Books about Books is an article featured in every issue.
What better book for a bibliophile to indulge in than a book about books? Reading about your fellow friends out in the world is a warm embrace. They're quirky, a bit crazy even, zealous, well-written and versed, and just like you.
This month's book came into our midst purely by chance. A few years ago Freddy was at our local library looking at, wonders of all wonders, the for sale shelf. She came across a thin, sepia cover, brand new looking book with books on the cover. Of course she bought it, who wouldn't?Freddy came home and read the book in one after-noon. Despite gobbling up all its yummy “bookness” she left some for me and pushed it into my hands saying “you have to read it now.” I devoured it just as quickly and decided it must be added my collection.
The book, a classic must have, is the twenty-year correspondence between the New York born and bred author/playwright Helene Hanff and the British bookseller Frank Doel. Helene Hanff is an avid, sometimes demanding, book reader constantly requesting this or that title. Over the years (post World War II) she and Frank, even the other bookstore employees, develop a devoted and long lasting friendship all because of BOOKS!
The main things I look for in books about books, in which 84, Charing Cross Road passes with flying colors, are:
-Does it make me laugh?
-Do I nod my head in agreement while reading it?
-Is it quotable?
-Would I recommend it to other bibliophiles?
My favorite quote from the book is:
“I am going to bed. I will have hideous nightmares involving huge monsters in academic robes carrying long bloody butcher knives labeled Excerpt, Selection, Passage and Abridged.”
~ Pg 76/77 Helene to Frank 1960
~ Pg 76/77 Helene to Frank 1960
Oh how she would cringe today, right? Sadly Helene Hanff passed away in 1997.
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