Peak Picks & Reviews

I sit here on the plane trying to see faces, trying to hold onto London, but the mind intrudes with thoughts of home: the mail piled up waiting for me, the people waiting, the world waiting. Introduction  The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, published in 1973, is a delightful memoir by Helene Hanff, best known for her earlier work 84, Charing Cross Road . This book continues where 84, Charing Cross Road left off, detailing Hanff's long-awaited journey to London, a city she had longed to visit for many years. After years of correspondence with the Marks & Co. bookstore staff, Hanff’s dream is finally realized when she gets the opportunity to visit London after the success of her book. Written in diary form, The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street captures her experiences, emotions, and humorous observations as an American woman exploring the city she knows so well through literature. Synopsis  The memoir opens with Hanff recounting her excitement and trepidation about traveling to Lo...

If you happen to pass by 84 Charing Cross Road, kiss it for me? I owe it so much. Introduction  84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff is a beloved classic that transcends the boundaries of geography and time. The book is an epistolary work that captures the unique friendship between Hanff, an outspoken New York writer, and the employees of Marks & Co., an antiquarian bookshop located at 84 Charing Cross Road in London. What begins as a simple request for second-hand books evolves into a heartwarming and humorous correspondence that spans two decades. This correspondence, filled with wit, charm, and a shared love for literature, presents a striking contrast between Hanff’s sharp, informal American tone and the more reserved British style of Frank Doel, the chief buyer of the shop, who serves as her primary correspondent.  Through this collection of letters, Hanff crafts a story that is not only about books, but about human connection, kindness, and cultural exchange. The c...