The Shakespeare and Company Book of Interviews

by Adam Biles, Sylvia Whitman (introduction)

Shakespeare and Company, Paris, is one of the world’s most iconic and beautiful bookshops. Located on the banks of the Seine, opposite Notre-Dame, it’s long been a meeting place for anglophone writers and readers.

In that tradition, determined for the bookshop to remain a place of meaningful and transformative conversation, owner Sylvia Whitman and novelist and literary director Adam Biles have hosted several hundred interviews with writers, ranging from prize-winning novelists to visionary non-fiction writers.

The Shakespeare and Company Book of Interviews is a selection of the best of these interviews from the last decade. Packed with warmth, sensitivity and humour, it’s a celebration of the greatest writers of our age and an insight into the lives and thoughts behind some of today’s most talked-about books.

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books, Writing, Essays

256 pages, Paperback

Published August 12, 2025

About the author

Adam is the author of Grey Cats, which was runner-up in the inaugural Paris Literary Prize in 2011, and published by 3:AM Press in 2012. His short stories, poetry and translations have been published in journals including 3:AM Magazine, Vestoj, and Chimera, as well as being displayed in the Palais de Tokyo. In May 2012, his ficto-essay The Deep was published in a bilingual edition by Editions de la Houle, a new Belgian house.

Reviews

[Yuliya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books about writing and authors talking about their books. This introduced me to so many great new writers (and novels). It was very clearly a point in time - Brexit, Me Too - and I loved to see how the real world seeped into the interviews and where we are now. Percival Evrett’s interview blew me away and I already bought one of his books.

Probably a good book choice to get you out of a slump too.

[Debi]

This is a boast, but it was fun to read the George Saunders interview that I was present for at the Paris bookstore!

[Sara (lequazionedeilibri) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bellissimo. Il libro perfetto da regalare a qualcuno che ama i libri

[Dilek Sayedahmed, PhD · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ask me why the hell I am rereading this for the fourth time, I honestly would not have an answer for you. The interviews with Reni Eddo-Lodge, Percival Everett, Jesmyn Ward, and Colson Whitehead are continuously haunting me.



This book saved me this October. Thank you, writers. Thank you, literature. Thank you, the written word.

[Daniella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book on the craft of writing. Reading a book of interviews on books I’ve never read could have been insane, but I found myself fully immersed in each little world of each writer, inspired by the different perspectives they took and Adam Biles’ smart questions. I’ve kept a running list of quotes that inspire me, whether I found the themes poignant, or the thoughts on writing process intriguing for my own journey as a writer and creator. I only docked one star because when there was an interview on a book I just was not interested in it would take me a while to get through it and I had spurts of reading this book voraciously, and stopping and starting.

[Andrés · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es hermoso, precioso y mucho más.

Eso sí, si no conocés la librería Shakespeare & Company, buscala en Google y descubrí toda la historia que tiene detrás (además de investigar sobre los tumbleweeds, etc.).

Este libro recopila entrevistas realizadas en dicha librería a diferentes escritores, abordando una amplia gama de libros, ya sean novelas o ensayos. Sin embargo, lo que más me fascinó es cómo este tipo de libros despiertan interés por otros autores. De hecho, reconozco que aprendí más sobre otros escritores y me anoté varios títulos para leer.

Me encanta cuando los libros te recomiendan más libros, y este es uno de ellos.

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

covers a wide range of themes & genres & makes you want to read several of the books that are being presented in it. however, my level of focus & interest was also changing by every chapter. most of all, i really need to visit The Shakespeare and Company Book Shot, sounds like heaven on earth.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adam Biles is an incredible interviewer, I want a masterclass by him!

The reason I give this book three stars is because a book of interviews is a bit of a hit and miss. I actually had only read a handful of the books that the writers were promoting, so most of them were unknown to me. Half the time, I would be so intrigued by it, finished the interview, and went straight to a bookshop to buy that book. Other times, I felt lost and hadn't read the book, which made me a bit bored and anxious to get to the next one.

[Louis Frillman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my. If you’re a reader dedicated to understanding all types of writing, and writers, run and buy this. Especially the hard bound version; as you’ll come back to it for its beauty - lying in interviews with writers from across the globe. Based on interviews conducted by Shakespeare ‘s Adam Biles, you’ll revel in the intimate descriptions of books you know, and others you’ve never heard of.

[Amanda Rosso · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of very thoughtful and interesting interviews with the excellent Adam Biles, who is a respectful and insightful interviewer. However, the interviews are literally transcriptions of book launches at the bookstore, which makes them somehow too specific and too vague: too specific because they are inherently exploring very specific works, and too vague because, despite the insights, they remain somehow spoiler free, and touch upon the main themes without getting into the plot too much. Which is understandable in the context of a book reading, but less so in the case of a published book that basically doesn't in any way benefit from any further insight or special feature or content.

Moreover, the fact that includes interviews that are more than 10years old makes some of those conversations quite dated, in terms of the state of the novel, autofiction Vs memoir etc...

Nonetheless, it is a really enjoyable read, and I would recommend it anyway, especially to readers that are looking for new books and authors to get into, and enjoy a light but nonetheless insightful approach to interviews.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the interviews with Madeline Miller and Margaret Toews on books I was already familiar with, the interview with George Saunders got me hyped for Lincoln in the Bardo which has been on my shelf for a couple of years, and the interviews with Carlo Rovelli and Jenny Zhang had me adding their books to my never ending TBR.

[Jane Riordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Transcripts of interviews held with authors at the Shakespeare and Company Bookstore in Paris (featured in the film Midnight in Paris).

Well worth a read, but particularly good if you have read the books being talked about.

[Caitlin Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this! Found a bunch of books I didn’t know about before and reading what writers have to say about writing is always heartwarming to me. Also affirmed my love of the sacred space that is Shakespeare and Company!

[hozymary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and down-to-earth insight into the world of authorship, which also serves as a nice list of book recommendations.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ottima raccolta di interviste a scrittori noti. Ogni lettore ha la possibilità di scegliere quale conversazione serbare nel cuore, in base alle personali inclinazioni.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reads like a podcast of interviews from people you don't know with interesting opinions. Need to flip through again and get all the book recommendations!

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed learning more about authors I know and learning about new books and authors to add to my TBR list.

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

turns out i was already familiar with one of these interviews because i looked at it while writing my undergrad dissertation, which was a jarring realisation. i liked this book a lot though!!

[Karina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, interesting, and delightful.

[art · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

This book is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever read and loved. Filled with conversations and insightful discussions on social issues such as feminism, racism, class and identity. It’s about the writer’s perspective and the readers experience. This book introduces authors and their best literary work, exploring their journey as a writer. Insightful and though-provoking, truly a masterpiece. Highly recommend.

Thanks to canongate books for a copy

[Esther De Goeijen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ja nu wil ik alle boeken lezen die benoemd worden in dit boek

[Stace · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shakespeare and Company Book of Interviews is a fascinating and beautiful book filled with twenty interviews from various writers which have been selected from hundreds that owner Sylvia Whitman and literary director Adam Biles have conducted over many years.

Each interview brings something different. Some are poignant, some focus on tough subjects, and others bring humour. Each interview is completely different and inspiring. They are immersive reads and it is wonderful to see the thought processes and the imagination these authors have that contributed to their amazing books and why the stories were for them to write.

If you don’t know Shakespeare and Company, which rock have you been hiding under? It is one of the most famous bookshops in the world located in Paris. People travel across the world just to visit it so you can imagine what an honour it must be for these authors to be interviewed there.

Overall, The Shakespeare and Company Book of Interviews is a book you can dip in and out of. The interviews don’t have to be read in order so you have free reign to pick and choose how to read them. There will be authors you know and some you may never have heard of before. It is a truly magnificent read. If you love books then you really need to read this as it captures the heart of the literary world within its pages. The idea of having a book filled with interviews sounds a little dull but believe me this book is anything but.

[Wafa Alobaidat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I’ll admit it — I’m such a cliché because Shakespeare & Company is hands down one of my favorite bookstores on earth. So of course, I picked up this book thinking it would be a dream: interviews with authors who passed through its doors, set in a beautifully designed hardcover with lovely illustrations. On the surface, it’s everything a book lover wants.

There were definitely some highlights — I especially loved the interviews with Madeleine Miller , and I was pleasantly surprised by some lesser-known writers whose stories stood out. But overall, it felt… flat. Not particularly insightful or revelatory. I didn’t walk away with any big “a-ha” moments, and I often found myself powering through just to finish it.

Still, I love what Shakespeare & Company stands for — and I respect that this book captures some of that spirit. But in terms of content, it was more sentimental than substantial.