84, Charing Cross Road

I have seen this movie many times, and in fact, I own a copy, but just
this weekend borrowed the book, 84, Charing Cross Road, by
Helene Hanff, from the branch of my local library. It is a collection of
witty and touching letters between a charmingly sarcastic New Yorker
and a straight laced, proper London book shop proprietor from the
1940's to the 1960's. What starts as a quest for obscure classic books
develops into an intimate relationship in the lives of the bookshop's
staff. The film, one of my very favorites, stars the talented Anne
Bancroft as Hanff and fabulous Anthony Hopkins as Frank Doel.
If you are passionate about books, bookshops and correspondence
as I am, you will love this book and movie. Here is a sample letter
from the collection:

14 East 94th St.
New York City
November 3, 1949

Marks & Co.
84, Charing Cross Road
London, W.C.2
England

Gentlemen:

The books arrived safely, the Stevenson is so fine it
embarrasses my orange-crate bookshelves, I'm almost afraid to
handle such soft vellum and heavy cream-colored pages. Being
used to the dead-white paper and stiff cardboardy covers of
American books, I never knew a book could be such a joy to
the touch.

A Britisher whose girl lives upstairs translated the 1/17/6
for me and says I owe you $5.30 for the two books. I hope he
got it right. I enclose a $5 bill and a single, please use the .70
toward the price of the New Testament, both of which I want.

Will you please translate your prices hereafter? I don't
add too well in plain American, I haven't a prayer of ever
mastering bilingual arithmetic.

Yours,

Helene Hanff

I hope "madame" doesn't mean over there what it does here.