The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

A Novel

By: Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer, Susan Duerden, Rosalyn Landor, John Lee, Juliet Mills

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-one New York Times Best Seller

Now a Netflix Film

A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

“Treat yourself to this book, please - I can’t recommend it highly enough.” (Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love)

“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.

Praise for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society

“A jewel... Poignant and keenly observed, Guernsey is a small masterpiece about love, war, and the immeasurable sustenance to be found in good books and good friends.” (People)

“A book-lover’s delight, an implicit and sometimes explicit paean to all things literary.” (Chicago Sun-Times)

“A sparkling epistolary novel radiating wit, lightly worn erudition and written with great assurance and aplomb.” (The Sunday Times [London])

“Cooked perfectly à point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish.” (The Times [London])

©2008 Marry Ann Shaffrer and Annie Barrows (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

Saved by a book club

What made the experience of listening to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society the most enjoyable?

There were many opinionated character in this book. Some you could embrace and some you would dismiss. The stark differences was entertaining.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I think Dawsey was my favorite character because he was in love and had no clue what to do.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

The narrator kept the story interesting.

If you could take any character from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society out to dinner, who would it be and why?

I think Isola would be an interesting dinner date. She appeared to be a very honorable person and the conversation would be good.

Any additional comments?

This book was an incredible illustration of the good and bad of war. Despite what people believe about the enemy, there are good people among them. Elizabeth must have been an unbelievable person.

Delightful

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this story of community and love! Even though it is wrapped in the misery of the German invasion during WWII, the strength of love pervades and triumphs. You need to accept the fact that you will find a cohesive story created by letters written by different people that come together to share a story that reflects the ways in which a variety of people managed to create beauty even during struggles. I was entranced by the story!

Perfectly Lovely!!

What did you love best about The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society?

Everything! I was so apprehensive about starting this book, but I am so glad that I did. What a great story. I learned so much about WWII and what happened to people. It seems that we will never know the full extent of atrocities committed during that war.

I loved the people and their personal correspondence. I hate that we have lost the art of writing such lovely letters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

About mid-way through the book my favorite character was Marc Reynolds because he was just so clever with words. Then he became a bit too bossy and I liked Juliet best. I think I really enjoyed the book best before Juliet went to Guernsey and she was simply corresponding with the Potato Peel Pie members.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

I thought all of the narrator's were fantastic. I liked that they decided that Susan D. would only read letters from Juliet and no other characters. This REALLY brought the characters to life for me. Each character was so real.

I know that the other narrators did several characters each, but these narrators are some of the best in the business and if you are new to audiobooks, you may never know that the narrators are reading letters from a few characters instead of just one.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed out loud a few times and I was very disturbed during several parts of the book, especially when the author described the tote workers. Terrible.

Any additional comments?

I loved this book. I think that reading the book would be a little bit harder to get through because of the addresses at the top of each letter. The addresses can get repetitive and one might be tempted to skip over reading them; however, the addresses do ensure you know where each character is because of the address so they are important. I also thought having the narrators read the addresses would be a problem, but it wasn't. I was actually anxious to hear where the characters were and this was noted when the address was read before each letter.

If I had to choose one word to describe this book, I would use "perfect". This book was absolutely perfect. I loved it.

One of my favorite books of all time

This book is like a treasured keepsake. You will listen toot more than once over the years. The narration is fabulous. Just get it!

Good Read

I really loved the book! It was a great story. I have the book as well as the audible. It's nice to listen as you get to hear each character.

Love this book

Using multiple people as readers makes it come alive. Even better than reading it. Great story

Guernsey

This is one of the best books I’ve ever listened to. Full of laughter and tears both. The readers were excellent and distinct voices, you always knew which character was speaking. I enjoyed how creatively the book was written. In the beginning I was confused not knowing it was letters that were being read. But it was very easy to follow and listen to. Clean subject, very PG rated book. This is a book I’ll listen to over and over again, it makes you want to visit the Channel Islands. Well done!

Sweet but poignant story.

Interesting historical novel with a sweet story. Narrators were very well cast. The characters were brought to life.

An All-Time Favorite!

Delicious is my word for this book. The performances of the readers only add to its charm. This was my 6th time through it, and I anticipate many more.

Like a Warm Bath

I was surprised when I found that I was reading a comfort book. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer and Annie Barrows is just like sitting down in hot bath after a hard day. It’s been such a long time since I’ve read a book like this that I forgot that they existed. Yes, relaxing is the word describing this book.

Schaffer’s and Barrow’s use of letters to communicate the entire novel works very well. Each letter brings a major character more into focus in a slow and engaging manner. The major characters are pleasant people, the kind that you are happy to meet unexpectedly in the grocery store or in the park. Letters from minor characters reveal personality more quickly, doing what the marshmallows do for Marshmallow Mateys.

The book is a nice period piece focusing in, not on World War II itself, but the aftermath in London and on Guernsey. Schaffer and Barrows dish out details about the German occupation of Guernsey slowly through many letters to Juliet. You won’t put this book down being an expert on this occupation, but, if you are like me, you will know much more than you did before you picked it up.

Being a comfort book the authors are very careful to balance out the humanity, and inhumanity, of both the occupiers and the islanders. Unless you are like one of the three undesirable characters in this book, you won’t be able to hate anyone.
Throughout most of the book I was enamored with Juliet and each new warm, quirky character I met. These are the warm, colorful, kind, and intelligent people I dream of meeting. Eventually I realized I was reading a fantasy—not the wizards and dragons kind, but the kind that good dreams are made of. You wake up and know that you will never have a circle of friends this perfect in this world of disappointment. Not fitting into the traditional fantasy genre I term it a comfort book.

Yes, reading Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is like slipping into a hot bath. It’s comfortable, warm, and relaxing. It holds no more surprises than when the bar of soap accidently slips into the water. If this sounds like the thing you need right now. Get a copy and enjoy.

As a side note, I listened to this book on Audible. The letters from different characters were read by different voice actors, all of them distinct, colorful, and professional. The readers added a layer of enjoyment to the literary experience.