84, Charing Cross Road. Helene Hanff. New York: Avon Books, 1970. 97
pp.
From the very
beginning of this amusing little book, the personalities and humors of Helene
Hanff and Frank Doel burst off the page. Ms. Hanff is a playwright and
screenwriter in New York City. Her brisk
and vivacious tone comes bumping and skidding into the quiet and proper life of
Mr. Doel, manager of a bookshop in England.
She demands, scolds, and makes light.
He is ever polite, business-like, and sincere.
Their letters begin
in October of 1949. Through the correspondence
that turns from business to familiar, we learn of life in post-War England. The
lack of meat and eggs horrifies Helene.
She finds it an easy and charitable thing to send hard-to-get items as
gifts. And while Frank and his staff find rations hard to come by, they meet the needs of the American finding the rare and
out-of-print books that will be cheaper than she can find in the States.
The twenty-year-long
correspondence is not just between Frank and Helene. Other members of the staff, neighbors, and
Frank’s family all write letters to the American writer. Helene’s influence is wide.
I enjoyed the
relationship Helene had with her books and I was so glad she met her match in
Frank. He knew and understood books just
as she. He could converse with her about
condition and content, and he could find the antique books that had become
merely long-forgotten treasures.
This charming book
was made into a movie in 1987 with Helene played by Anne Bancroft and Frank
played by Anthony Hopkins.
I laughed out
loud. I moaned in grief. I cheered and I sighed. I heard their unique voices through their
letters. I read this slim volume – only 97
pages – in one sitting. The epistles
were sparse, but seamlessly woven together, moving us forward with the
characters over the years. In no time at
all, I grew to love Frank and Helene.
Even the deepest of friendships can begin over a simple query.
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