Title: The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie SocietyAuthor: Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Synopsis: 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’d never met, a native of Guernsey. He'd 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. 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 cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Juliet begins a 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.
Tosca's note: This book was my top read for 2008 for a very simple reason - it made me feel. I laughed, gasped in shock, cried, smiled, gasped in horror, commiserated and rejoiced aloud. And then promptly recommended to everyone I talked to forever after. Surely the mark of a really good book is one that moves you? I was on tenterhooks about the group's reaction to this title because it was my choice :)
Discussion questions
1. This is the first book that we have read so far in letter form, how did you cope with the style?
Skillfully done, took some of us a while to get into the feel of the book, some of us got into it quite quickly. Get a really good idea of the person writing the letter and how they think.
2. What did you think of the title of the book? Did you find it appropriate that it was Elizabeth that dreamt up the name of the society?
Yes, She’s quite a thinker. And she was so different and quirky and such a fascinating person. Elizabeth is just the shining light of the whole thing. It’s almost like she lives on because there’s a society in memory of her. It was interesting that Juliet decided to go with Elizabeth as the focus of the book and you realised what a unique person she was, her strength of character and the way she touched everyone’s lives. It wasn’t just rose-coloured spectacles that made her seem greater than she was – they realised that Elizabeth actually was truly good. She was nonjudgemental and didn’t see the Germans all as one bad people. Sydney suggested that Juliet focus it on Elizabeth but make it a book for the little girl so she could have something of her mum for herself.
3. What was your first impression of Dawsey, and did it change over time?
I thought he was an old man. You realised that there was a lot more to him and he was a good man. A lot of the Islanders thought Sydney was Juliet’s love interest and I did, too, for a little while. Dawsey and Juliet had that lovely moment on the cliff and then Mark turned up. UGH. I thought Dawsey was never going to make his feelings for Juliet known. Mark was a domineering man. What about when Dawsey was in town with the French woman and I actually thought, ‘OHMYGOD.’ And Juliet thought the announcement was going to be a horrid one involving the French woman. Kit was instrumental in Juliet’s discovering how awful Mark really was. How could she love a man who didn't like children? What wasn't to like about Kit?
Discussion began around the co-author having to finish the novel on behalf of her aunt who had died and never got to see the book in print. She was very sick and tired and didn’t have the energy to finish the book. Very poignant. Former librarian.
Discussion around how mail would have been delivered/picked up back then as some replies were immediate. Talking about how letter writing was an art form.
4. In what ways were Elizabeth and Juliet similar?
They were both outsiders. Both instantly likeable. Didn’t take the conventional path. They didn’t feel as if you had to conform. I looked at them as tall poppies and I love tall poppies because they kept growing above the radar and, even though they got chopped down, they kept on growing. They had the courage of their convictions – for their work and for the prison camp. In both cases it brought about Elizabeth’s demise. Someone questioned why Elizabeth ended up in such a harsh prison environment – Megan re-read the passage that led to Elizabeth’s execution. We all hoped tht Elizabeth would come back. I hoped that she would be like a phoenix and rise again or somehow survive against all odds.
5. Who was your favourite member of ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’?
Mine was Dawsey :) John Booker. I liked all of them. One of the letters that he wrote was my favourite in the whole book – where he found the wine. It was so funny! He thought all his Christmases had come at once. There were charming stories all the way through and I liked the one about the two best friends - one recommended his best friend a particular title and the friend did and was offended by what he thought his friend was trying to tell him. Little nuggets were all the way through it. There was also the guy who read the one book over and over because each time he got so much out of it. While the book focused on the main characters you did get some interesting little tidbits about the surrounding villagers/farmers. Isola was a very quirky character and Sydney sent her that book on reading people’s head bumps (phrenology) and she picked out the bad lady because of it.
6. What did you think of Adelaide’s description of the members of the Society? “There are only two respectable people in the Society – Eben Ramsey and Amelia Maugery. The other members: a rag-and-bone man, a lapsed Alienist who drinks, a stuttering swine-herd, a footman posing as a lord, and Isola Pribby, a practising witch, who, by her own admission, distils and sells potions.”
Then there was that nice lady Adelaide. It was just funny the letters she wrote. What is an ‘alienist’? In this context? I felt sorry for Adelaide, though, because she would never truly see the good of the people. Much laughter when Merrin re-read Juliet’s P.S. about regularising her connection with the pig farmer LOL
7. Do you agree with Isola’s comment after reading Wuthering Heights? “I don’t believe that after reading such a fine writer as Emily Bronte I will be happy to read again Miss Amanda Gillyflower’s Ill-Used By Candlelight. Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books.” Or do you think there is a place for both good and bad books?
Tosca's note: Merrin directed this question at me and my response was: 'You’re asking someone who edits the romance newsletter? There’s a time to appreciate the badly written books and there’s a time to appreciate the great stuff. The great stuff makes me appreciate the bad stuff more and the bad books makes me appreciate the good stuff more.' *shrugs* Quick, light reads are sometimes a good way to get over a bad working day or week. Merrin’s conflicted. She reads a really good book and then reads a bad one and gets disappointed because the great book got her hopes up. Sometimes you just want to read to get away - in travel, in romance, in history etc. This book was delightful and charming. Megan read aloud a comment from the back of the book: When was the last time you read a book this good?
8. What would have been the worst thing about being on Guernsey during the occupation? And would have it been worse to be on Guernsey or in another country that had been occupied e.g. France?
You wouldn’t have any control over your life. I think life was easier for them than it would’ve been in France, possible. No, I don’t think it was, the German soldiers were harder on those in France than elsewhere. Bringing in the slaves was just so cruel. They had to be so careful of people who would say something to the authorities. Obviously there were people who would tell on the locals. You would have had some collaborators. Desperate measures, it was about survival. If you’re starving you don’t know what you would do.
9. In some ways the novel reminded me of the last two books we have read, the theme of compassion and people remaining true to themselves and their ideals and not letting nationalism take over. What do you think?
They had different laws on the Island. What does Natalie mean by ‘nationalism’? Maybe that they didn’t form a resistance like they did on the mainland, perhaps? They didn’t even really know what was going on in England they were so out of touch.
10. Did you have a Google moment? Would you like to visit the island?
One of our book club members has been to Guernsey as recently as 2 years ago. It’s a very small island with very narrow roads. Beautiful. The main road can only take 1 vehicle. Leslie had seen it travelling on the ferry from St. Marlow to Portsmouth standing up on the deck looking for Guernsey. It’s a bit hilly but not very. Nice beaches. Our book club member who visited there 2 years ago was there on May 7th which is a national holiday to celebrate the end of the war. Now we all want to visit LOL Megan recommends visiting the website www.visitguernsey.com for fantastic pics. Megan also shared that on the website it said that what a lot of people didn’t realise was that the option to send their kids away was not optional, it was voluntary, and this wasn’t really made clear in the book. But you had one day to make a decision and it was hard. I have been assured that I will LOVE it (I so can’t wait). Another book club member visited Guernsey in 1988 and loved being able to visit Victor Hugo’s place of exile.
11. Were you satisfied with the ending of the book – was it too pat with Juliet adopting Kit?
NO you WANTED it to happen! You wanted Kit to love Juliet. Juliet needed a family. What’s wrong with a happy ending at times? I think it was neat the way Isola’s comments told Juliet what she needed to know so she ended up proposing to Dawsey. It was quite funny! It may have been easy to adopt a child back then but now not so much.
12. How do you rate the book from 1 to 5?
5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 4, 4, 4, 4 = average of 4 1/2
End comment from a book club member: Every time I read it I get something different out of it again.
October book: Saturday 30th October, 2010
The Help by Kathryn Stockett: Limited and persecuted by racial divides in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, three women, including an African-American maid, her sassy and chronically unemployed friend, and a recently graduated white woman, team up for a clandestine project.
November book: Please note that our November meeting will now be held Saturday 20th November, 2010
Testimony: a Novel by Anita Shreve: A New England boarding school is rocked in the wake of a sex scandal in which participants were caught on videotape, a situation that derails the innocence and best intentions of students, parents, and others in life-shattering ways.
Tosca's note: I love love love this book and, thanks to the two members of our group who had visited there, I'm even MORE convinced that I want to visit both Jersey Island and Guernsey Island. I've even worked out ferry prices etc. Thanks to gran and mum I grew up watching Bergerac and reading Gerald Durrell (he is my idol) and have always wanted to see these islands and, thanks to this book, I now have one more reason. I'm trying to talk Merrin round to us doing it at the same time :) Thank you EVERYBODY for making this meeting fun!
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