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.

Sweet novel, well worth reading

Witty, funny, poignant. A modern-day epistolary novel, after the style of 84 Charing Cross Road. The conclusion was a bit wet, but otherwise a very sweet book, very well read.

Would give it more stars if I could

Wonderful narration coupled with a good story. I have listened to hundreds of audio books over the years and this ranks as one of the best. Well done authors and cast!

From light to dark and back again

The light tone that this book begins with gradually descends into darker material as we get deeper into the atrocities of WWII. However, the engaging heroine and other characters keep you wanting more, even as you know you are heading into a plot line with a sad ending. The author's epistolary style effectively conveys the warm comraderie of the island, contrasting it with a chilling portrait of the Ravensbruck concentration camp that I found haunting. I would also liked to have seen more of some of the peripheral characters. There is a lighter, if bittersweet, ending to the whole book that gives us hope.

If there were seven stars available...

Everything I want it a book, doubly enhanced by having it read so convincingly. Usually I treat myself to books as I do physical work; this one kept me awake at nights concentrating on listening with laughter and tears.

A fine dramatic performance of an excellent book!

I expect a good book to be just that as an audiobook, but this one became much more in audio! The readers were outstanding...particularly the actor reading Juliet's letters. I highly recommend listening -- even if you've previously read the book.

An excellent piece of writing, and great narration

I shared this audio with my family and we listened together. What a treat to listen to these narrators (perfectly matched to their characters) and be with the people dearest to me.

We approached each listening time with excitement and planned to get back to the book in a hurry. It was as though we had opened a box of letters from long ago, peeked into the lives of people made stronger, and found the true meaning of companionship.

I had to find my pen, postcards and stamps. Away my notes went in the post! I now look forward to the replies from the pens of my family and friends.

Bravo!

The Guernsey Potato Peel Literary Society

I must say, at first I thought this book might not be what I was looking for. However I do have a 4 hour drive from NY to NH. I think it was about the third disk that I began to realize, I have my own jounal. I also "save" all e-mails from my sister.
This book turned out to be wonderful, especially if you realize the full value of your own life. How wonderful to be able to captivate that!
I thought I would be somewhat bored by this book, but you know what, this book actually, in a creative way, gives all of us the freedom to record all of that stuff, racing through the fields with our child or grandchild ... chasing butterflies and the men most unlikely to show up.
Good book. Just remember, in life, sometimes it takes a little time to catch on
Thanks, Diane

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. By the end of the book I felt like the characters were all friends of mine. The story unfolds as the characters pen letters to one another.

Fabulous audio book

The narration of this book is fabulous in that the British characters are narrated with the appropriate British accents and by both male and female voices. The story itself is very well crafted and would've been a great read but is an even better book to listen to.

Perspective

As others have written, this is an endearing story presented as primary source material. Lord knows I have all the letters my mother wrote her mother from 1942 to 1950 while my father was first in the war and then stationed in Germany. So all the back and forth of letter writing rings true. The matter-of-fact narratives of these letters belies the extraordinary experiences that ordinary people were having. Living through occupation was both mundane and not.

Kudos to the author, but also the narrators, who were terrific.

I recommend that after listening to this story, you purchase the Book Thief by Markus Zusak. The perspective of this book is still of occupied country, but it is the German people themselves who are just as beleagured as those of Guernsey but for the same yet different reasons.The Book Thief is considered "young adult", but that label sells this novel short. It is a perfect complement to the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.