The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer (Author), Annie Barrows (Author), Annie Barrows (Author), Mary Ann Shaffer (Author)

Synopsis

It's January, 1946, and writer Juliet Ashton sits at her desk, vainly seeking a subject for her next book. Out of the blue, she receives a letter from one Dawsey Adams of Guernsey - by chance, he's acquired a secondhand book that once belonged to Juliet - and, spurred on by their mutual love of Charles Lamb, they begin a correspondence. When Dawsey reveals that he is a member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet's curiosity is piqued, and it's not long before she begins to hear from the other members. As the letters fly back and forth with stories of life in Guernsey under the German Occupation, Juliet soon realizes that the society is every bit as extraordinary as its name. There's gawky Isola, who makes love potions to sell along with her vegetables; Eben, a fisherman with a passion for Shakespeare; Will, erstwhile ironmonger and the creator of the famous potato peel pie; and Dawsey himself, a farmer with a shy manner and a tender heart. Most poignant of all are the memories of Elizabeth, the founding member of the society, who fell in love with a German officer, saved a starving prisoner, and was sent away to a concentration camp, leaving her child behind. Sustained by books and one another, the islanders have battled the bitter hardships of World War II. Juliet, entranced by their stories and their spirit, decides to visit Guernsey to meet her new friends properly. A moving tale of the power of friendship, books, and love, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society will beguile the heart and mind.

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Quantity

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 256
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Published: 04 Aug 2008

ISBN 10: 0747589194
ISBN 13: 9780747589198
Book Overview: An extraordinary tale of love and wartime friendship, this book will win the heart of every reader. A GBP65,000 nostalgic, wartime-themed consumer campaign, including major nationwide outdoor advertising, will ensure that everyone is aware of this bright, lively treat of a book. For fans of Rosamund Pilcher, Mary Wesley and the much-loved titles 84 Charing Cross Road and The Land Girls.
Prizes: Shortlisted for Independent Booksellers' Week Book of the Year Award: Adults' Book of the Year 2009.

Media Reviews
'This book is the perfect example of a novel that leaves you shouting Three Cheers' Mavis Cheek 'Moving, authentic and funny' Paul Torday, author of SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN 'I can't remember the last time I discovered a novel as smart and delightful as this one.' Elizabeth Gilbert 'What a gorgeous book - very touching and funny and deeper than one might have thought at 1st glance. I never knew all about Guernsey and the war - thank you so much' Joanna Lumley
Author Bio
MARY ANN SHAFFER was born in 1934 in Martinsburg, West Virginia. She became interested in Guernsey while visiting London in 1976. On a whim, she decided to fly to Guernsey but became stranded there as a heavy fog descended and no boats or planes were permitted to leave the island. As she waited for the fog to clear, she came across a book called Jersey Under the Jack-Boot, and so her fascination with the Channel Isles began. Many years later, when goaded by her own literary club to write a book, Mary Ann naturally thought of Guernsey. Mary Ann died in February 2008. She knew that this, her only novel, was to be published in thirteen countries.