The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The novel is set in 1946 post-occupation Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. Juliet Ashton, an English writer, has received a letter from a resident of Guernsey, Dawsey Adams, who is a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Juliet is intrigued by the society and how it came to be, and by the stories of the Nazi occupation related to her by Dawsey and other...more

The novel is set in 1946 post-occupation Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. Juliet Ashton, an English writer, has received a letter from a resident of Guernsey, Dawsey Adams, who is a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Juliet is intrigued by the society and how it came to be, and by the stories of the Nazi occupation related to her by Dawsey and other society members. She believes she has the beginnings of her next article and travels to Guernsey to meet and interview the society members and others who lived through the occupation and to write their story. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a unique book in a number of respects. It is written entirely in the format of letters--personal correspondence between Juliet and her friends, acquaintances and business associates. This gives the novel a very personal feel, and we are able to see things from the points of view of many different characters. Another unique aspect of the book is that it was written by one author, with revisions made after her death by a second author. Unfortunately, I felt this gave the book a somewhat disjointed feel. There were passages in which the writing style changed noticeably, which detracted from the overall cohesiveness of the book. Lastly, this book is somewhat unusual in that the authors use a wide range of literature to reveal things about the characters reading the books. We learn about characters in part by learning what books they chose to read and why they chose to read them. One critic summed the book up as "a small masterpiece about love, war, and the immeasurable sustenance to be found in good books and good friends." I'm not sure I'd go so far as to call it a masterpiece, but it was a great pleasure to read and a moving story about love, heroism, and how literature can bring out the best in us and bind us together, even in the most difficult of circumstances, regardless of cultural or social differences. And, as an added bonus, I discovered some real gems among the books the islanders read, such as the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, which I'm now reading.   hide

A number of people told me it was a good book; but it wasn't until one of my best friends insisted that I read it that I finally checked it out. Up until now, I have to admit that I was put off a little by the title, and by the format of the book. (It's a series of letters.) Now I can happily report that if you haven't read it yet, you really must consider doing so. It tells...more

A number of people told me it was a good book; but it wasn't until one of my best friends insisted that I read it that I finally checked it out. Up until now, I have to admit that I was put off a little by the title, and by the format of the book. (It's a series of letters.) Now I can happily report that if you haven't read it yet, you really must consider doing so. It tells the story of a writer who finds her inspiration for a new book in telling the story of Guernsey, and how this little island was occupied by the Nazis during World War II. It is a a wonderful testament to the power of books to transform each person's life into something a little more special. It has humor, sadness, and some really delightful parts. I highly recommend it.   hide

I love this book! Told through letters between the characters, it took me a number of pages to sort out the who's who, but that was nearly as mentally stimulating as watching the story unfold throughout the intricately woven story. Interestingly enough, I hadn't really thought much about the Channel Islands during WWII and found myself looking up historical info about the time period once...more

I love this book! Told through letters between the characters, it took me a number of pages to sort out the who's who, but that was nearly as mentally stimulating as watching the story unfold throughout the intricately woven story. Interestingly enough, I hadn't really thought much about the Channel Islands during WWII and found myself looking up historical info about the time period once again. Thinking I was in the midst of a sweet, nostalgic story, I was surprised to find myself deeply entrenched in the horrors of Nazi occupation, wishing these gentle souls did not have to face such inhumanity. So very much like the real tragedy of the time. You know you have read a wonderful book when you get to the end and find yourself wishing you could read more about the quirky, endearing and sometimes tragic characters. And what reader wouldn't love a book about letters and reading bringing people together, especially during hard times. I'm definitely adding this book to my favorites list.   hide

I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of...more

I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb…. As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever. Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises, and of finding connection in the most surprising ways. I was really avoiding this book. I am not one to enjoy popular books and I seem to see this everywhere. I finally started it this past Saturday and was finished by Sunday night. I really enjoyed the writing format, the way the entire book was letters written to and by the various cast of characters. I enjoyed the emphasis on book lovers, how books can get you through hard times, and how reading one thing in a book can lead you to research it, which leads to another book and so on. The characters were highly amusing. I found myself laughing quite a few times. I also enjoyed that there was romance, but it did not weigh down the book and take over the story. Juliet and her friend Sophie reminded me very much of my own best friend and myself. Overall I would give this 3 stars. There wasn't anything bad about it, I just wasn't blown away by it as some people were. It was enjoyable, but not something that will make an impression on me and stay with me.   hide

I Felt Like a Bit of a Voyeur going through this book, peering into peoples private letters. What an enchanting book. This is definitely a book that is better listened to than read. The cast of voices was superb, with the dialects and different voices helping to identify each character. It did take me a while to get into this type of audiobook, as the entire story is told through letter writing...more

I Felt Like a Bit of a Voyeur going through this book, peering into peoples private letters. What an enchanting book. This is definitely a book that is better listened to than read. The cast of voices was superb, with the dialects and different voices helping to identify each character. It did take me a while to get into this type of audiobook, as the entire story is told through letter writing which were usually written back and forth from the members of TGL&PPS to the protagonist Juliet, a young, single, newspaper columnist in London who is looking for a topic for a new novel she wants to write, when she receives a letter from a man in Guernsey talking about his enjoyment of Charles Lamb books. He was part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Juliet becomes very interested and thus starts the letter writing back and forth from the members of this society and to Juliet's publisher. This all takes place in 1946. Geurnsey was occupied by the Germans during the war and the horrors are still very fresh. The letters reveal how the war touched each of them and people close to them. There is a good love story spun in there as well. Lots of emotion, tears, laughter, everything that makes a book complete. What a wonderful way to develop characters! A real gem of a book.   hide

Wonderfully written, with modern sensibilities evaporating in favor of a mood and tone of the post-war 40s. Shaffer writes like a veteran, and her characters are so warm and vibrant that a reader slows down unconsciously, savoring every moment of the letters they write one another. One can almost smell the salt air and feel the sea breezes, get pissed at a couple of incredible jerks, get tearful...more

Wonderfully written, with modern sensibilities evaporating in favor of a mood and tone of the post-war 40s. Shaffer writes like a veteran, and her characters are so warm and vibrant that a reader slows down unconsciously, savoring every moment of the letters they write one another. One can almost smell the salt air and feel the sea breezes, get pissed at a couple of incredible jerks, get tearful and embrace their sense of loss and longing during the Occupation. Here's hoping she writes a sequel, or at least attempts something else - she's just too good to lose so soon. Besides, I want to find out what happens to Kit, to Remy, to Juliet, heck even to Mark.   hide

Truly one of the best books I have read in a long time. I am usually not a fan of the letter format as a way of telling a story, but this book is a huge exception. From the very first letter, the readers are hooked. Juliet Ashton is an incredible protagonist with spunk, personality and she is easy to love. Along with the characters from Guernsey including Dawsey, Isola and Kit, once you start...more

Truly one of the best books I have read in a long time. I am usually not a fan of the letter format as a way of telling a story, but this book is a huge exception. From the very first letter, the readers are hooked. Juliet Ashton is an incredible protagonist with spunk, personality and she is easy to love. Along with the characters from Guernsey including Dawsey, Isola and Kit, once you start reading this story it is impossible to put down. It is witty, gripping, emotional and appealing - easy to read and it gives a view into the lives of those on the Channel Islands during WWII. This is a book I will read again and again.   hide

The "potato book" (as I have affectionately dubbed it) has come to be one of my deceptive favorites. I honestly wasn't expecting the book to be this good or this quirky. The letter format is difficult to get past at first, but once you've established the character's voice (it doesn't take but a few pages) then you've got each character nailed down...more

The "potato book" (as I have affectionately dubbed it) has come to be one of my deceptive favorites. I honestly wasn't expecting the book to be this good or this quirky. The letter format is difficult to get past at first, but once you've established the character's voice (it doesn't take but a few pages) then you've got each character nailed down just by their writing style alone. Now that takes some talent on the author's part. The story is a simple one but it's flavored with nice tidbits of history, a hardy cast of unusual characters, and the expected -but always appreciated- budding romance that leaves you satisfied that everything ended as it should. I especially enjoyed Isola Pribby's eccentric habits and Juliet's tea pot temper tantrum. If your a fan of feisty heroine's and a general book-lover, you'll enjoy the potato book and it's wonderful "hats off" to literature.   hide

34. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - I cannot say enough for how much I *loved* this book. I'll admit that I can be snotty about modern books. I read some of the current popular books but I rarely like them this much. I often find them entertaining but I never admire them as much as I did this one. Let me say, this book is right...more

34. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - I cannot say enough for how much I *loved* this book. I'll admit that I can be snotty about modern books. I read some of the current popular books but I rarely like them this much. I often find them entertaining but I never admire them as much as I did this one. Let me say, this book is right up my alley. The characters are quirky and kind-hearted. The book has some really thought-provoking things to say about war without being overly-preachy...just subtly challenging. All the characters love books and find solace in them. And best of all, there's a lovely romance that doesn't take over the book or make the reader go into the bedroom with them. I am officially on the Guersney bandwagon. :-)   hide