Caught at Leeds Meet. Its a much needed re-read for me!

Update: 16/06/04

This has been reviewed over on my book blog, all comments welcomed!

Released on Thursday, June 17, 2004 at book ring in Mailed to fellow bookcrosser, Postal Release Controlled Releases.

Finished yesterday, posted on to rainbowandrain today.

Received yesterday- thanks! Managed to read over night. This is an absolutely fantastic book, I could no put it down. I loved Helene, she made me feel excited about books, bookshops and even England! I will definitely be searching for my own copy:) This will be passed onto the next person once I get an address.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a copy of the first journal entry, made on February 14, 2004, which seems to have vanished from the screen.

I did not go completely made: my original entry was duplicated, so I deleted one of the entries. Then I found out that BC was playing silly whatnots, and that I had deleted the original entry. To save time, I decided to make this entry.
-------
I've finally got round to reading this, and it's brilliant.

Well - the contents are brilliant, but as I turned the pages of the 1980 paperback, a chunk of book dropped out from the front. Oh dear.

A very fast read - before anything else falls apart, I suppose.
Will journal it on completion.

It's going out as a ray to

1. daemonwolf
2. rainbowandrain
3. Lucycat
4. Jords
5. YowlYY - added to list 22 June 04
6. Anfield - added to list 22 June 04
7. ziggythecat
8. Shelbycat - added to list 22 September 04

and anyone else who would like to read it. Please PM me.




book rating:

Released on Monday, June 28, 2004 at ... by mail :) in Sent to a fellow BookCrosser, Bookring Controlled Releases.

Sent to Jords! Hope you enjoy it!

Why do I have four copies of this on my bookshelf and why did the release notes appear twice!!!!

Received with many thanks, will journal when read.

What a lovely little book!

I must say that I enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road better than the Duchess though.... however Duchess is still a charming read.

Thanks for letting me read this.
Jords xx

Something is awry in the journal for this book - I just came over to catch up on recent reviews, noticed I had two identical journal entries under my name, went to delete one, and the book vanished from my bookshelf entirely!

Only now have I noticed that there are mysteriously two of *everyone's* entries...and that I've just made the same mistake as Chris!

I read this a while ago now, and passed it across to Nia/Daemonwolf at the Leeds meet, through the boon of browser bar back buttons (she alliterated), here's my journal entry again:

****************************************************************************

Sometimes it just pays to be in the right place at the right time...;O)

Chris passed this on to me yesterday at the Notts. meet to pass on to Nia at the Leeds meet in a couple of weeks time, so I get to skip the queue and read it in the meantime! Hurrah!

So far it's wonderful - I had ample opportunity to indulge yesterday while Zoo and I were waiting for the AA truck to arrive... we broke down (or rather creaked to a halt) at Morrisons in Netherfield yesterday when Ruby's water-pump burst.

When Zoo returned to the car after a brief jaunt over to the supermarket and found me unlocking the boot to get at the enormous stash of TBR's from the meet within, I explained 'I was just wishing I had something to read!'

She replied, 'Oh, you should have said, and I'd have got some magazines.'

The slow dawning of realisation on her face was almost worth breaking down for...:O)

Update 8th June 2004

Absolutely gorgeous, definitely one to pick up a copy of for the old PC. As I had ample time to read this (and did indeed read it practically in one sitting), my Mum had a read of this and thoroughly enjoyed it too - it's definitely one for anyone with a real love of books. :O)

I don't know if all modern editions also include the sequel, 'The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street' telling of Helene's adventures when she finally made it over to her beloved London, but this edition does, and rounds off the story beautifully.

Will be taking along to the June Leeds meet tonight to hand over to Nia as promised - hope you enjoy it as much as I (we!) did. :O)

*********************************************************************

Rest assured the book still really *is* with Jords - and glad to see everyone's enjoying it so much!

Released on Wednesday, August 25, 2004 at fellow bookcrosser (England) in Postal Release (England), England United Kingdom.

Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did

The book is here with me!!! It was strangely delivered at my London address, where it stayed until yesterday my BF, visiting the landlord in London to collect the deposit, was given a bag containing mostly junk mail and this little bookcrossing treasure.
The funny thing is that yesterday, by coincidence, I was delivered a copy of the same book that I had ordered to replace this book, which I thought was lost in the mail forever... Now I have a spare copy that, if I like the novel so much, could end up in my PC, or maybe start travelling too...

I am afraid this book did not do much for me :(
I was so curious to read it, especially after all the glorious reviews gathered by the copies registered on BC, but I cannot really say it matched my expectations. The first part, the correspondence, was fun enough, although I didn't like Helene Hanff (something in her way of being simply put me off!) - but the second part, when she actually gets to visit London, I just couldn't bear it. I tried to give it another go this weekend, but no, this book simply isn't for me.
Thanks to Gooner for starting this ray...now I know that my extra copy of the book will not stay in my possession.

This copy goes now to Anfield, hopefully another reader who will appreciate this book more.

This arrived yesterday and I'm almost two thirds done already and am enjoying it immensely!

added November 20th ...
Realised I did not give a full review!
A bit twee, but still a nice read. I did wonder how she never met any nasty people, but hey, maybe she always saw the good in everyone. A fun short read.

Thanks for this it arrived safely this morning. But aaagghh there are 2 ahead of it on the ring TBR pile, sob!

An enjoyable quick read. I found 84 Charing Cross road to be a pleasant look at a time when letter writing was still the principle way of communicating and still more of an artform than a chore. Lovely.
I wouldn't have realised the book would achieve any real level of fame though unless I'd read The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. I think I preferred the first book but its a close run thing! Such a shame she didn't make it to London earlier and see the shop in its glory.

I just received this book in the post which was a lovely surprise because although i was expecting it i was also expecting another book to arrive before it. I also gave in to the urge to read it and am currently halfway through the first book and loving every minute.

A fantastic book that i couldn't put down! I enjoyed this so much i was really upset when i read the last page and realised there wasn't going to be any more :( It made me laugh out loud loads too :)

This book is now off to another BXer.

My journal entry for this one seems to have disappeared, and it's gone from my bookcase, so I'm just adding it on again. Still haven't got to this one yet, but I'm nearly there, and I'm excited abnout it!

Not sure what's goin on with the entry for this one - it's gone all squiffy on my bookshelf and is showing four times!
Anyway, I loved this book - how could I not? it's a book about books! Helene hanff has such a wit to her that I would've been one of the people begging her to dinner too!
Loved it and am now on the lookout for a copy for my PC.
Will email gooner and see what she wants doing with this next.

This is off on another journey:

Coolboxuk - UK
nice-cup-of-tea - Switzerland

Received today and looking forward to the read. It's next on mount TBR...

Oh what a wonderful little book! It was such a quick read but I definitely need to get my own PC copy of this one.
I loved the first part (84 Charing Cross Road) with the exchange of letters, but it is really the 2nd part (Duchess of Bloomsbury Street) for which I'll want to read this again and again, or refer to passages.
As a foreigner in Britain myself, although here for some 8 1/2 years now, I found our shared experiences amazing. I don't agree with all her notions of course, but a lot of it just made me smile, and a lot of it sounded so familiar.
Also, must say that her little adventures inspired me to finally go and have a closer look at London. You wouldn't believe that this great city is at my doorstep (2 minutes walk to the local train station with a train straight into Waterloo in under an hour) but I can count my visits on one hand, and mostly not for sightseeing but for going to the embassy etc...

So, many thanks for sharing this delightful little book with me!!! will be going to Switzerland next...

Hurrah! just received this book in the post today from coolboxuk - thanks! Looking forward to reading this ring & reporting back, but I've promised myself to finish and send my literature review first :-), so weekend reading I feel!

I gave in and read this yesterday evening ...I'd been writing and rewriting all day, so felt I deserved a treat :-)

Sat on the sofa with a beer and just devoured this book, I really loved it! I thought Helene's style of letter writing was brilliant, I loved the informality of her letters, and her obvious deep love of books. The end of the first book was a real shock though.....

I enjoyed her travels round London, and after living there for 8 years (although now abroad) it was great to "trip" over my favourite bits of London - ie Strand on the Green, which was close to my first place in London -a horrible poky room in the wrong end of Chiswick! But i digress, really enjoyed this...

Just waiting to see where this should be sent next! I might see if Gooner minds if I pass it onto my Mum, think she'd really like it :-)

Received from 'nice-cup-of-tea': on my shelf to read.

RADIO 4 PROGRAMME - May 2nd 2005 @ 20.30

I've just found out that there's a BBC 4 programme entitled "84 Bookcrossing Road" - they bookcrossed 84 copies of "84 Charing Cross Road" over 3 months, and this programme is the result! Link below...

84 Bookcrossing Road

I so enjoyed this book. This edition includes 'The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street' and I treated it as one glorious read. I could pick it up in odd moments and not'lose track' and when time permitted I enjoyed being immersed for longer in the dialogue.
I fell asleep reading it one night but I awoke at 5am next morning and had the luxury of a lie-in and read till I had finished it!!

I've heard from Gooner, and I've decided to release the book into the Cafe Gloria OBCZ in Zurich at the next meetup, and hopefully lots of Zurich bookcrossers will get a chance to read this lovely book :-)

received this back from mrswren & have now passed it onto KatColorado, who promises to take it to the next Zurich meetup when she's finished with it / or will take it the OBCZ Cafe Gloria

Wow, I hadn't realised this was such a well traveled copy! I got the book from nice-cup-of-tea over a cappuccino today. I will read it and then pass it on to another bookcrosser...

What a charming book. I didn't know what to expect at all and was a little unsure at the beginning, but I liked it a lot. It's good to see that there are others who are just as mad about books...

RELEASE NOTES:

I'll take this book to the BC Picknick tomorrow.

I took the book during the BC-BBQ. Haven't read it yet.

The BBQ had been my first BC meeting and I enjoyed it a lot!

I loved the book and it was great that i found it a couple of days before heading towards London... visiting London after reading the book was awsome!

Amazing I am well impressed that this book is so well travelled! I got it from my Argentinaian couch surfer who came to London from Germany. She has left it with me and I will aim to read it before leaving it somewhere in London