84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff


finished 5/15 .......... 20th cent. US memoir ........ rating 7

This is the very short but touching story of a woman in New York City, ca. 1948, who cannot find the books she seeks. She writes to the Marks & Co. bookstore at 84 Charing Cross Road in London and finds they can obtain many of the books she wants. A friendship between the staff and Hanff develops through the subsequent letters and gifts and Hanff always promised to visit, but it got too late. The manager, Frank Doell, who had helped her died in 1968 and the store closed in 1972. These letters are what comprise "84 Charing Cross Road" which was published in 1971. Hanff finally visited London and the bookstore in 1973 with money she made from the book sales. Good resource:

Posted: Wed - May 16, 2007 at 06:10 PM        

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