Sir, – In relation to Manchán Magan’s article (Arts Ideas, February 20th), the finer detail omitted from Sylvia Beach’s book-selling venture was that Shakespeare and Company was primarily an English hire-library. She lent books to the expatriated Americans writers for a modest fee, selling very little and in Hemingway’s case, not at all.
Easily one of the bravest, most extraordinary and underappreciated women of the 20th century, her autobiography and letters rightfully epitomise her as a literary saviour; but behind the scenes, she was also a struggling, heavily indebted businesswoman. Hardly the ideal example? – Yours, etc,