The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows – 274 pages
Book Blurb:
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.
My Review: 4.5 stars
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This is a book everyone will adore. It appeals to the masses for its simplicity, honesty and charm. The subject matter of this small English town’s occupation during WW2 is tough to swallow; yet these authors (aunt and niece) somehow create a magical work of historical fiction. Written in the epistolary style and reminiscent of Helen Hanff’s 84 Charring Cross Road, this book will delight readers. I was fortunate enough to meet Annie Barrows, the niece of Mary Ann Schaffer who passed away during the writing of this novel. It was fortunate that Annie could finish the novel with no leap in style or voice. Well done! At the heart of this book is the love of books and the powerful force of friendship.
Quotes I liked:
Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.”
-“Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life.”
-“We clung to books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.”
-“I don’t want to be married just to be married. I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with.”
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