George Whitman was the founder of Shakespeare & Co. Books version 2.0 (another store by the same name preceded this one), located at “kilometer zero” (the exact center of Paris, across from Notre Dame plaza and the Archeological Crypt of Paris). About 57 years ago, George took over the name of a prior bookshop and created a Beat Generation literary base on par with City Lights Books of San Francisco. Since then, he estimated that 50,000 young writers have stayed at his bookstore free of charge, in little beds scattered throughout the shop’s several levels. He was a contemporary of such Beat poets as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. Despite references in the press, there is no proof that he was directly related to the American poet Walt Whitman. We are sad to report that George died in Paris on Wednesday, at age 98.
Must echo “wonderful jacket,” not to mention great outdoor ambiance. Sorry for the loss on the behalf of everyone who got to meet the gentleman, and sorry for myself that I didn’t.
Hey, Eric, your comment made me laugh out loud. “Old goat” is just how I’ve thought of George in my mind since meeting him briefly more than 30 years ago – such a charming, petulant, generous, cantankerous man. I stayed there for a few weeks while visiting my friend Michael, who slept in a little upstairs room that George let him have for many months in exchange for helping around the store and lifelong friendship. George’s daughter Sylvia who runs the shop now was a baby then. What a special old place, and a very special old man. I add my well wishes to the great heap of fond remembrances of so many thousands of people who’ve been charmed by him and his magical place.
I’m honored to have met the grouchy, lively old goat many times, and stalked his bookstore with my cameras on at least 50 separate occasions. One thing about Shakespeare, they have ANY book you’re looking for, and nothing by Bill Gates.
I think the store will continue; the kids know how to run it, and it’s Paris after all — it runs on its own momentum.
Ah, Eric! You took this photo the year that I met the good Mr. Whitman. I was up on the third level, trying to find my 10 year old (who was hiding in plain sight – such is the store), when I found myself engaged in conversation with a lively older gentleman, no jacket but a lovely sweater. I babbled on, discussing my writing transition, from art to tantra, how exciting and frightening to go from one relatively successful writing career to becoming a complete unknown–again.
I asked what he had done, since he was clearly of retirement age. He said he was a ghost writer. I would be two years before I saw a picture of George Whitman and recognized him.
Farewell, Goodgood George. May the wealth of your soul find wings.
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Thanks for recognizing the passing of Monsieur Whitman. The day before Mr. Whitman left us, world of books lost another large contributor, Russell Hoban, author of the immortal Riddley Walker and the Frances books. Imagine the mind that created those characters.
Thank you for the memorial. Bookstores such as this are holy ground. Mr Whitman seems to have been rather a holy man. Never been to Paris myself, but i can feel “kilometer zero” from here.
wow. unfortunately, i was only in paris for a weekend in 1995 and did not make it to shakespeare and co with my companions. very sorry to have missed him, though i imagine the store is enough of an institution to be carried on? (or had he already transferred its operation to another? i’m guessing that’s the case if he was 97?)
and i have to say, i *love* his jacket. and the idea of writers sleeping in little bunks in a bookstore — though i imagine being surrounded by that much literary energy might actually make it hard to sleep… or else fuel the best dreams ever.
Thanks for this. How sad! But he lived to a ripe old age. That’s what passion does for you. I’m happy that Shakespeare and Co appears briefly in Woody Allen’s latest film.