84 Charing Cross Road, by Helene Hanff
Where the magic of old books creates a life-lasting friendship
Having lived in London for a few years, I knew where that street was. (Well, you don’t need to live in London to know that, but anyway.) It’s a street with quite a few second-hand libraries. A treasure for book lovers.
NOTE: On my last trip to London last month, I walked the street from the past library to Tottenham Ct Rd tube station. I saw not one of them. All gone. Or maybe there was still one I missed? I should have noticed, I guess.
So, I borrowed the book and started reading it straight away once I got home.
I’ve been pen-palling since my early youth.
I know what it’s like to get a letter in the post box.
You grab it, look at the stamp and the postmark, turn the envelope, and read the name and address of your pen pal.
Then, once you find a moment of quietness, you open the envelope. For those moments, when you read her letter, it’s only you and your long-distance friend. The bond you create with her can become so strong.
Reviving this feeling was one of the reasons why I loved this book so much.
