A while back I wrote about reading (and loving)Helene Hanff's classic collection of letters titled 84, Charing Cross Road. I also promised to go on a Hanff bender, which I have pretty much done.
I have enjoyed every single, solitary minute of it.
That's the good news. The bad news is I've got a busy week coming up, lots of work, lots of things I don't want to do, but I thought, what better time to get out of the way and let a real author (and a completely classy and interesting lady, if everything I've read about her is true) talk for a while? So tune in every day this week for a little taste of my new hero (although I can't decide if I'm in love with her or if I want to be her) Helene Hanff, starting with a tidbit from her book that started me off, in which she shares a 20-year correspondence with Frank Doel, a bookseller in Marks & Co. in London.
From the first letter:
"Gentlemen: Your ad in the Saturday Review of Literature says that you specialize in out-of-print books. The phrase 'antiquarian booksellers' scares me somewhat, as I equate 'antique' with expensive. I am a poor writer with an antiquarian taste in books and all the things I want are impossible to get over here except in very expensive rare editions, or in Barnes & Noble's grimy, marked-up schoolboy copies."
And from my favorite letter of hers:
"Frank Doel, what are you DOING over there, you are not doing ANY thing, you are just sitting AROUND.
Where is Leigh Hunt? Where is the Oxford Verse? Where is the Vulgate and dear goofy John Henry, I thouht they'd be such nice uplifiting reading for Lent and NOTHING do you send me.
you leave me sitting here writing long margin notes in library books that don't belong to me, some day they'll find out i did it and take my library card away."
Tune in tomorrow for another daily dose of Helene.
I'm going to check out 84 Charing Cross Road right now.
Posted by: Melanie | 13 April 2009 at 09:25 AM
Fantastic, Melanie. My work here is done.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 13 April 2009 at 10:21 AM
And it's all your fault that I'm sitting at my desk reading instead of working. I loe this book.
Posted by: Melanie | 13 April 2009 at 10:27 AM
Melanie,
Awesome! Now my work here is SUPER done--you've got 84 Charing and you're reading it instead of working. You just made my whole week. See how great Helene is?
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 13 April 2009 at 10:56 AM
Thanks, CR, for turning me on to 84, and subsequently, the Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. I can't decide which was the better read. Both made me feel happy to be part of the human race and alive and kicking. I'm a hard sell on both of those items.
Posted by: Mrs. Thornton | 13 April 2009 at 12:26 PM
You're welcome, Mrs. Thornton, it has been my very great pleasure. Helene gives me strength too, and reading about shortages of eggs, for the love of pete, in Great Britain during the postwar period made me very thankful for my egg salad sandwich today.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 13 April 2009 at 03:41 PM
The library was slow and I had trouble getting to my local branch during working hours, but I finally read 24 Charring Cross last night in one sitting. Absolutely, absolutely loved it. I kept laughing out loud and annoying my husband.
Now it's on to all the art thrillers you suggested on 3/13.
Posted by: Alli | 14 April 2009 at 09:23 AM
Alli,
Yay!! I'm so glad you liked it, and I can ALWAYS support annoying one's husband.
Ooh, art thrillers. Enjoy! I can't wait to hear which ones you choose and how you like them.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 14 April 2009 at 11:29 AM