Helene Hanff

lindymc · Post by **lindymc** » Fri February 13th, 2009, 9:56 pm

Although not historical fiction, I have to tell you about a couple of very short, but very satisfying books that I just finished. Several months ago I watched the movie, 84 Charing Cross Road, with Anne Bancroft and Sir Anthony Hopkins. After seeing this entertaining movie, I read the book about an American writer in NY and a London dealer of used books who exchange letters over a 20-year span as the writer, Helene Hanff requests obscure editions of English literature and the dealer searches for them for her. Over the course of the years the writer gets to know the staff at the shop, as well as the dealer's wife and daughter, and sends them gifts of such things as tinned meat, and dried eggs which are hard to get in post-war London. As the book 84, Charing Cross Road ends, the dealer has died, and Ms. Hanff gets permission from his family to publish the correspondence in the form of a book.

The book is an immediate success, publication rights are picked up by an English Publisher, and Ms. Hanff finally has the opportunity to visit London on a promotion tour. This visit is a lifelong wish, a friend tell hers to keep a diary, and that diary becomes the book The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, one of the most delightful books I've ever read.

Anybody who loves reading, loves writers, loves people in general, and is fascinated by all things English should read this book. It's one of those books where you notice a sentence or a description and think "I should make a note of this so I can share it with someone." About half way through the book I started putting little sticky markers here and there; and soon I noticed I had as many as three on a page - it's that thought-provoking. I laughed out loud, I cried, I read passages over and over just to relish the written word.

In writing about her visit to the Roosevelt Memorial near Grosvenor Square she commented that following his death, the English government decided to raise money for a memorial by public subscription, but limited the individual contribution to one shilling so everyone could subscribe, and they said the subscription would be kept open as long as necessary to raise the needed money. The subscription closed in seventy-two hours. How neat!!!

Hanff says that story moved her more than the Memorial did. Her criticism of the Memorial is that the statue is of FDR standing. She says, "I resent a staue of FDR standing, on legs that were shriveled and useless throughout his White House life. You can't take the measure of Roosevelt if you ignore the fact that his immense achievements were those of a man paralyzed from the waist down. I'd carve him sitting. Anything else belittles the gallantry and humor in that indomitable face. Since the gallantry and humor are missing from the statue's face I don't suppose it matters. It's nice to know so many Englishmen loved him anyway."

Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is 137 pages long. Reading it was very rewarding, great fun & the book is one to treasure and share! My highest recommendation!

Kasthu · Post by **Kasthu** » Sat February 14th, 2009, 1:49 am

I read 84, Charing Cross Road last spring and thought it was one of the best books I read in 2008! It's short--only about 100 pages, so I finished it in an afternoon, but the story was really heartwarming. Then I watched the movie, which was nearly as good (and the acting was fantastic). Thanks for talking about the book here!

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Sat February 14th, 2009, 3:05 am

I read both of those when they came out and agree, they are quite good. A new one that is very similar is the Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society. Also written in epistorial form, deals with the occupation of the Channel Islands by the Nazis, and how the people coped.

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Sat February 14th, 2009, 5:33 am

[quote=""Kasthu""]I read 84, Charing Cross Road last spring and thought it was one of the best books I read in 2008! It's short--only about 100 pages, so I finished it in an afternoon, but the story was really heartwarming. Then I watched the movie, which was nearly as good (and the acting was fantastic). Thanks for talking about the book here![/quote]

I just recorded the movie of 84 Charing Cross Road this morning.

love_uk · Post by **love_uk** » Wed September 30th, 2009, 5:50 am

I adored 84 Charing Cross Rd (also the movie) & have read it many times.

One thing, however, has always irked the heck out of me (because I was in the travel business for 30 years & have visited the UK every year since 1972):

She could have afforded to go many, many times before she finally made it over. I know - she had the dentist & the new apartment, etc., but if she'd prioritized it there were always bargains out there.

I think she was afraid that the fantasy she'd built up could never compare with the reality of the place & the people. Too bad -she missed a lovely opportunity.

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Wed September 30th, 2009, 1:41 pm

[quote=""love_uk""]
I think she was afraid that the fantasy she'd built up could never compare with the reality of the place & the people. Too bad -she missed a lovely opportunity.[/quote]

Maybe. But remember she was writing about 1949-1969. Travel to Europe wasn't as easy or as cheap as it would be a few years later, when she finally did go. So I give her some slack.

love_uk · Post by **love_uk** » Wed September 30th, 2009, 7:53 pm

[quote=""Ash""]Maybe. But remember she was writing about 1949-1969. Travel to Europe wasn't as easy or as cheap as it would be a few years later, when she finally did go. So I give her some slack.[/quote]

Nah...sorry, Ash ... IMHO if she'd prioritized it, she would have managed the $$$.