Let's start by acknowledging that this isn't a novel but a memoir. I don't care i'm keeping it in this category. I first read this book years ago right after I saw the movie. Just looked it up and the movie came out in 1987 so i'm guessing it was around that time. Loved them both. I think this might be the first book I ever read written in letters. I have such a love of letter writing and books so this hit all of the buttons for me. This is the correspondence between writer/ New Yorker Helene Haniff and Used book seller (and friends and family) Frank Doel. It is so fun. She is smart and sassy and constantly teasing the team about the books she wants or the books they aren't sending. But she is also incredibly kind and generous always sending them boxes of goodies. The letters start in 1949 and run almost 20 years so it's not so far after WW2 and a lot of Great Britain is still hurting from the war. He is the perfect English gentleman but eventually he softens to her informality and they become true friends. We see letters to and from all of the staff, his wife and her friends. I love the descriptions of what she sends them and of the books they send her. Throughout the letters they talk about her visiting someday.
I would give this 5 stars as a lovely peak into a friendship and the lost art of letter writing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I went back and rewatched the movie after finishing the book. It also holds up. It was fun to revisit both!
I decided to pair this with fluffy scrambled eggs with chives and potatoes and Spam. There is a lot of talk about sending eggs and canned meat. Some of the eggs are dried eggs and some are fresh. also the meat they discuss is often canned tongue. Okay, i doubt that is even still a thing but i'm not eating it. Nope! I know spam is bad for you and i've discussed my weakness for it in the blog previously but I had to make it. It is the perfect canned meat. This is one of my favorite breakfasts or lunch or dinner. It's an all occasion meal!
No comments:
Post a Comment