This wonderful show is a dramatization of business letters between a young struggling writer in New York and an antiquarian book store in London. In a sense, these are also love letters. They are about the love of good literature. The play takes place over a twenty year period, beginning in 1949 when Helene Hanff (played on Broadway by Ellen Burstyn) first writes Marks & Co. and ends in 1969 with the death of Frank Doel, the delightfully dusty supplier of so many old volumes to Helen who has shown her gratitude through the years by sending "care packages" to the staff of Marks & Co.
0
Having worked in a used bookstore for many years, I had been aware of 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff for a long time. For whatever reason, I had never taken the time to really look at the book. I am so happy I've read it now! This is such a sweet story, told through a collection of letters, spanning 20 years. The letters begin with an American woman writing a secondhand bookstore in London in 1949. She is searching for a few hard to find books, and would prefer used copies rather than brand new editions. Voyeuristically, we witness how the correspondence changes through the years. There are two main ideas I'm left with after reading this book. One, the kindness of strangers is a powerful thing. And two, physical books, especially secondhand copies, connect people on so many levels, and enrich our lives in an entirely unique way. Read this book, and if at all possible, pick up a used copy.
HPB Staff Review