The power of language figures prominently, presenting the challenge of inference in the white space of the text as Helene waits breathlessly for her next letter to arrive. It is a story of beginnings and endings as represented by each letter, from date to signature. This story thematically touches on the ideas of lack and sufficiency, whether it be Helene's bibliomania (obsession for books) or a black-market trade of eggs for a pair of pantyhose in London. Democratic presidential nomination in 1960.

84, Charing Cross Road spans a twenty-year period, incidentally chronicling events abroad, such as Winston Churchill's 1951 election in London and the U.S. Her admiration for the professor fueled her pursuit of classic literature, resulting in the inquiries comprising this work. Professor 'Q,' as he is called, became the catalyst for Hanff's letter writing. The relationship began as Hanff delved into the work of a professor at Cambridge University. And, as letters, books and quips crossed the ocean, a friendship flourished that would endure for twenty years.84, Charing Cross Road, published in 1970, is constructed from a collection of correspondence between the author and a London bookseller, Frank Doel. But, seeking further treasures, Helene soon found herself in regular correspondence with bookseller Frank Doel, laying siege to his English reserve with her warmth and wit. Her books were dispatched with polite but brisk efficiency. Booksellers of 84 Charing Cross Road in search of the rare editions she was unable to find in New York. In 1949 Helene Hanff, a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books, wrote to Marks & Co.

Now that I’ve finally gotten to it, the lump in my throat and the smile on my face have moved it straight to the top of my All Time Favorites.Ĩ4 stars for this loveliest of lovely reads.

It’s just chock full of wonderful, bookish people being wonderful to other bookish people.Ĩ4, Charing Cross Road has languished on my To Read shelf since I joined Goodreads back in 2014. If you wanted to find a rare book or first edition of a favorite, you had to hunt for it! Oh, the joy of finally locating a coveted treasure by reaching out by letter to a store across the world rather than just through the click of a mouse. It was published in 1970 and contains twenty years of correspondence that began in 1949 - a time when London was still dealing with post-war rationing and, to state the obvious, the internet did not exist. I often jump straight to the down and dirty of a book, but please allow me to shake things up by presenting the lithe and lovely.Ĩ4, Charing Cross Road is an absolutely delightful epistolary memoir made up of letters exchanged between NYC-based author Helene Hanff and an antiquarian bookseller in London.

84 charing cross book