This book is a very short compilation of letters that tell the story of a friendship between Helen Hanff in New York and Frank Doel in London. In October 1949, Helene Hanff wrote a letter to Marks & Co. in London (a bookseller) requesting clean used copies of some books she could not find in New York. One of the staff, Frank Doel, replied to her and sent her copies of two books that she had requested. Over the next 20 years, Helene and Frank corresponded. In 1970, Helene published a book of selected letters from their correspondence.
The letters are real but they read like fiction. The book is entertaining; Helene's letters are very funny. One of the most charming aspects of the letters is the contrast between Helene's brash, chatty letters and Frank's serious, businesslike letters. Especially at the beginning.
The correspondence started at a time following World War II when some foods were still rationed in the UK. Helene would mail packages to the bookstore with meat and eggs and other items that the staff would share. Along the way, some other staff members at the book store also wrote letters to Helene, thanking her for the gift boxes and letting her know when Frank was out of the office and unable to respond.
My thoughts:
This was a wonderful book. I was surprised at how funny it was and I was moved by Helene's profound love of books. She read almost exclusively nonfiction, and she was looking for many books that I knew very little about.
Many people know and love this book, but since I did not read this book until I was over 70, I am sure that there are a few people out there who have not read it. If you are one of those, I recommend it highly. It is very short. My copy was 97 pages and many of the pages were only about 1/3 or 1/2 filled with text. I read it in an hour and I don't read fast.
Interesting fact:
Helene Hanff wrote for the TV series, The Adventures of Ellery Queen, in the early 1950s.
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Publisher: Penguin Books, 1990 (orig. pub. 1970).
Length: 97 pages
Format: Trade Paper
Genre: Nonfiction, Letters
Source: Purchased in December 2021.
26 comments:
Hi Tracy, It is a wonderful book and Helene's love and deep knowledge of English literature is so inspiring. Also Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins were great in the movie version of the book as Helene and Frank. Sadly they never got to meet in person.
I must reread this at some stage. I'm sure I would enjoy it even more than I did 20 or so years ago. And Kathy's right, the film is wonderful too.
Kathy, I was very inspired by this book of letters and the two main people involved. I did know that it had been made into a film but wasn't aware of who had played the roles until today. I would like to see it someday.
Cath, I feel like I could read this book over and over. But I think I will give it a year before I reread it. I hope I can watch the film version some time.
Love the book and the movie. Glad you enjoyed it. I think you can watch the film version on Prime for a few bucks.
Patti, I am glad I finally read the book. Renting it on Prime is probably the best way to go.
Sometimes epistolary books like this can really be effective, Tracy. I think they can give a real sense of a place and time, and of course, of the people involved. It's even more interesting that this isn't fiction. What a great way to get to know a lot about these people. Glad you enjoyed it.
I love this book! Helene's letters are so funny and entertaining. I saw the movie they made of this one, and it was really good, too. :D
Loved the book! And I thought the movie very well done. Years and years ago when I was in London went and found the address and sat nearby and ate a sandwich !
Margot, I did not know what to expect in this book but it sure packed in a lot in under 100 pages.
Lark, I got very involved in the story and wanted it to go on and on. I hope I do get to see the film, so many people praise it.
I've read this twice, with a long stretch of years between readings, and loved it both times. The movie is great, too, I agree. Despite the time period in which all this happened, it just seems like such an innocent period in our cultural history, doesn't it?
Di, so lovely that you got to go to London and see where the bookshop was. It is such an inspiring story. And fun.
That is a good description, Sam. I was amazed at how kind Helene was to send them packages of food, and how diligent Frank was in finding the books. And the low prices she had to pay for the books! I know it was many years ago, but how things have changed.
My copy, on a Long-Term TBR status, was one of the books destroyed in the various attacks on books of the current abode, and I haven't replaced it yet (might borrow from a library)...and have avoided seeing the film till after reading it. Everyone I've read or heard from has been charmed so far!
Hanff got to write several scripts for the Dumont ELLERY QUEEN series (sponsored by Kaiser, which as a corporation would launch an even briefer effort at a doomed national tv network in the latest '60s, theirs on UHF stations) and one for the mid-'50s...wonder if she had any interest in trying to write for the NBC series, had it been allowed to continue for any reasonable length of time...one of Hanff's scripts for an episode featuring Anne Bancroft: https://youtu.be/A6eA4qwWs08?si=JLTGgs063cpprItb
Nope, I appear to have been misled...young Bancroft was in another episode, which might not've survived...though the lead on this one does resemble Bancroft a bit!
Todd, so sorry you lost this and other books in some mishap. I have never lost books that way, but I do have some books I have "lost" in the boxes buried in the garage.
I did read somewhere that Anne Bancroft was a guest star on that Ellery Queen series from the early 50s and also in the film.
Thanks, Tracy...the most spectacular was the roof collapse in one room, but the most widely damaging was the basement flood when the sump pump failed the first time. Houses will do things to one, or at least one's belongings, given the opportunity.
Since the link to the Hanff-scripted episode's kinescope I provided was shorn of its acting credits (and writing ones, as well), you might take a look and see if you think that was someone who just looks a bit like Bancroft...every minute of the Kaiser/Frazier car ads (plural) was preserved! Interesting that Bancroft was able to get work on early tv before she would first appear on the Broadway stage...how things could go in early network tv.
It's wonderful to hear how much you enjoyed this book, especially for its humor and Helene's passion for nonfiction. Sometimes, discovering a beloved book later in life can make the experience even more special. Thanks for the recommendation!
Ethan, thanks for stopping by to comment. I really did have a wonderful time reading this book, and I am so glad I have discovered it finally.
Loved the review as I loved the book and movie. You do know that there is a sequel, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street? She finally goes to England and to the shop. She also met Frank's widow.
BPL Ref, thanks for commenting. No, I did not know that there was a sequel. I did know that she wrote a book titled The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and I knew she visited England after the book was published, but I did not connect the two. I will definitely get a copy of The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street and I am also interested in Q's Legacy.
Todd, I assumed it was some type of flooding issue, did not remember a roof collapse, which does sound quite spectacular.
I could not tell one way or the other about the Ellery Queen TV episode. The car ad was very interesting and primitive.
I ran into HH in a bookstore on the Upper East Side when I was a Penguin Sales Rep and she was much as one would expect - amusing and quirky. She had moved from the original apartment but even 20 years after the book had been published she was still receiving letters from all over the world and the local post office went on delivering them. She loved being a local celebrity and signing stock at bookstores. When my book group had its 5th anniversary, I asked her to come join us for a gala supper and discussion about the book. We had a great time and my friends still talk about it although some of what she said would need to be shared in person. She asked to bring all the leftovers home and we were worried she did not have enough to eat; however, maybe just frugal.
Constance, I saw that you had met Helen Hanff on your comments on the book at Goodreads, although you did not go into as much detail. I love that story about her coming to your book group. She sounds like a very nice person and interesting.
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