The oldest operating bookshop in the world

Dear friends,

I can’t tell you how I am grateful today. I received two beautiful books as special gift by very dear relatives, and can’t wait to tell you more.

Did you know in Lisbon there is the oldest bookstore still in activity in the world? I didn’t. So you can imagine my amazement when I noticed a mark in the colophon of both books reading “We hereby certify this book was bought at the oldest operating bookshop in the world.” My brain: wait, what?

I have never been in Portugal, though, I can easily imagine the atmosphere in Lisbon with coloured tiles covering walls, and art, and that peculiar going up and down of the streets thanks to how the city was built. I would say, whimsical. Maybe one day I’ll see it with my eyes, capturing the feelings of the city. When my relatives arrived with these beautiful books, I pictured in my mind a bookshop in such setting, and it felt like a warm extravagant hug. But imagining wasn’t enough, I wanted to know more about its history and founders. So, I made some research.

The Livraria Bernard was founded in 1732 by Pedro Faure in a period when men were moving from France to Portugal settling literary and printing businesses. The bookshop at the time had a different name and was located at a different address, even if near the one it has today. Around 1750 another French gentleman, Pierre Bertrand joined becoming Mr Faure’s business partner. Few years later, Pierre’s brother, Jeane Joseph, added his name to the group. The bookshop’s founder Pedro Faure died in 1753, moment in which the livraria became totally owned by the Bertrand brothers. Unfortunately, in 1755 a tremendous earthquake destroyed part of the city, and the bookshop was forced to move to a different neighbourhood. Pierre decided to leave, so the business kept on under the leading of Jeane Joseph. It was only in 1773 that the bookshop managed to go back to the address we can see it today. During centuries Bertrand bookshop has been meeting point for literary purposes and famous writers. In 2011 the Guinness World Record declared it the oldest bookshop still in activity. Well, how fascinating is this?

Now, here the books I received:

• THE DOUBLE, by Jose Saramago. It is the story of a man who one day is shocked noticing there is an actor identical to him. From the back cover “…He embarks on a secret quest to find his double and sets in motion a train of events that he cannot control. Saramago’s novel explores the nature of individuality and examines the fear and insecurities that arise when our singularity comes under threat…” Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998.

• THE BOOK OF DISQUIET by Fernando Pessoa. That is a peculiar book indeed. It is not a novel, but a collection of thoughts and observations about existence and morality, written over the course of his life. Inside the book there are also beautiful pictures of original documents handwritten by him. Pessoa Died in 1935 and most of his works were not published during his life. This book was first published in 1982.

  
  

  

  
  

Of course, both are piled with the rest of my neverending tbr and I can’t decide which one to read first.

May your day be infused with sublime words.

Xoxo Connelly

To know more about Livraria Bertrand you can visit this link