This has been one of my favorite books for as long as I can remember. I even wrote Helene Hanff a letter--and she answered me!
I found an extra copy at the library book sale and couldn't resist picking it up. Goodness knows, I could never give up my own PC copy:)

I sent this to prachitulshan today in exchange for a postcard. I hope it doesn't take too long for it to make its way to India.
Enjoy!

Been wanting this book for a very long time! Really glad to finally have it! Thank you so much etherea! It arrived in my mail yesterday, so yes, it didn't take too long to make its way to India!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Given to a friend and bookcrosser, lilyflower11, to read. Enjoy!

This book is long since back with me, and now ready for further travels. I enjoyed it very much...the book itself has a very antique feel to it, and the correspondence between Hanff and Doel is delightful. Old-fashioned stuff at its best!

A review by Amazon:

'84, Charing Cross Road is a charming record of bibliophilia, cultural difference, and imaginative sympathy. For 20 years, an outspoken New York writer and a rather more restrained London bookseller carried on an increasingly touching correspondence. In her first letter to Marks & Co., Helene Hanff encloses a wish list, but warns, "The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive." Twenty days later, on October 25, 1949, a correspondent identified only as FPD let Hanff know that works by Hazlitt and Robert Louis Stevenson would be coming under separate cover. When they arrive, Hanff is ecstatic--but unsure she'll ever conquer "bilingual arithmetic." By early December 1949, Hanff is suddenly worried that the six-pound ham she's sent off to augment British rations will arrive in a kosher office. But only when FPD turns out to have an actual name, Frank Doel, does the real fun begin.
Two years later, Hanff is outraged that Marks & Co. has dared to send an abridged Pepys diary. "i enclose two limp singles, i will make do with this thing till you find me a real Pepys. THEN i will rip up this ersatz book, page by page, AND WRAP THINGS IN IT." Nonetheless, her postscript asks whether they want fresh or powdered eggs for Christmas. Soon they're sharing news of Frank's family and Hanff's career. No doubt their letters would have continued, but in 1969, the firm's secretary informed her that Frank Doel had died. In the collection's penultimate entry, Helene Hanff urges a tourist friend, "If you happen to pass by 84, Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me. I owe it so much."'

This little book is now about to start on a journey across the world!

In this first bookring organised by me, the book will go to the following participants, in this order as of now:

Maranlin (Canada, can ship anywhere)
jumpingin (Canada, can ship anywhere)
speciallisa (UK, can ship anywhere)
Merolia (Greece, EU shipping preferred)
chremajora (Germany, can ship anywhere)
Simson-Shilitoe (France, can ship anywhere)
book-a-neer (Australia, can ship anywhere) <------ (book here as of October 2013)
ReallyBookish (USA, can ship anywhere)
Carmendoran (UK, EU shipping preferred)
Arvores (Portugal, can ship anywhere)

...back to me (prachitulshan)

Note: Order is subject to change based on shipping preferences and others joining the bookring.

Finally off as a bookring to its first reader, maranlin. Safe travels, li'l book!

The book arrived today safe and sound. I have been wanting to read this one for some time. Thank you very much, prachitulshan for including me in your bookring.

I had wanted to read this book for a very long time and finally had the opportunity with this bookring. It is a delightful little book and I really did not want it it end. The correspondence between Helene Hanff and the staff at the bookstore, mainly Frank, was both witty and humorous and I enjoyed it very much.

I am awaiting an address for jumpingin so this little book can continue its travels. Thank you for including me in this bookring.

Mailed today to jumpingin. i hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! Safe travels, little book.

It's here--and I finished my current book earlier today so I can start it right away! Thanks for sending it.

This was a lovely (and extremely quick) read. I enjoyed it so much that am going to look for a copy to add to my permanent collection.

I am waiting for speciallisa's address, and then it will be on its way.

Edited to add: I have not been able to get in touch with speciallisa, so I have now contacted Merolia.

Now travelling to Merolia. Enjoy!

Thanks so much for sharing this lovely book.

Arrived safely today. I didn't know it is so short! And timing was perfect since I just finished another ring. Thank you for sending jumpingin!

This was a fast and charming read, although I was not so much won over by it as I thought I would be. At first I didn't know it was a real story and an actual correspondence, and to be honest I was more touched by this fact, as well as the information I found about it, than by the letters themselves. The ending was so bittersweet, I felt so sad that Helen and Frank never met in person.

Thank you very much for the ring prachitulshan, I'm really glad I read this book. It will soon be on its way to its next reader.

On its way to Germany!

This arrived about a week ago and I'm so sorry I forgot to journal its safe arrival. Please forgive me!

It is a wonderful book, I've read it and will pass it on when I have got the following address. Frank Doel starts off being so straight-laced and stiff-upper-lipped, it's so nice to see him thaw a bit. I can imagine the ladies in his department twittering like little sparrows when they receive the kind food packages from America (well, from Denmark actually). I love Hanff's off-handedness when writing to Frank and I felt cheated when I discovered that the two never met. What a shame!

Thank you for sharing this book, it was a great idea for a ring :D

Well I'm not doing very well at all with my journal entries. So sorry for holding this ring up :( I loved the book so much I have ordered a copy for myself and also one for a friend!

Hope you enjoy reading this book too!

The book arrived safe and sound at the weekend.

Thank you very much, prachitulshan, for including me in this bookring.

And thank you very much, Chremajora, for posting.


.... and finally a book which arrived in the last few days that I have expected .... got some other books from different countries in the world without any hints for getting them ....

Ein Buch, wie man es selten findet, bei dem Inhalt und äußere Aufmachung so gut harmonieren. Nicht nur für Büchersüchtige ein Genuss, die aber wohl mehr als andere verstehen können, wie sehr Literatur verbinden kann.

Nein, diese Briefe, dieses langsame Herantasten an den anderen, diese Entwicklung eines anfänglichen Geschäftskontaktes hin zu einer innigen Brieffreundschaft - dies ist bewegend und zeigt menschliche Tiefe und Größe, die selten sind.

Vielleicht ist dieses Buch geeignet, den ein oder anderen selbst zum Briefe oder E-Mail schreiben zu bewegen, weil es zeigt, wie nahe man sich darüber kommen kann.

Now travelling to Australia. Happy reading and happy journey!

Book arrived safe and sound on Friday. Thanks.

Edit: 30/09/13: Already finished and now waiting on address of next participant.


This was an amazing read! I just couldn't stop until I've finished reading it. Even though the story was more about the correspondence between the bookseller and the author (which you'd think won't be interesting at all) it totally captivated me.

Helen Hanff's letters are so witty and full of sense of humor it's no wonder that Frank Doel and the others at the bookshop loved getting her letters. And she is obviously a very nice person you can't help but like her.

Highly recommend reading this.

Off to the US to continue its adventure.

Thanks for letting me enjoy this book.

This bookring book arrived today. Thank you! I will start reading it during the morning commute tomorrow. I'll likely finish it over the weekend; will try to keep it moving along in a timely fashion.

This is an absolute gem of a book! I devoured it in a single day and loved everything about it. It is humorous, touching, and all too brief. The contrast between the New Yorker Hanff and the Londoner Doel is enchanting!

This book is a loving portrait of a friendship in letters, as well as a reminder of the merits of the lost art of old-fashioned correspondence.

Off to carmendoran, the next reader in the ring! Enjoy...

Great to have this book waiting for me when I got back from holiday. Looking forward to reading it =)

A lovely little read and a reminder to times before emails and the wonder of getting a letter - kind of like bookcrossing ;o)

Book is off to Portugal today. Enjoy. =)

The book arrived today. I'm surprised it took so long to get here from Scotland. But here it is, safe and sound :)

Thank you for sharing

I must confess I didn't find it very enchanting, in the beginning, nor I liked Helen's sense of humor very much.
But I enjoyed the reading as it was unfolding and found it very moving in the end. It made me miss the letter writing even more. I keep in touch with pen friends from different parts of the Globe since I was 14 or 15 (it's a 30 years period - Oh My!). But I must confess that letters are more and more rare, as emails get on the way. And, yes, we did meet in person :) Such a beautiful and emotional encounter.

Interesting that I finished reading the book on the same day Doel died. They happen a lot to me, these "literary coincidences" :)

Thank you so much for sharing. I'll send it back to India ASAP.
Merry Christmas to you all. And a beautiful 2014, too :)

This book has safely checked in back home!
It was such a joy to see so many postcards and cards tumbling out of the parcel, and reading each one of them. I thought y'all might've forgotten but no. :)
Thanks everyone, for participating in my first book ring, for enjoying the book and including a slice of your life with it, and for passing it on safely!