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.

Better than the movie

Loved this story but the book is better than the movie. Romantic, dramatic and funny.

Fabulous Book!

I listened to the Audible performance of this book and it was wonderful! I am so sad that it is over!

Nicely conveys a sense of time and place

I like epistolary novels and this was no exception. I think the voice work by the actors really added to it, and I liked that each character was read by someone different. The book nicely conveys a sense of time (post WWII) and place (Guernsey) that I haven't visited too often in literature. The story of Elizabeth is very moving, and the book does a good job of mixing lighter romantic and comedic elements with serious and harrowing descriptions of Guernsey's occupation under the Germans. Overall, well done.

Guernsey's audio ...beyond compare

The book itself has it all. Yet another interesting feature is the combined efforts of the two writers ... one who came up with the original story and brought it so close to completion, and the other who of necessity was called upon to finish it. But the listening experience ... it's beyond compare. Connect it to listen through your car stereo system, and you'll make any excuse to keep on driving. The audio version has FIVE exceptional readers. I truly can't say enough. If you've never tried audio (especially with this book), you're just not getting the most out of your reading experience.

Charming book in a letter format

I was hesitant to listen to this book due to it being formatted in letters. I took a chance and I am glad I did because the letter format worked surprisingly well. I enjoyed the plot and the well developed characters. The book kept me engaged throughout. Excellent narrator, too!

What a delightful listen

If you enjoyed th Griffin and Sabine novels by Nick Bancock you will love this story.

Great story!!

I really liked this story. At first I was confused that the story was told in letters written between the characters, but I got into it. I didn't want the story to end!!

Made me want to move to Guernsey

I loved the characters in this book. It started slow, but by the end I was in love all the residents of Guernsey

Best book I’ve read in a long time!

This book was recommended to me by a friend who loved it. I read it and loved it. I then recommend to another friend and they loved it. The book is wonderful and the different voices for the characters really makes it great to listen to. I highly text.

Charming, Bittersweet Story

It is a charming and sad but sweet story. It is revealed mostly through correspondence between writer Juliet Ashton and the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The origin of the literary society's name is in itself another story. When Juliet senses a possible book based on the German occupation of this island, she decides to spend a few months in Guernsey and listen to their stories.

The book started off slow and ended quickly. Also, there are a lot of characters in the book, making it hard to keep track of them. After knowing who is who, a second reading of the book sheds more light.