronicles the American writers, artists, and thinkers who made Paris their home and transformed their creative lives there.

Hemingway's Paris by Robert Wheeler The book traces Hemingway's path through Paris in the 1920s, including his time at Shakespeare and Company and other literary haunts.

Left Bank by Agnes Poirier This account follows the writers, artists, and philosophers who lived and worked in Paris's Left Bank neighborhood from 1940-1950.

🏰 Shakespeare and Company bookstore served as a haven for many notable writers, including James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and Allen Ginsberg before Jeremy Mercer's stay there. 📚 The store's founder, George Whitman, had a policy of letting writers sleep among the books in exchange for helping around the store, reading one book per day, and writing a one-page autobiography. 🗝️ Author Jeremy Mercer fled to Paris and found refuge at Shakespeare and Company after receiving death threats related to his work as a crime reporter in Canada. 🎭 The bookstore was named in honor of Sylvia Beach's original Shakespeare and Company, which closed during the Nazi occupation of Paris in 1941. 📖 George Whitman called his bookstore a "socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore" and estimated that over 40,000 people had slept there since its opening in 1951.