84, Charing Cross Road [Hardcover]

Helene Hanff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2007

It all began with a letter inquiring about secondhand books, written by Helene Hanff in New York, and posted to a bookshop at 84, Charing Cross Road in London. As Helene's sarcastic and witty letters are responded to by the staid and proper Frank Doel of Marks & Company, a relationship blossoms into a warm, charming, feisty love affair.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Helene Hanff is the author of APPLE OF MY EYE, THE DUCHESS OF BLOOMSBURY STREET, LETTER FROM NEW YORK, Q'S LEGACY and UNDERFOOT IN SHOW BUSINESS. She wrote a number of books for young readers the best known being MOVERS AND SHAKERS and TERRIBLE THOMAS. Born in Philadelphia, Helene lived most of her life in New York City.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 104 pages
• Publisher: Moyer Bell and its subsidiaries; 2 edition (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559211407
• ISBN-13: 978-1559211406
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #860,706 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading Another Person's Mail Was Never So Delightful, October 19, 2000

By 

Antoinette Klein (Hoover, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 84, Charing Cross Road (Hardcover)

Helene Hanff was a New York writer and Frank Doel was a London bookseller. This book chronicles the letters they wrote over a period of many years to one another. Although they never met, they became true friends bonded by their love of literature.

Having read this tiny little gem, I can tell you that I'm not even sure why I liked it so much. Maybe it was because I loved seeing a warm friendship develop between two total strangers. Maybe it was because I loved the dry wit of Helene and the staunch Britishness of Frank. Maybe it was because I liked hearing about the WWII years, how the people of Britain sacrificed, and how one caring American woman made a difference to this small group of Britishers.

One note: this is the only book I have ever read that is truly enhanced by the video. Read the book, then rent the movie. Anne Bancroft is the perfect Helene and Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as Frank.

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure, May 12, 2000

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: 84, Charing Cross Road (Hardcover)

84 Charing Cross Road is a small book of correspondence between Helene Hanff, the author and Frank Doel, a London book seller. These letters chronicle their lives over a twenty year period from 1949 to 1969. Though never meeting, they share a very special friendship, almost a chaste love affair, that extends to his co-workers and family. This is a charming and delightful book about two people you come to care for through their letters and wish you knew in person. A must for your home library. A book you'll read over and over again and share with friends.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a quaint joyful read, October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: 84, Charing Cross Road (Hardcover)

Reading 84 Charing Cross Road, after a gap of 25 years was like having never read it before. I was totally absorbed from the first word. Helene conveyed the wonderful appreciation of her friends (the books) to anyone who read 84. This was the most uplifting read I have had in many a year. I would hope to meet a "Frank" just as she had, who was a warm caring man, with an appreciation of good literature and fine old books. Now I have to have this book in hardcover format so that it may withstand the passage of time and the many readings it will receive. Thank you Helene for the pleasure your story gave me and millions of other readers.