Q's Legacy: A Delightful Account of a Lifelong Love Affair with Books

What an upbeat book! This is the romance of life's unpredictability; of life's path. Helene Hanff the author and our heroine in this autobiography is a person we can all identify with: with a high school education, a survivor's tenacity, a bright mind and a bit of luck she turns what could have been a mediocre existence into an exciting if quietly successful life! One could not have a more prototypical American dream. But here, it appears represented without the scrubbed clean, sanitized methods of Holywood. Her wonderfully charming narration, leads us through her struggles as a writer in New York, through the apparent lucky accident of her book "84, Charring Cross Road," and the mesmerizing consequences that a successful book brings to her life. It is her persona though, who is fascinating: a strong woman with few doubts about likes and dislikes, who fights doggedly for a living, with a good sense of humor, generosity towards others and an apparent humility. What a combination! But to top it off she is sharp, quick, loves books and what they can teach her. This is a book to be read in one sitting, but only after you read "84 Charring Cross Road." It is fun, upbeat, a charmer and it also has an almost oldfashioned value: it celebrates life!

I couldn't put this book down! I read it straight through in one sitting. I didn't even put it down when I went to the kitchen for a drink, etc. Unlike most autobiographies, this one is written out of a love of writing rather than out of love of self. If you have read "84, Charing Cross Road" you will immediately recognize Hanff's touch in this book. "Q's Legacy" reads very much like one of Hanff's letters to her friends at the bookshop. It's almost as if she's come out of the pages and is there at your side telling you her story. If you haven't read "84, Charing Cross Road" I suggest you read it first. It will make "Q's Legacy" seem more relevant. Overall, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I know it will become an oft-read favorite.

Reading Hanff's memoir/bio writings is like taking a long walk with an old friend. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes surprising, sometimes mundane, but always heartwarming. This feeling starts with the shared love of books and the whole world of books. Having read and loved her "84 Charing Cross Road" and "The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street", peeking behind the scenes, so to speak, with Hanff as she deals with life before, during and after her literary successes is just too much fun. Hanff takes this opportunity to fill in the holes from her two previous memoirs; such as describing how reading and writing grabbed her when she was young and how she came to seek out books from a second-hand bookshop across the Atlantic. But most important to me is this is a real description from Hanff about what she did and how she felt, shared as if with a good friend sharing a pot of tea, and I thank her, posthumously, for her trust in the fans of her writing. PS - first, read "84 Charing Cross Road" (at least)

Ms. Hanff had a certain style of self-abasing humor, pointed at herself, mostly. Is she a "cult read", like Robert Pirsig ("Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance")? or Daniel Quinn ("Ishmael")? Yes, she qualifies. Because if you read one book, you will want more. My suggestion? Read "84, Charing Cross Road" first, THEN this. (I read all her books before this, so I knew what she was referring to.) And don't miss the Anne Bancroft/Anthony Hopkins movie of "84... "

A wonderful follow up to "84 Charing Cross Road" It's both a precursor and a follow-up to her earlier books. I discovered Q about the same time I discovered "84 Charing Cross Road" back in the mid-70s. Unfortunately he didn't lead me down the same path as Helen Hanff. I came late to this book - I didn't find it until about 10 years ago. It is definitely a must-read for readers who loved her earlier books, but enjoyable as a "stand-alone" read. My only criticism is that it's too short - at 177 pages I read it in one day.

I adored 84, Charing Cross Road. I wanted to read more of Ms. Hanff's irreverent and light prose, and Q's Legacy does not disappoint in that respect. This book is a combination of short essays and diary entries, and it shines when it focuses on the author's love affair with the words of Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. Ms. Hanff breathes life into the man and you can picture him lecturing in dapper tweed with adroit but understated speech. There's also a surprisingly delightful bit on Ms. Hanff's struggle with cataracts. With that said, there's a touch too much filler in the middle. Where 84 kept me enthralled through-and-through, I found my mind wandering with this book. It's certainly worth reading if you've read 84, but I wouldn't recommend it for the casual reader.

I loved it. Helene Hanff is a woman/writer who lives her own way, by her own rules. Nothing changes her. She's a regular person and plows hrough life being herself. She's witty, sly, sarcastic and a lot of fun. I'm reading all of her books. And again, I hear Anne Bancroft's voice as I read.

This is the third in Helene Hanff's set of books about her correspondence with a London bookseller. The first, 84 Charing Cross Road, was followed by The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. Helene was a writer - tv scripts, Readers' Digest articles, and novels. Basically self educated due to lack of funds for college, she discovered a British prof dubbed Q whose lectures were published - he recommended books and Helene followed his excellent advice. Q's Legacy details that tromp through literature and also her trip to England when she was able to visit his home (after his death). Like the first two, it's a short book but just a wonder filled escape into the wonderful world of reading.

No lo he recibido. ¿Qué pasa? Además, ya les hice este mismo comentario hace unos días, y no lo han atendido. ¿Qué pasa?

The back story to just-scraping-by New York writer Helene Hanff's 20-year correspondence with an antique bookstore in London ("84 Charing Cross Road") and later visit to England ("The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street") starts with her library introduction to "Q" - a literature don at Cambridge England whom she never meets in person and who never knew she existed. The story made me laugh out loud some places and weep with poignant emotion in others. More deeply, the story made me ponder how "hopeless" can turn into miracle and how we can impact others' lives and never know it.

『84, Charing Cross Road 』の著者が、『84』を執筆するに至るまでの経緯と、『84, Charing Cross Road 』が出版されアメリカ、英国、オーストラリアでも増版され、多数のファンレターが舞い込むようになって、さらには脚色され上演され、テレビでも大成功を博するまでの経過と、その後のHeleneの晩年を描いたもの。 Heleneと、古書店のFrankとの往復書簡や、彼女の古書に対する愛着は『84, Charing Cross Road 』に記されているが、この著は、Heleneが、主人公で、一人称で語られる。 『84』は、往復書簡という形式で、文章もタイピングの字体も書簡で綴られるが、本書は、小説の形式でかつ、シナリオっぽい構成。 Heleneが、奨学金で大学に進学する試験（楽勝であるはずなのに・・）で失敗し、2年目には恐慌による不景気で大学への助成金が打ち切られ中退。職もなく、バイトの合間に図書館で著者目録を眺めて時間をつぶすうち、アルファベット順に並んだ著者目録の最期のＱ・・・Ｑの項には１著者しかなくＱｕｉller-Couchsi氏のみ（ケンブリッジ英文学大学教授：生徒は彼をニックネームでＱと呼ぶ、彼は大衆小説作家でもあるが、ペンネームはQ,とだけ１文字） 興味を覚えてＱのケンブリッジ大学英文学講義録を読む。彼は文章を書く際文語体ではなく、平易な話し言葉で綴る。そこが他の英文学教授と格別に異なる点。その著に啓蒙されて、作家への道をたどるが数年で演劇に転向。演劇のシナリオライターの懸賞に応募し受賞。小さな劇団の専属脚本家となる・・そこからシナリオ作家への道が開ける。ＴＶの脚本や子供向け教材のライターとして、ぼつぼつと地味に日銭を稼ぐ。そして、その鳴かず飛ばずのしけた劇団はブロードウエイミュージカル「オクラホマ！」の成功。一発当たってロングラン。Heleneは、貧乏暮らしのバイトのかたわら、雑誌に記事を投稿する日々を送るが、次第に劇作家やコピーライター、児童向け歴史書などの依頼が舞い込むようになる。ある日、フランクの死を知らせる手紙を受け取り、茫然とする。どれほど、その往復書簡が自分の人生に大事なものであったのか・・・フランクの手紙を読み返すうち、ふと、それを出版することを思いつく。 ロンドンの古書店員フランクとの往復書簡は、やがて『84, Charing Cross Road 』の作品として誕生しその流れで、ロンドンの現地を探訪する紀行文も出版。そして、ロンドンのファンからの招待で現地を再び案内される。『84』は、有名俳優を配役に迎え上演され、好評を博す。 第二次大戦後の、アメリカ女性のライターとしての自活と、読書への強い執着、著述で身を立てる苦労。 あくまで「自分は不肖の弟子であったが、Ｑ先生の指導のもとに文章の書き方を学んだ」と・・その半生記を振り返る最終章には、しみじみ感動する。 表題の『Ｑ’ｓ Ｌｅｇａｃｙ』は、Ｑ，先生の弟子・・を自称する作者の、Ｑ，への敬意の表れか・・・ Helene Hanffさんの、ユーモア、ウイットにあふれる文章が、すごく愉快！！イキイキした文章で巧い！読書と文章書きが好きな独身女性の人生が、ものすごくカワイイ！ 日常生活も、優雅な生活とは程遠く、おカネには、ぴいぴいしている。白内障のＯＰを受ける場面など、めちゃくちゃおちゃめで、失笑できる。つましい、質素な生活。そこも、すごく、イイ！ 英語の構文が正確で、勉強になった。

Having just reread 84 Charing Cross Road l was looking for something else to read, written by Miss Hanff. I was not previously aware of Q's legacy and it was a delight from start to finish.

There are some people who want the blood and the guts, the fire and the thunder and the wars and war leaders, the kings and the queens and which primate alpha ape conquered which other with blows or clubs or atomic bombs and the precise dates when -- as if that al mattered at all. Helene Hanff was a poor gitrl who could not afford a college education. So she found books by Arthur Quilller-Couch as her mentors. In all her struggles, the main thing was, she had a grreat heart. As a younger woman, in her own reduced financial state, she yet had the love and the courage to give of her own, to help employees at Marks & Co bookstore at 84, Charing Cross Road, London, from whom she bought books she could never affford to buy in New York, (see her wonderful book of same name, 84, Charing Cross Road), by sending them packages of food during their awful rationing period still years after the end of World War Two. Getting to know them and her beloved English Literature and its authors, she finally, after many years and a tough life of struggles and a major surgical operation, got to visit London, -- but only after the bookstore had closed and her main contact there had died. She yet got to spend a wonderful if only a mere five weeks in the city of her dreams and her beloved literature, and wrote about it in her "The Princess of Bloomsbury Road", a short 35 days, that for her were the equivalent of any one of our own eternal heavens. "Q's Legacy" fleshes out for us the story of her life, from its beginnings, through its many tribulations. It is the story of one simple, humble girl growing through womanhood into a life which most who want the fire and the thunder would consider insignificant by historical standards, and yet in its honest simplicity, she says more in a few words than all the kings, queens, generals and despots of all of human history since its beginnings have ever said together, a kind of life of which prophets have spoken and have never been understood, that Life is about Empathy, and Feeling, and Appreciation, and, above all, Love. She is the lonely Buttercup in a Spring field, standing alone in a short day's humble decency of Being, in majesty, while Mankind's ghastly wars rage about it. Life Bless You, Helene Hanff --and thanks, for all your Love.