S1 Ep. 15: Jane Turner, Gertrude & Alice (Sydney, Australia)

A Sydney institution, the Gertrude and Alice Bookstore & Coffeehouse has become part of the fabric of the surf-themed Bondi suburb where it is located. Named after Gertrude Stein and Alice B Toklas who were notoriously part of the Parisian artistic elite in the roaring 20s, the bookstore was also designed to be a salon itself where literary conversations flourish over good food, coffee and chai. Gertrude and Alice houses tens of thousands of new and used books and was rated as one of the top 10 bookstores in the world by National Geographic. Our guest today is owner Jane Turner who was born and bred in Bondi. Life took her to Fiji and then back to Bondi, where it was no coincidence she ended up opening Gertrude and Alice given her childhood fascination with books and working behind the counter. Jane is a strong pillar of the Bondi community, a community she credits for the success of Getrude & Alice - that and the good coffee. We chat to Jane today about her bookshop, being a bookseller and books that stay with you.