The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in Reading with Style

Jan 23, 2011 Lynda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: winter-challenge-2010-11

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is quite the "lovely" read. It really is. It's the kind of book that I would have been excited to share with my grandmother, if she were still living.

It's also a book that I often found myself picking up and then almost immediately re-shelving.

Why?

1) It's one of Heather's Picks and for some reason my mind automatically equates Heather's Picks with some sort of university inspired Required Reading List. Been t The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is quite the "lovely" read. It really is. It's the kind of book that I would have been excited to share with my grandmother, if she were still living.

It's also a book that I often found myself picking up and then almost immediately re-shelving.

Why?

1) It's one of Heather's Picks and for some reason my mind automatically equates Heather's Picks with some sort of university inspired Required Reading List. Been there, done with that.

2) The plot summary blurb on the back cover. It reads "a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation." Historical fiction is so not my thing.

3) The entire novel is also composed of a series of letters. This format does not appeal to me at all.

Luckily, my mother was gifted a previously read copy of this book over the holidays and my resistance soon became futile. The colorful origami cranes that bookmarked several pages didn't hurt either. Previous reader, I adore you and your mad paper folding skills.

In one of her letters to Sidney and Piers, Juliet writes: "Quite apart from my interest in their interest in reading, I have fallen in love with two men: Eben Ramsey and Dawsey Adams. Chris Fossey and John Booker, I like. I want Amelia Maugery to adopt me, I want to adopt Isola Pribby." As I was reading, I couldn't help but feel the same.

If this novel was a side dish, it would most definitely be a Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow Topping. I was skeptical of The Casserole at first, but now it's one of my holiday favorites. Don't knock it, until you try it.

I recommend this book to: the AYC Women's Auxiliary Book Club and to any Chick Flick fan who would rather read a good book than watch one more Katherine Heigl film.

*I am also very hesitant to recommend this book to most men. This is not a manly man's read and A is so not for ass kicking. However, if you happen to be a fan of South Park you will likely find some enjoyment in repeatedly saying "Ay! Get your bitch-ass back in the kitchen and make me some Potato Peel Pie!" ...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Natalie rated it really liked it

Shelves: book-club

I loved this book! I loved how it was written, I loved the characters and I loved the letters. I think the author did an amazing job pulling you into the story and into the lives of all the characters. By the end of the book I felt like they were all my old friends. I also loved how she made the book about the Holocaust but in a very subtle and behind the scenes kind of way. It was beautiful and heart wrenching. I highly recommend this book!

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