2001-01-09 Excellent description of authors first visit to London

Ms Hanff's most popular work, 84, Charing Cross Road, dealt with the correspondence between herself and a very obliging bookshop in London immediately after the second world war. Following the friendships made through this correspondence, and with the success of 84, Charing Cross Road, she finally manages to cross the Atlantic to visit London for a summer. The bok details well, in diary form, the sights sounds and encounters with the enigmatic English, together with an appreciation of the authors expectations and emotions. As one would expect, this book is beautifully written with excellent descriptions of London and the forays into the countryside, together with her encounters with a number of interesting people, not least a friendship with Joyce Grenfell. This is a thoroughly good book, and will be enjoyed by anyone who read and loved 84 Charing Cross Road.