84 Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff
This book is based on a true story. It brings a record of correspondence, from the late 1940s until the late 1960s, between Helene Hanff (a freelance writer and a bibliophile in New York) and Frank Doel (the chief buyer for Mark & Co., a second-hand and rare book dealer in 84 Charing Cross Road, London).
Responding to an advertisement in the Sunday Review of Literature, Helene wrote to Marks & Co. requesting for copies of the second-hand books on the list she prepared. This marked the beginning of their 20-year long-distance friendship.
Helene was humorous and often wrote teasing letters requesting books. Her American informality wonderfully contrasted with the British reserve, being part of Frank’s character.
Occasionally, Helene wrote to Frank’s wife and other colleague at Marks & Co. The correspondence was not just on books. Helene sent packages of food to Frank and his colleagues during the post-World War II rationing in the United Kingdom. Their relationship has flourished. It was not a love story or a romance between Helene and Frank. The correspondence showed warmth, friendship and humanity. Helene had never been out of the USA and lived for the day when she could visit England. Frank,as well as his wife and colleagues, tried to ask her to visit them. However, she did not manage to pay a visit. One day, Helene received a letter from Marks & Co. announcing the death of Frank. This is the most emotional part of the book. I felt sad for Helene and Frank as she never got the chance to meet Frank.
Perhaps the vicissitudes of life can rob you at any moment of time. No one knows what the next second really holds. Carpe diem – we should seize the day!
The second part of the book is “The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street”, a diary kept by Helene when she finally made her trip to England.
而且mooink有得較背景燈同埋橙燈好好用
