"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Thursday, November 4, 2021

Review and quotes: 84, CHARING CROSS ROAD


Title:
84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

Book Beginnings quote: 


Friday56 quote:

Summary: This collection of correspondence between Helene Hanff and an Antiquarian book seller in London were written over a twenty year period of time. During that time several employees and others at the book shop communicated with Ms. Hanff but the main person to communicate with her was Frank Doel. His letters start out very formal but over the years one can tell that a true friendship has developed between the book seller and his customer. Indeed the letters aren't all about books, either. When Hanff learns that the folks living in London are still having rations and scarcity of products like for eggs and meat, she starts sending what she can of these products. Hanff, who is a freelance writer and playright, is not very well-off but she shares what she can and makes more friends among the employees and with Doel's neighbors even. Throughout their many years of correspondence they never meet in person, though occasionally Hanff sends a friend who is in London to drop by the book shop. She eventually visits in 1971 after the ship has been closed and after this collection of letters were published.

Review: One can't spend any amount of time in the book blogging world without people mentioning this book, 84, Charing Cross Road. Surprisingly, I didn't even know it was true or that it was a collection of letters and other correspondence. I thought it was a short novella.

As you can see from the two examples I provided, Helene Hanff had a warm and funny writing style. The second example was undoubtedly thanking the team in London for a book which likely included a tag, to Helene "From her friends at 84, Charing Cross Road." So that is how she addressed them in this letter.  Sometimes she wouldn't even submit to a greeting and her letters would just launch into the subject of how much she loved (or disliked) a certain book.

One would think, after hearing the summary of book, that the book is basically about nothing much. But it really is such a kind, funny, thoughtful book about books, friendship, worries, and life. I bet a lot of people read and reread it often. When she died the New York Times Obituary called Hanff a "Wry Epistler." In his original review of the book Thomas Lask wrote: ''Here is a charmer: a 19th-century book in a 20th-century world. It will beguile an hour of your time and put you in tune with mankind.'' (NYT).

Hanff decided to publish the letters as a memorial to Frank Doel. It was politely accepted here in the US, but wildly popular in the UK. In fact, the following year the book was adapted for the London Stage. The money she made from the book is what allowed her to finally visit Britain to see the book shop for herself.

I found the book charming and funny and I was also gob-smacked by a few things. First, the price of the books was so cheap. Hanff was often charged two or three dollars which I'm sure included postage. Secondly, Hanff sent eggs to London. Can one send eggs through the post and they arrive unbroken? A question I have no answer for. Now I recommend this little gem to you.


Book Beginnings on Friday is hosted by Rose City ReaderShare the opening quote from current book.
Th
e Friday56 is hosted at Freda's VoiceFind a quote from page 56 to share. 

Visit these two websites to participate. Click on links to read quotes from books other people are reading. It is a great way to make blog friends and to get suggestions for new reading material.   
 

-Anne

19 comments:

  1. What a lovely book! I always love these glimpses from the past and how much, at our hearts, we haven't changes as humans, that we still love books, that we love the connections it brings! And I can see her personality shining through in her letters. Thank you for sharing this one, I will definitely keep an eye out for a copy! I hope you have a lovely weekend :)
    Juli @ A Universe in Words

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    1. Yes, her personality certainly does shine through. I'd say she was a character.

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  2. I love the excerpt that mentions the book falling open to delightful places, with the ghosts of former owners pointing the way.

    Thanks for sharing...and for visiting my blog.

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    1. I know. Now I will check for that when I purchase a used book.

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  3. Your selection makes me nostalgic for earlier times when letter writing was an art.

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  4. I live in a bubble, I have never heard of this book! It sounds lovely. Here is my link if you'd like to stop by: https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/11/first-line-friday-24-henry-goose-who.html

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  5. I'm sad to say that I hadn't heard of this book before, but you have me wanting to check it out. Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! :)

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  6. This sounds fascinating. I hadn't heard about it either, but I'll have to check it out.

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  7. Yes, fabulous book. Quaint. It left me longing to live in that sweeter time.

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  8. This is a favorite! I've read it two or three times and even listened once.

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    1. That is what I suspected that people enjoy it over and over.

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  9. I'm ready to read this. It sounds delightful!

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  10. I've seen the movie but never read the book! Happy weekend!

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  11. I enjoyed this book! The movie of it was good, too. :)

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  12. I haven't read the book, but remember watching the movie/series (probably PBS or BBC)

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  13. I love this book (and her others, though this is the best), and I used to live near Charing Cross Road which was pretty exciting. I also met one of my friends through a radio programme that gave out copies and asked people to meet up and talk about them. So it's lovely when I see it being talked about!

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