The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Read this book. In fact, go out and buy it, don’t even get it from the library. This is the type of book that you could read during a crappy day or week and feel better instantly. Sadly the author died just as the book was being published so I don’t think there will be a sequel although her niece (an author in her on right) did help with editing and finishing the book.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a book club filled wtih quirky, funny and endearing people. The setting is the Island of Guernsey just after the end of World War 2,

The main character is a writer, Julia who is finishing up a book tour. She receives a letter from a man on Guernsey who has come upon a secondhand book of hers with her name and address in the front. He writes asking for the name of the bookstore and address where she bought the book because he wants to read some more. With that a corresopndence begins and Julia’s life is changed forever.

The story is told in letter form. Notes back and forth between all the characters. It’s a charming way of telling a story and makes you feel a bit like you’re reading someone else’s diary. There is much about how the book club came into existence and how each of the characters endured the occupation of Guernsey by the Germans.

This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The story is poignant and the characters are a delight to get to know. I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the book “Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones”. I highly recommend that you read and enjoy this book.