84, Charing Cross Road

by Helene Hanff | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 9780140143508 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 4/19/2023
Buy from one of these Booksellers:
Amazon.com | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon IT | Bol.com
4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Wednesday, April 19, 2023
I got this book at local independent bookstore Balin Books (formerly Toadstool Books), for another release copy.

It's a series of letters exchanged between a crusty New York writer and a knowledgeable London bookshop clerk from 1949 to the '60s. The love of books and the details of daily life at either end of the correspondence gives the book a thoroughly delightful tone. Anglophiles and bibliophiles should love this one!

The whole thing is quotable, but here's one charming bit, just to provide the flavor; Helene has received another book from Frank, the bookshop clerk, and is describing her pleasure in finding that its pages weren't even cut, adding: "Did I tell you I finally found the perfect page-cutter? It's a pearl-handled fruit knife. My mother left me a dozen of them, I keep one in the pencil cup on my desk. Maybe I go with the wrong kind of people but I'm just not likely to have twelve guests all sitting around simultaneously eating fruit."

And there's so much more - the love of books, the growing long-distance friendship, all played out via snail-mail over years...

[The book inspired a stage adaptation, as well as a 1987 film.]

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, April 20, 2023

Released 11 mos ago (4/20/2023 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I'm adding this book to the DUETS bookbox (bookbox journal here), as part of an "epistolary format" duet.

Journal Entry 3 by winghaahaahaa98wing at Duets Bookbox, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Monday, April 24, 2023

Released 11 mos ago (4/24/2023 UTC) at Duets Bookbox, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Releasing for the DUETS bookbox, category "Epistolary book"

Journal Entry 4 by hobbit at -- Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Saturday, May 20, 2023

Released 10 mos ago (5/20/2023 UTC) at -- Bookbox, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

This book is continuing in the Duets bookbox in a pairing of Epistolary books. Its partner book is Pushing the Envelope.

Journal Entry 5 by wingLaveggioCoffeewing at Binghamton, New York USA on Tuesday, May 23, 2023
This book arrived in my DUETS Bookbox.....looks like a book I'll enjoy, added to my TBR shelf.

Journal Entry 6 by wingLaveggioCoffeewing at Binghamton, New York USA on Monday, July 31, 2023
Started reading this one, it captured my attention immediately and I didn't put it down until I finished it.

I enjoyed the writer's humor in her "demands" for another book. The letters start as a business transaction and turn into a long friendship with the bookstore staff and families.

Now I'm curious to watch the movie as I had never heard of it.
Thanks for sharing.

Time for a new reader..............................

Journal Entry 7 by wingLaveggioCoffeewing at Binghamton, New York USA on Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Passed along to a friend to read

UPDATE Jan 2024 - My friend returned and also enjoyed.

This one needs a new home

Are you sure you want to delete this item? It cannot be undone.