Blog > Book Review: 84 Charing Cross Road
Hi everyone! Nicky again, with one of my reviews about books that feature mail!
Last time I wrote about books for the blog, I was enthusing over Dorothy L. Sayers’ The Documents in the Case, a mystery novel which relies almost totally on written evidence. This time, I’m talking about something completely different: 84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff.

84 Charing Cross Road is actually non-fiction: Helene Hanff was a writer and screenwriter from New York, who entered into a 20-year correspondence with a bookshop on Charing Cross Road, in London. She corresponded at first with a man named Frank Doel, but her funny letters and generous presents (such as food parcels containing food British people couldn’t obtain at the time due to rationing) quickly endeared her to the entire staff and to their families.
After Frank Doel’s death, she decided to publish some of their correspondence, and this was published as the book 84 Charing Cross Road — which is the book Helene (you can’t call her by her surname after reading this book) is best remembered for!
Reading the collection, I couldn’t help but quote bits aloud to my wife, almost every other page! Helene’s letters are warm and witty, and while Frank’s replies are rather more reserved, you can see an odd sort of friendship developing between them. Here’s one of the letters where she teases him for taking a while to find her a book:
“Dear Speed—You dizzy me, rushing Leigh Hunt and the Vulgate over here whizbang like that. You probably don’t realize it, but it’s hardly more than two years since I ordered them. You keep going at this rate you’re gonna give yourself a heart attack.”
It sounds like the plot of a romance, but Frank Doel was happily married, and… well, I’ll warn you all ahead of time: he and Helene never met. Throughout the letters she refers again and again to a visit that she never manages — at least not until after his sudden death and the closure of the shop where he worked.
My copy (from Sphere, published in 2010) does include The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, a book which collects Helene’s journal entries from her trip to London. It’s a satisfying follow-up if you’ve got attached to everyone via their correspondence in 84 Charing Cross Road, because you get to hear a little more from Nora (Frank’s wife), and Helene’s joy at finally reaching London is palpable.

I found it a really enjoyable read — though I almost found it difficult to believe that these people really existed and really sent these letters! There’s something incredibly sweet about their 20-year correspondence, short as it seems from this rather selective collection. It’s quite easy to dip in and out of, too, if you’re looking for a short/easy read. I loved it, and definitely recommend it!
I’m still taking suggestions for books about mail and mail-related topics, so do let me know any new ones you’ve thought of! I love non-fiction as well as fiction, and I’m totally open in terms of genre. The next post will probably be about Terry Pratchett’s Going Postal… but I’m notoriously capricious about reading, so I’m making no promises!
55 comments so far
I really enjoyed the film too. Anthony Hopkins was perfect as the reserved, polite Brit addressing his wife as "Mrs. Doel" and Anne Bancroft basically played Anne Bancroft, (meant as a compliment.) I sometimes do routines from the fim with my wife after dinner saying, "That was a delicious dinner, Mrs. O". She'll give me a funny look and say, thank you or just nod and smile.
I don’t think many people these days correspond like that, it’s all emails or short sharp comments on social media plus emojis now.
I love reading my postcards and the occasional letter. 😀
Please do review "Going Postal," whenever the fancy strikes you! Another fun read!
So I'm making no promises, me too!
Happy readings & Happy Postcrossing!
Definitely Postcrossing addict behaviour.
Thanks for the cool recommendation.
Another book I read with this theme that I really enjoyed is called *Foreign Correspondence* by Geraldine Brooks. She usually writes fiction but this is non-fiction. I really love her writing.
During this horrible covid time, I saw Anne Bancroft in that old movie and I immediately thought: There she is!!
So I went back to Helene Hanff books and they made me happy!!
I highly recommend the books.
Thank you shanaqui for your post ♥
I also have a recommendation:
"Celebrated Letters of John B. Keane" (there are two volumes)
I love Irish humour and read a lot of books from the Irish west coast.
These collections feature volumes such as:
Letters of a Love Hungry Farmer; Letters of a Matchmaker; Letters of a Civil Guard, Letters of an Irish Publican and Letters of a Country Postman.
"In them we find many evocations of rural Ireland, with interesting characters, gossip and malice".
There was a stage play as well which I saw in London starring Judy Dench and a made for TV film with Frank Finley. All of it brilliant
By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
https://foxedquarterly.com/shop/helene-hanff-84-charing-cross-road-plain-foxed-edition/
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