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.

Lovely

A wonderful story. Beautifully read. Kept my interest the entire way through. Very interesting perspective of WWII.

lovely

Difficult to begin with the letter-writing style of writing, but shortly after I was hooked!

Just Wonderful , A perfect reading/listening pleas

i saw the movie first and during the credits it mentioned the book. The book was so much better. This will become a favorite book to listen to over and over again.

Ending rather abrupt

The story was great and I throughly enjoyed it. The only downside was the extremely abrupt ending. the ending came out if no where and the story was over, most unsatisfying.

Wonderful listen and an intriguing story

This book was on my to-read list for forever, so I finally got the audio book so I could listen as I did other tasks. The readers do an amazing job, each letter author gets their own voice and they fit the personalities well. Parts of the story felt a bit rushed and just shoved together, but most of it was wonderful. I would definitely read/listen again.

Simply Delightful

I have historically struggled to maintain focus while listening to audiobooks because I always needed to keep my eyes busy - either watching or reading - and this was my first foray back into listening. After the first hour I re-learned the skill of listening and fell into it entirely, and have since discovered a wonderful new way to experience "reading." The narrators are all very talented and do a spectacular job of capturing the personality of each character as well as the emotions behind their letters. They brought a fantastic story to life in ways I couldn't have hoped for and will be forever pleased to go back and enjoy again. The format of the story, told entirely through letters, telegraphs, and notes shared between characters, is refreshing and different but just as captivating as traditional third person storytelling. Love, love, loved it. Will recommend to everyone I know. And the title makes for excellent conversation.

Interesting characters

Initially it’s a bit confusing due to the number of characters writing letters to one another, but once you meet the characters, you grow fond of each and enjoy the story line.

Wonderful!

Listened to it several.times. The last time was just as delightful as the first. I came to know the characters as friends during my long commute. Absolutely worth a listen.

A historical fiction favorite

Would you listen to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society again? Why?

I would listen to this again. Interesting,quirky characters in a historical fiction setting is a favorite combination of mine.

What about the narrators’s performance did you like?

Good with men's and women's voices.

Sweet story - great readers

This is a rather predictable yet sweet story. It was a nice switch from the crime and mystery books I typically listen to. The various readers gave interest to the listen and I enjoyed the author's description of the island. Good winter read/listen.