Return to the Origins

The Charming Exquisiteness of Parisian Small Publishing Houses in the 1940s: Literary Salons of a Bygone Era

Sticky post

A vertical illustration depicting a Parisian literary salon from the 1940s. The scene shows intellectuals and writers engaged in lively discussions under the warm glow of lamplight. The room is filled with bookshelves, antique furniture, and scattered manuscripts. In the foreground, there are cigars and fine wine glasses. In the background, a large window reveals a nighttime view of the Eiffel Tower. The color palette evokes a sense of nostalgia and elegance.

This article explores the fascinating world of small Parisian publishing houses in the 1940s, which served as bohemian literary salons and bastions of beauty against the vulgarity of modern times. It highlights examples such as the Éditions Henry Béziat in the Passage Choiseul, the Éditions du Petit Chêne, Sylvia Beach’s Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, Roger Stéphane’s Éditions du Scorpion, Paul Hartmann’s Éditions du Seuil, and Jacques Rivière and Gaston Gallimard’s Nouvelle Revue Française. The article also emphasizes the role of the Éditions de Minuit as a beacon of literary resistance during the German occupation and notes how some of these publishing houses evolved into modern publishing giants. Finally, it mentions the literary contests organized by these publishing houses to promote new talents.