So far this year, we’ve read books that are new to me, which has been fun. I’ve enjoyed reading from different genres and finally being able to check a few books off my to-be-read list that have been there for quite a while. Although I had initially planned to only read new books this year (ie. books I’ve never read), I’m going to break that unofficial rule for April, because sometimes going back to comfort is just as exciting as reading something unfamiliar.
I first read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society when I was in University. I’m pretty sure it was one of the many books I bought while I was shopping during breaks between classes (when I should have been reading something for one of many English Lit courses). I fell in love with the characters, and time period and I think it may have been the true beginning of my love for historical fiction. I have since read it at least two more times and it’s always at the top of my recommended reads. It’s been at least five years since I’ve read it and there is a film adaptation being released this month (though no news yet on a Canadian theatrical release — here’s hoping it lands on Netflix soon), so now seems like a good time to get back to it.
If you’re not familiar with The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, here’s the description:
“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 humour 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.
Get your copy of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society here (also available in hardcover, e-book and audiobook).
Have you read this month’s pick? Will you be joining me in reading it again this month?
SHOP THIS POST:
