Review: Shakespeare and Company

Start us off with an overview.

Nestled on a prime slice of real estate across the seine from Notre Dame, Shakespeare and Company is part indie bookshop, part piece of history. The roster of authors who have lingered among the shelves here reads like canon of 20th-century literature, including Ezra Pound, Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and contemporaries like Zadie Smith. Every inch of the space oozes history, from the leaning antique bookshelves to the resident cat to the well-worn piano, which is tucked away upstairs.

What's it like?

The shelves are a mix of current favorites, Paris-inspired must-reads, and antiquarian gems that would make any bibliophile drool.

If we're in the mood to splurge, what should we check out? 

Ask to be shown the enviable collection of first editions from the 1920s and 1930s—a great souvenir for any bookworm.

And what if we're looking for something more restrained? 

On warm mornings, there's no greater pleasure than perusing the books on the bargain racks on the sidewalk.

Who do you think would most enjoy stopping in here, whether to look at the antiquarian wares or the bargain steals? Lovers of books and history.

Any other parting tips before we plan a stop in? 

The café is a great place for people watching—and maybe eavesdropping on a conversation or two while you sip on a café au lait. It still serves original proprietor George Whitman's famous lemon pie, as well.