84, Charing Cross Road, published in 1970, is constructed from a collection of correspondence between the author, Helene Huff and with the employees of Marks & Co., a London bookseller, a used-book store in England. What initially starts as very much a business correspondence, between the rather outspoken Hanff and the more reserved employee of Mars & Co., Frank Doel, from October 1949 becomes a friendship through letters and a love of books that lasts over twenty years.
Having seen an advert for Marks & Co, describing them as specialists in out-of-print books, Hanff wrote to them with a wish list of titles she’d been unable to acquire in New York. “I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books,” she explained. “If you have clean second-hand copies of any of the books on the list, for no more than $5 each, will you consider this a purchase order and send them to me?”
For months, she sent the shop further orders and more books were dispatched to her. Then in December she had a surprise for Marks & Co. Having heard about the food rationing in effect in Britain, Hanff sent the staff “a small Christmas present” of foodstuffs most Brits hadn’t seen for years, including a large ham. In Charing Cross Road, the staff of Marks & Co. were deeply moved by this gesture from a woman they had never met, 3,500 miles away. At Easter she delighted them again, with a parcel containing real eggs, their first in many years of making do with the powdered variety. And so began a more personal, more affectionate transatlantic relationship. Soon Hanff was exchanging letters not only with Doel, but with his kindly Irish wife, Nora, as well as the rest of the team at Marks & Co.
It is a delightful read and will capture anyone’s heart. The astonishing thing about this story is that it is real. It exists int he memory of Hanff and the staff of Marks & Co. of 1970s and the Doel family, and of course in letters exchanged between them.
The reader will be delighted by the amount of pages the book has and is a perfect read for a short distraction time period and should be considered an essential part of ‘Books about Books’ category.
3 out of 5
You do come up with some amazing books!
I’ll never understand why rationing remained in force in Britain for so long after the conclusion of the war.
A rather grim little movie, “The Ship That Died of Shame,” starring George Baker and Richard Attenborough, deals with this topic. It’s not an easy movie to obtain, but it’s well worth the effort.
Thanks! Rationing system is still there in India and I do not see much of the point. The food people is horrible and not at all nourished.
Thank you again for another recommendation, I’ll check the movie.
Do you know, that is the very first I’ve heard of food rationing in India. Do you mean it’s still going on from World War II? I’m amazed I’ve never heard anyone mention it till now.
Yeah it is still there for people who live in those areas that are not developed or highly under-developed.
Those are the parts of India that Americans never hear about.
Sounds like a really endearing read! Will definitely add this to my TBR list. Thanks for always reviewing such interesting books!
You’re most welcome Pauline and I hope you enjoy while reading it.
I read this book a long time ago and loved it. Very short and sweet is how I remember it. I really should read it again.
Agree, it is short and sweet and what a wonderful insight between human beings.
It is a charming book which I read just this last Christmas, as well as its follow up The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, which tells of Helene’s adventures once she finally made it to England, sadly, after the death of Doel.
Thanks, I’ll check the book you have mentioned!
I’ve seen a few people mention this book and I really really want to read it. Great review!
Thanks 🙂
This book is wonderful. They made a movie of it, also, staring Anthony Hopkins and I really enjoyed it, too.
That’s some news. I’ll check that.
Wow, great to read about a favorite book of mine. I also saw the movie, as mentioned above, and loved it too.
I haven’t seen the movie, looks like I have to see it soon.