title: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atel
author: Thad. Carhart
description: Walking his two young children to school every morning, Thad Carhart passes an unassuming little storefront in his Paris neighborhood.  Intrigued by its simple sign -Desforges Pianos- he enters, only to have his way barred by the shop's imperious owner.  Unable to stifle his curiosity, he finally lands the proper introduction, and a world previously hidden is brought into view.  Luc, the atelier's master, proves an indispensable guide to the history, and art of the piano.  Interwined with the story of a musical friendship are reflections on how pianos work, their glorious history, and stories of the people who care for them, from amateur pianists to the craftsmen who make the mechanism sing.  "The Piano Shop on The Left Bank" is at once a beguiling portrait of a Paris not found on any map and a tender account of the awakening of a lost childhood passion.
  
  
  "Captivating...[Carhart] joins the tiny company of foreigners who have written of the French as verbs...What he tries to capture is not the sight of them, but what they see." ---Richard Eder, The New York Times
  
  ***NATIONAL BESTSELLER***  
  
  "
zlib_text: ![](images/00001.jpg)
  
  * * *
  
  
    
    
  A Song of Sixpence  
    
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com
  
  
  * * *
  
  # A Song of Sixpence
  
  
  ### George Gissing
  
  
  
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The window of a little stationer's shop, far away in North-East London,
  exhibited not long ago the following advertisement, written in an old-
  fashioned female hand, on half a sheet of note-paper:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
      
  
  Lessons on the Pianoforte, also in Singing, given by a
  
  
  Professional Lady. Sixpence an hour. Apply within.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  It befel, from time to time, that persons did make application, with the
  result that they were requested to walk into the parlour behind the shop,
  where the 'professional lady' gave them audience. Her name was Miss Withers,
  her age not more than forty, and she had lost one of her legs. Though in such
  very humble circumstances, and constrained