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#AboutABook #SetInABookshop

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

This is the first that came to mind. I loved the book and movie adaptation.

I love a good epistolary novel-an American reader&writer begins a correspondence with a bookshop owner in London in 1948, that continues for 20 years.

#ReadAway2024

@DieAReader @Andrew65 @GHABI4ROSES

Oh my goodness I love this book! I reread it this week and was reminded why this simple story is so powerful. It‘s the real story of a woman writing letters back and forth over two decades with a bookseller in London. But it‘s the human connection over an ocean that is beautiful. Their shared love of literature and genuine kindness was so refreshing. I can‘t recommend it enough. It‘s just lovely. Definitely going to reread the sequel next.

My yearly tradition is to begin with this book. It‘s a fast read, so a great first book read of the year, but every year I‘m drawn to the humor and the building of the friendship between Hanff and Frank Doel and those at Marks and Co. It‘s such an endearing book with a touch of bittersweetness.

#52booksin52weeks2023 @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

This is what I have planned for the prompts released!

• Set in Dublin
• Books on the cover
• Related to the word 'Murder'

and, not featured because they're books I need to get:
• Octavia E Butler-inspired.

@BookNAround FINALLY after a two-week vacation & a week of family illness, I opened my #jolobokaflodswap package. I was so delighted with your choices! I can't wait to devour everything here! Thank you for the extra book from your shelves & for your amazing choice of chocolates - I've never had any of these and they sound scrumptious. Although I was weeks late opening this, it was so worth the wait! ♥ @MaleficentBookDragon

#FallTreasures

It‘s a busy week already so I decided to combine yesterday‘s #AGiftedBook prompt with today‘s #WaitingToBeRead Here are 2 of the many wonderful swap books I‘ve been given, waiting to be read but I keep overcommitting to book tours & buddy reads & things. The tagged book from @Gissy has been on my #TBR for ages & Hood Feminism from @KatieDid927 for the #BlitsySwap is a newer addition to the list but one I really want to read.

This book lives up to all the wonderful things I've heard about it. It was an absolute delight to listen to and I will have to purchase a physical copy at some point for my shelves. 💚💚💚

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #LittenListen @aperfectmjk

I finished this one around 4am this morning. My life is just chaos right now. Went to bed at 5am and woke up 9am. My hair is falling out in large clumps... telogen effluvium. Got to love stress. 🥴

It's amazing to me how much as changed over the years. It's books like this that make me wish time travel were a real thing. Just to experience some of life's pleasures in the simplest form.

This book makes me yearn for London, bookstores, and most of all, this depth of friendship with a pen pal. That they fall into a correspondence with such mutual affection and humor without meeting face to face is especially poignant in a pandemic. I thought I was somewhat prepared for the inevitable, but was startled by the intensity of my tears when it arrived. Since belatedly realizing this is nonfiction, I have not been able to stop sobbing. 💌

This was interesting. The author exchanges letters with a bookseller in London. I'm not sure it works that well as an #audiobook.

#BookSpinBingo free space
@TheAromaofBooks

This is such a short book & left me wanting more! More letters! Love Hanff & Frank—a great friendship developed over a few letters.

Three books that made me cry.

#3books

I loved this. It was a short read but hilarious, sweet and a little sad.

Any day you get #bookmail is a good day! 😁 📚 #bookhaul

I have a lovely edition of this book from Slightly Foxed and am taking it on my next trip.
The last trip I did, I took 3 books and read one. This time round I am taking the 2 that I didn't get to read. Hopefully more reading time this time around.

Helene Hanff writes to Marks & Co. Booksellers to acquire a few books and winds up in a correspondence that spans year, and the letters exchanged make for a delightfully bookish collection. I loved it. Thanks for putting this on the list @Librarybelle because I probably never would have picked it up otherwise.

#Booked2020 #FinishInADay

#jumpstart2020 #newyearwhodis

My first book for 2020 complete! A re-read, as I‘ve started the tradition of reading this as my first book for the new year. It‘s short, filled with humor, and a guarantee to bring tears to your eyes.

This also covers a lot of challenges: #FinishInADay for #Booked2020 ; #LessThan150Pages for #YeahBaby #BBRC ; #AReRead for #MMD2020 ; and #ABookPublishedInThe20thCentury for #popsugarreadingchallenge

Thank you @Kdgordon88 for the wonderful #jolabokaflodswap package! I‘m glad I finally own this classic! Thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for hosting this swap! It‘s one of my favorite parts of this time of year!

@Librarybelle I‘m excited about your list! I‘ve read five of them already, so now I have to go get my hands on the other fifteen for January. 😃 #newyearwhodis

“I remember years ago a guy I knew told me that people going to England find exactly what they are looking for. I said I‘d go looking for the England of English literature, and he nodded and said, ‘It‘s there.‘ Maybe it is, and maybe it isn‘t. One thing‘s for sure: it‘s here. The blessed man who sold me all my books died a few months ago... If you happen to pass 84 Charing Cross Rd, kiss it for me? I owe it so much.”

I loved this! I had no clue I was missing out on such a charming book. I was sad when it ended and I think I will probably revisit it down the road. I recommend the audio version. Barbara Rosenblat felt like the perfect narrator for Helene. #LLB19 #bookaboutbooks

Nice sweet book to kick off August

I'm reading 2 delightful short books at the moment and it's nice. It's really nice, and restful.
(Also reading a Shakespeare history play and mideast spy history and fanfiction, because i cannot help myself. But having short sweet books is a wonderful break in all this.)

😂😂😂😂😂😂 “a” receipt lololol
oh god
*stares at TBR pile*
TYVM @WanderingBookaneer !!

Close your eyes and I‘ll kiss you
Tomorrow I‘ll miss you
Remember I‘ll always be true
And then while I‘m away
I‘ll write home everyday
And I‘ll send #allmyloving to you

#beatlemaynia

I adored this epistolary book with Helene writing to a London bookseller. She also sent lots of love too, in the form of food parcels and other gifts during rationing.

I can't get over how much I love this book. I've never read anything like this before, and it took me completely by surprise. It somehow manages to perfectly render the love of reading into words. Manages to encapsulate that mystical, magical and ethereal essence that lies waiting between the pages of our books. The adoration for literature that practically seeps from the pages in this book is heady, addictive and all too familiar.

Just received this gift! My bestie knows me well :)

This book was so sweet and pure and charming. It was like watching Great British Bake Off but about old books. Highly recommend to anyone who loves 'letter books' and needs something charming to read. Its only 100 pages so its quick and a nice pick me up.

This book is so charming. Im only a few pages in and its just so sweet and funny. I already am in love

#cupidsgonepostal - thank you so much @BookishMarginalia for organizing this swap and to my amazing cupid!! I was thoroughly spoiled and I cannot wait to dive into the books. My little one was very excited for the candy. Thank you for making my day!!!

This book consists of correspondence bwt a writer in NYC and a rare book seller in London... they are not love letters to each other but about their love of books. Their friendship is so charming and sentimental and although they carried on writing to one another for over 20 years never had the opportunity to meet in person. Perfection 💕
#anewchapter #loveletters
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88

#litsylovechallenge

This was my first book for this year's challenge and I wasn't disappointed. For the first time, I read this gorgeous book in English and even if I had some difficulties with the American English, I liked the differences in the letters. The German edition doesn't come up with it in that kind of way. Secondly the edition is so gorgeous. Thank you @Bambolina_81 for this great copy. 🤩😘💕

Started my first part of my #fridaysreads an hour ago, even if I didn't manage to read more than ten pages...

Why did I leave work earlier, when I don't manage to read more... 😫😫😫😫

Loved this! Charming correspondence between an American writer and an English bookshop. Very slim and quick to read. I can imagine returning to it as a pick-me-up.

Finally getting some reading done... But the important question, what should I read first? 💕💓🤩😍

I meant to read this on January 1, and while I did start before midnight, it was January 2 when I finished. On a related note, it is going to be rough going back to work next week...my sleep schedule is so off! 😬

This is a sweet little book of letters that wonderfully illustrates how the love of books and reading can bring people together. Perfectly lovely, funny, and true. ❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks again, Scott, for sending this to me!

Book 1 of 2019! I can't believe I'd never read this before. @HardcoverHearts hosted as a readalong in Instagram.

I knew this was an epistolary account between a reader and someone at a bookstore, but I had a lot of misconceptions:
1. This is a romance
2. The letters are between two people
3. Everyone lives in the UK
4. This is a novel (no!)

It's a short, enjoyable read about books and readers, so in that vein it is somewhat of a love story.

And despite trying to savor every word, I‘m already done with it! It goes by so fast!! But I pick up more nuance and points of reference with each yearly read. #nyd84charingcross2019 #buddyread

My first book for 2019, and I picked this up for the #nyd84charingcross2019 #buddyread . Why I failed to read this before now I don‘t know. It made me long for the days of letter correspondence. A study in friendship and books, this is a collection of letters that spans 20 years. I laughed, and I got ready-eyed. 5 star read for me, and I just may make this an annual read! Thanks for this buddy read, @HardcoverHearts !

It‘s here! We got home last night from London and I promptly fell asleep at 9pm and slept right through the 2019 midnight festivities. But I woke up eager to start the read-along for my favorite book! As I have said before- this is the first book I read every year. I think it‘s wise, charming and filled with love. Please join me here and on IG (hardcoverheartsblog) and use #nyd84charingcross2019 . I love introducing new readers to this gem.

Read-along for the fantastic 84, Charing Cross Road is still on for Jan 1st! I‘ve been traveling in London but will be home in my favorite chair, with my beloved cat, digging into this gem. Please join us if you can to start your first book of the new year with us and this slim tome! I‘ll be hosting here and on IG.

“7th December, 1951 Dear Miss Hanff, You will be glad to know that the two boxes of eggs and the tins of tongue have all arrived safely and once again we all wish to thank you most sincerely for your extreme generosity.”
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Told you I‘d ordered a beautiful new copy, @jillrhudy
#Slightlyfoxed

Scott! Thank you so much for this book. I will most definitely be reading on New Year‘s Day. 😃

I wasn‘t expecting a brand new copy from Amazon, and it is great, but I have to say, I was kind of banking on your return address, because I have something I want to send to you. 😬

For day 8 of #adventrecommends I haven chosen this gem of a book. Such a warm and sweet book, it‘s just lovely ❤️ One of my favourite #epistolary novels.

#Favourites

SCORE!! I have never found more than one Helene Hanff book in a used bookstore and in this gem of a shop I found three! Just in time for my New Year‘s Day planned read along of 84, Charing Cross Road.

I love inscriptions on flyleaves and notes in margins, I like the comradely sense of turning pages someone else turned, and reading passages some one long gone has called my attention to.

Found this at the library today. Could be fun.