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84, Charing Cross Road

84, Charing Cross Road

Virago Modern Classics
BiographyBiography & Memoir
Pages
224
Published
1989
Language
English

Synopsis

This charming true story begins with a simple request for second-hand books from New York to a London bookshop. Over many years, a delightful correspondence unfolds between Helene Hanff and the staff at 84, Charing Cross Road. Their letters, filled with wit and warmth, build a unique long-distance friendship across the Atlantic.

Prose complexity
4/10

Vibe

HeartwarmingReflectiveCozyLighthearted
Epistolary

Genres

Biography Biography & Memoir Essays Memoir Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Travel

About the author

H
Helene Hanff

Helene Hanff (April 15, 1916 – April 9, 1997) was an American writer born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is best known as the author of the book 84, Charing Cross Road, which became the basis for a stage play, television play, and film of the same name. She wrote 5 other books for an adult audience and a total of 13 books for a younger audience.

Frequently asked questions

  • Is there a follow-up book to this story?

    The author wrote a subsequent book titled The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, which chronicles her long-awaited 1971 trip to London to visit the sites and people she had come to know through her correspondence.

  • Are there any film or stage versions of this book?

    This work has been adapted into several formats, including a 1975 television play, a 1981 stage play, and a 1987 feature film starring Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins.

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