Shakespeare and Company

Practical, certainement, but buying books online does lack the romance of browsing through a certain iconic Parisian bookshop. Now, if time, or more likely geography, makes it the only option, Shakespeare and Company does much to redress the balance by offering small add-ons that speak volumes. The classic ink stamp—a decades-old tradition—comes free, but these days your purchase can carry the scent of Paris, courtesy of a spritz of Astier de Villatte perfume, or a piece of ephemera tucked between the pages. Want more customization? A small charge buys a one-of-a-kind, vintage-feel photo taken inside the Left Bank store or a poem typed on a clunky old-fashioned manual.

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