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4.2 AVERAGE
4.2 AVERAGE
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
I grabbed this book from my library because it was the @calgareadsbookclub pick for August. I honestly hadn’t heard of an “epistolary book” (a piece of work comprised of a series of letters or notes) until know. Thank you bookclub for teaching me new things haha.
For knowing nothing about this book or genre I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. I love the idea of having Penpals, or in this story I’ll loosely say penpals haha. I have tried to have real penpals in real life but it gets hard to find the time and to actually have something not boring to write about your life. I loved that their main correspondence is to do with books whether they received books or not. I also learned that there were issues with food rationing/ shortages in Britain which I never knew about. I did want to know when they were sending food was it sent by boat or plane? To my brain I made the dates was back in the day but in reality it wasn’t that far back. I was just picturing in my mind sending eggs and if it was by ship wouldn’t they have been rotting by the time they arrived? Or is there some way of preserving food so it would have lasted through the journey? I also thought it was very nice of the book seller Frank when Helene would say oh use the change, buy yourself a coffee, that he was honest and just kept it in her account for further purchases. I didn’t actually realize that this story was true until the end and I was a bit teary eyed.
I would absolutely read more epistolary novels, but I feel like what sold it for me was it was non-
Fiction, I’m not sure if fiction would have the same effect. I’d recommend this one so other readers could dip their toes into this type of book.
For knowing nothing about this book or genre I can honestly say I really enjoyed it. I love the idea of having Penpals, or in this story I’ll loosely say penpals haha. I have tried to have real penpals in real life but it gets hard to find the time and to actually have something not boring to write about your life. I loved that their main correspondence is to do with books whether they received books or not. I also learned that there were issues with food rationing/ shortages in Britain which I never knew about. I did want to know when they were sending food was it sent by boat or plane? To my brain I made the dates was back in the day but in reality it wasn’t that far back. I was just picturing in my mind sending eggs and if it was by ship wouldn’t they have been rotting by the time they arrived? Or is there some way of preserving food so it would have lasted through the journey? I also thought it was very nice of the book seller Frank when Helene would say oh use the change, buy yourself a coffee, that he was honest and just kept it in her account for further purchases. I didn’t actually realize that this story was true until the end and I was a bit teary eyed.
I would absolutely read more epistolary novels, but I feel like what sold it for me was it was non-
Fiction, I’m not sure if fiction would have the same effect. I’d recommend this one so other readers could dip their toes into this type of book.
funny
inspiring
Es un bonito libro compuesto por las cartas que escribía la señorita Helene a una pequeña librería de Londres, en concreto una librería en la calle Charing Cross Road, número 84.
Es una historia real. Helene, una escritora afincada en Nueva York, escribe a esta librería londinense interesada en libros antiguos. La historia transcurre de 1949 hasta 1969 y es dificil no dejarse llevar por ella, ¿a quién no le gustaría hurgar en la correspondencia ajena? Todos llevamos un cotilla dentro! jejeje
Helen transmite ese deseo por los libros; el aprecio y valor que tienen para algunas personas, la felicidad al encontrar ejemplares descatalogados y el amor a las librerías. Con sus descripciones puedes llegar a sentirlos, oler sus páginas, apreciar sus detalles: la encuadernación, el gramaje del papel, acabados .... y seguro que también aumentarán tus ganas de cojer un avión para visitar Londres.
Un libro sobre libros o librerías es irresistible, al menos para mí, y este cumple todos los requisitos. Escrito con una cordialidad y educación que cuesta encontrar últimamente junto con la informalidad que le dota Helene, se hace ligero y casi se puede leer de un tirón. Totalmente recomendado.
"Digamos que soy una escritora pobre amante de los libros antiguos" – Helene Hanf
chensio.com
Es una historia real. Helene, una escritora afincada en Nueva York, escribe a esta librería londinense interesada en libros antiguos. La historia transcurre de 1949 hasta 1969 y es dificil no dejarse llevar por ella, ¿a quién no le gustaría hurgar en la correspondencia ajena? Todos llevamos un cotilla dentro! jejeje
Helen transmite ese deseo por los libros; el aprecio y valor que tienen para algunas personas, la felicidad al encontrar ejemplares descatalogados y el amor a las librerías. Con sus descripciones puedes llegar a sentirlos, oler sus páginas, apreciar sus detalles: la encuadernación, el gramaje del papel, acabados .... y seguro que también aumentarán tus ganas de cojer un avión para visitar Londres.
Un libro sobre libros o librerías es irresistible, al menos para mí, y este cumple todos los requisitos. Escrito con una cordialidad y educación que cuesta encontrar últimamente junto con la informalidad que le dota Helene, se hace ligero y casi se puede leer de un tirón. Totalmente recomendado.
"Digamos que soy una escritora pobre amante de los libros antiguos" – Helene Hanf
chensio.com
emotional
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
I wish I had the longer version that also describes the author’s trip to England. Really cute book, I wish there was more to it, I read it too quickly
A charming series of correspondence between a bookseller in London plus a few others and a writer in NYC spanning from 1949 to 1969. My only complaint is that it was too short. Reading or listening to the audio is a delightful way to spend a couple of hours.
Un sueño. Me encantaría poder tener esta relación con un librero. Siento que es un libro lleno de nostalgia para los que amamos este mundo lector. Que bonita manera de iniciar el año.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
If you're someone who likes seeing people bond over shared interest, someone who watches a crowd of people bustling and like to assign stories to them, basically a romantic person by nature who is in need of a cozy, short book that you can finish in one sitting, look no further than this.
This book is funny (I've seen people complain of Helene being so rude and demanding, but have you people had any non professional relationships where you share inner jokes, throw verbal jabs and say things ironically or sarcastically? I am pretty sure that's what she was doing here and I found it usually hilarious) and will have you rooting for the betterment of these real life characters, you'd probably even want to be included in their life and wish you had similar set of people in your life who you can talk about your interests with.
Spoiler alert : I was so caught up in the fun this provided that when I arrived at the part where she was told of the passing of those people who was writing letters to, it was equivalent to a punch in the gut, it was so sudden and had me reeling, I was like no this can't be happening, but of course it did, it's non fiction, it's life, these things happen but it still won't prepare you for what happens.
My only problem with the book was a personal one and is no fault of the book, I only wished that I was well versed in the obscure literature to be able to understand the references to the books made here, I barely got one or two (thanks to Jane Austen).
This book is funny (I've seen people complain of Helene being so rude and demanding, but have you people had any non professional relationships where you share inner jokes, throw verbal jabs and say things ironically or sarcastically? I am pretty sure that's what she was doing here and I found it usually hilarious) and will have you rooting for the betterment of these real life characters, you'd probably even want to be included in their life and wish you had similar set of people in your life who you can talk about your interests with.
Spoiler alert : I was so caught up in the fun this provided that when I arrived at the part where she was told of the passing of those people who was writing letters to, it was equivalent to a punch in the gut, it was so sudden and had me reeling, I was like no this can't be happening, but of course it did, it's non fiction, it's life, these things happen but it still won't prepare you for what happens.
My only problem with the book was a personal one and is no fault of the book, I only wished that I was well versed in the obscure literature to be able to understand the references to the books made here, I barely got one or two (thanks to Jane Austen).
lighthearted
medium-paced
emotional
fast-paced