The story begins with the female writer Hailian. She is a bookworm and poor. Because I couldn't stand the expensive and vulgar old bookstores in new york, I found an out-of-print old bookstore in England by chance in a magazine advertisement, so I wrote a letter to Max and Cohen Bookstore, 84 Charing Cross Road, London, according to the address in Saturday Literature Review, asking for some out-of-print books.
After waiting for nearly 20 days to receive a reply, the other party found the book she wanted, carefully attached the British and American invoices to the letter, and attached the change. Signed by Frank, the manager of this bookstore.
In this way, Hailian and Frank exchanged letters from 1949 for 20 years, until Frank's daughter sent Hailian the last letter, telling her that her father had passed away, and the time had come 1969. When you don't read the letter, you won't find that the letter you read spans 20 years, but the people in it are still as enthusiastic as before.
It was the early 1950s, and Britain was in a hurry, and the supplies were limited. Hailian sent ham, eggs and sausages from the United States to bookstore clerks, so that they could eat food that might be rarely seen in the market. Frank began to look around for out-of-print books required by Hailian. He began to travel all over Britain, even if he was on a business trip, he did not forget to collect books. Just to find a rare rare rare book for Hailian.
From the beginning, I called Miss Hanfu to Hailian, from signing Frank to loving Frank. From just talking about books, to talking about family, to asking each other. Slowly, some unspeakable love, perhaps this is the real feeling, but unfortunately Frank has a happy family, a loving wife and two lovely daughters. Hailian never got married after her husband died.
From Frank to the shop assistant, and finally to his wife, everyone wrote letters to Hailian, which made Hailian feel their sincere feelings more directly.
This cross-Wan Li correspondence stems from the love of books and reading. Two strangers who were originally separated from Wan Li became attached to each other because of books, and this contact was nearly 20 years. Many things have changed in the past 20 years, and the only constant is the commitment of two people. Frank is not only honest as a businessman, but also loves Hailian personally. Hailian also took writing to Frank as her spiritual sustenance, as if something she wanted most came from thousands of miles away, even though she knew she couldn't get it.
This book is very thin, so thin that people can see the ending at a glance, but it is also very thick, bearing the feelings of book lovers for 20 years.
When you get this book, when you open every letter, you will see the communication between two people, always so sincere, which makes people feel like standing together and talking. It is a pure love for books, which makes people feel that this is not a story that has happened for a long time, but an emotion close to people's hearts. You don't need flowery words or so many details. You can grasp it with your own emotional scale. The waiting between letters seems to be real, just like it happened yesterday, which is why it is so touching.
At No.84 Charing Cross Road, Hailian, a female writer in new york, was lucky enough to cross the vast sea of Qianshan and found a real goodwill hunting, that is, Frank, the manager of this old bookstore in London, and then they had a book relationship for twenty years. Of course, because Hailian's frankness directly won the recognition of other people in the store, everyone thought that one day, we could see this mysterious figure who claimed to be "as fashionable as a beggar in Bainaohui".
In fact, Hailian's letter has repeatedly proposed to visit everyone in London. Every time, she will say that she has earned enough money to leave. At first, I believed that the author was really poor. Later, not only money, but also fear to break this calm "love"!
Hailian didn't get her wish until Frank died and the shop closed, and she came to this place called the Holy Land of Scholars-Daling Cross Street. This is everyone's regret, including Hailian herself. In fact, what is even more regrettable is the endless love between her and Frank. It was not until her wife died that she had time to offer her own kiss.
Letters, as the most popular way of communication in that era, can actually best reflect a person's psychology and emotions, and the characters of these two people are revealed between the lines.
Hailian is undoubtedly true and frank. Her concern and love for all the clerks in the bookstore, her heartfelt gratitude to Frank, and her wanton comments and complaints about all kinds of books are all expressed without reservation.
Frank, on the other hand, has the demeanor of an English gentleman. From being serious and reserved at the beginning to being familiar with him later, he can calmly reply to Hailian and express himself naturally without losing his principles, which makes people feel respected.
You may only need 2 hours to read the whole book, but you should know that it is the longest letter in the world. You can imagine that two people can persist for 20 years without interruption, and they can keep that innocence and kindness as they do when writing their first letter.
This reminds me of Mu Xin's slowness:
In the past, the color of the sun changed slowly.
Cars, horses, mail, all slow,
Just enough to love someone for a lifetime.
Slow enough to make people have more expectations and feel the power of every word of the letter. Now it's really fast, and I don't want to communicate any more, because I seem to know each other's information at any time, but I don't have much mystery and expectation.
Hailian wrote in her last letter: The good man who sold me these good books died a few months ago, and Mr. Max, the bookstore owner, is gone. However, the bookstore is still there. If you happen to pass by 84 Charing Cross Road, please give me a kiss. I owe her a lot. ...
Hailian has endless feelings for this bookstore. She always hopes to visit this bookstore again and again and see the people inside, but she is disappointed every time and can only look into the distance to comfort her soul.
Yes, Frank probably owes her the most, because in the past 20 years, as long as she wants every book, Frank will try his best to find it for her and sort it out carefully. After 20 years of correspondence, the relationship between two people is no longer a simple business relationship. They are already spiritual partners, and their unspeakable love can be seen between the lines.
Charing Cross Street still stands in the bustling city of London, but the bookstore at No.84 no longer exists. But No.84 Charing Cross Road has been deeply branded in the heart of everyone who loves reading. It seems to be a holy place for book lovers, not only the address of the bookstore, but also the spiritual harbor for readers!
Books are indeed the best form of memory that human beings have successfully possessed. From now on, memories can be placed outside our bodies and will not rot with our bodies.
Books are really the cheapest thing in the world. You think you can buy a book for only a few hundred yuan, or even dozens of yuan. However, this book may be the author's life's hard work, but you can easily get it, then apply what you have learned, or improve your mind.
No.84 Charing Cross Road is not only a book, but also a catalyst. It encourages people to calm down and study. It tells this fast-paced era that it is best to slow down. Everything looks so natural and beautiful when you slow down!
Maybe one day you pass by 84 Charing Cross Road in London, and I want to ask you to give me a kiss!