The Paris Bookseller

Sylvia goes to collect her mother from the police station; Eleanor has been caught shoplifting. Eleanor explains that she is losing her own beauty and feels compelled to surround herself with beautiful things. Distraught over the gossip surrounding her friends, Sylvia becomes even more overwhelmed as she attends to Joyce and learns about a wave of pirated copies of Ulysses that have entered circulation. On the side, Sylvia is also planning a Walt Whitman exhibit in her shop.

One day, Julie comes in with her new daughter, Amélie, and confides her worries about Michel’s mental health. Eleanor bonds with Amélie, and Sylvia becomes aware that she will never have children. She receives letters from her sisters about their mother’s difficulties at home. Soon afterward, Eleanor returns to America. Sylvia begins to feel restless in Paris and prefers visiting the countryside with Adrienne.

Sylvia launches her Whitman event and visits with her friends, but Gertrude is notably absent after a recent rift with Ernest. The group discusses the rise of a dishonest publisher named Samuel Roth who is circulating illicit copies of Ulysses. It is apparent that Quinn’s promise of copyright protection was misguided, and they now have no legal recourse to stem the flow of pirated copies. Ezra discreetly tells Sylvia that Joyce has also been publishing pieces of his current work with Roth. Meanwhile, Joyce woefully compares his commercial success with that of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Joyce encourages Sylvia to set up a publishing arm in the United States so that they will be better positioned to defend his work, but Sylvia declines, maintaining that Paris is her home. She confronts Joyce about his publishing deal with Roth, and Joyce assures Sylvia that she is his only publisher.

Margaret and Jane, the editors of The Little Review, visit Sylvia and Adrienne in Paris. They debate music and art, and when Adrienne succinctly expresses her opinion, Margaret encourages her to write for the journal. Sylvia spends the rest of the year learning about copyright laws and piracy, and the endeavor takes a significant toll on her health. Joyce continues pestering her about his idea to open a shop in New York, and Sylvia becomes angry with him. Their friendship becomes increasingly strained. Soon, a local writer puts together a letter protesting the illegal circulation of Joyce’s work and plans to have it signed by as many people as possible. All of Sylvia’s friends sign, as well as many other artists and thinkers of the day—including George Bernard Shaw, who had previously derided Joyce’s work.

Sylvia’s friends throw a party for her 40th birthday. Ernest and Hadley have recently divorced, and Ernest is dating a new woman named Pauline. Sylvia worries that the change is a portent of more changes to come. She feels that she has outgrown the decadence of her youth. Cyprian comes to visit Sylvia and confides that their mother has become very depressed. Cyprian has given up her acting dreams and is envious of Sylvia’s fulfilling life. She also confesses that she has a new partner named Helen. Meanwhile, Roth continues to publish pirated versions of Ulysses while Sylvia balances her various responsibilities. Adrienne suggests buying a car so that she and Sylvia can escape to the countryside more easily, and Sylvia enthusiastically agrees. They purchase a Citroën and engage in wildly enthusiastic drives. Sylvia looks back on her life and contemplates how far she has come.

Sylvia learns that her mother has died by suicide. As she grieves, she asks Adrienne why Suzanne got married all those years ago. Adrienne says that Suzanne married a rich man who could afford to pay for her medical treatments, but she waited too long to seek help for her illness. Sylvia writes to her family and tells them the news of Eleanor’s death.

Sylvia spends her time with Adrienne’s family, who tries to cheer her by preparing traditional American recipes. Joyce tells Sylvia that another publisher has offered to take on his latest work, and Roth sends a scathing letter to Sylvia. She writes to Joyce declaring her intentions to admit defeat in their fight against piracy. Soon afterward, she learns that Joyce hasn’t been paying his medical bills, so she pays for them herself. He responds with a list of requests for the various projects they are working on. Sylvia and Mysrine work on them together. Sylvia considers the nature of the so-called “Lost Generation” and reflects on how the definition applies to herself, her friends, and her family. She goes to visit her mother’s grave at Père Lachaise and examines her own restlessness and overwhelm.

Sylvia begins experiencing intense pains and is diagnosed with a rare affliction called facial neuralgia. She tries to devote more time and effort to her health and notes that she feels strongest after spending time outside. However, she becomes more conscious of her advancing years and wonders if she has inherited her mother’s challenges with mental health. One day, Adrienne mentions that Joyce is considering hiring a ghostwriter to finish his work. She is growing increasingly frustrated with Sylvia’s reliance on and loyalty to him. At a party, Sylvia tells her friend Valery that she is afraid of having to choose between her two loves.

An American publisher wants to buy Sylvia’s rights to Ulysses but claims that her asking price is too high. Joyce and Sylvia have only recently signed a formal contract, and now Sylvia doesn’t want to release her rights too cheaply after all the work she has done. She and the editors write back and forth, and Joyce and Ezra also exchange letters about the debate. Joyce is frustrated with all the women in his life, but Ezra urges temperance. Margaret and Ernest also write to Sylvia to express their solidarity. Sylvia comes to realize that because of her loyalty to her work, she may lose her friendship with Joyce.

A young man named Paddy Kelly begins frequenting Shakespeare and Company. He tells Sylvia that he loves Joyce’s work, and he encourages her to release the rights to the American publication. He begins showing up more and more frequently, running Joyce’s errands and delivering his letters. When Paddy meets Adrienne, he expresses disdain for her personally, as well as for her relationship with Sylvia. He continues berating Sylvia for her lack of cooperation. Exasperated, Sylvia goes to visit her mother’s grave and talks to Eleanor about her problems. She asks for a sign of what to do. Soon after, Sylvia and Adrienne are forced to sell their beloved car to support themselves, and Joyce writes to Sylvia, asking to be released from his contract. Paddy returns and tells Sylvia that she is an obstacle in Joyce’s path to greatness. Sylvia realizes that she has become expendable and finally recognizes that Joyce never respected her. Suddenly, a framed poem falls to the ground. Sylvia takes it as a sign from her mother and agrees to release the rights to Ulysses.