BKMT READING GUIDES

No.
32


 
Informative,
Interesting,
Fun

295 reviews

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

Published: 2018-07-10
Paperback : 304 pages
29 members reading this now
484 clubs reading this now
15 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 279 of 295 members
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � 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.

â??Treat yourself to this book, pleaseâ??I canâ??t recommend it highly enough.â?â??Elizabeth ...
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Introduction

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � 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.

â??Treat yourself to this book, pleaseâ??I canâ??t recommend it highly enough.â?â??Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

â??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.â? 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 sheâ??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 friendsâ??and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Societyâ??born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their islandâ??boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the societyâ??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

â??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.â?â??People

â??A book-loverâ??s delight, an implicit and sometimes explicit paean to all things literary.â?â??Chicago Sun-Times

â??A sparkling epistolary novel radiating wit, lightly worn erudition and written with great assurance and aplomb.â?â??The Sunday Times (London)

â??Cooked perfectly à point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish.â?â??The Times (London)

Editorial Review

No editorial review at this time.

Excerpt

No Excerpt Currently Available

Discussion Questions

1. What was it like to read a novel composed entirely of letters? What do letters offer that no other form of writing (not even emails) can convey?

2. What makes Sidney and Sophie ideal friends for Juliet? What common ground do they share? Who has been a similar advocate in your life?

3. Dawsey first wrote to Juliet because books, on Charles Lamb or otherwise, were so difficult to obtain on Guernsey in the aftermath of the war. What differences did you note between bookselling in the novel and bookselling in your world? What makes book lovers unique, across all generations?

4. What were your first impressions of Dawsey? How was he different from the other men Juliet had known?

5. Discuss the poets, novelists, biographers, and other writers who capture the hearts of the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. What does a reader’s taste in books say about his or her personality? Whose lives were changed the most by membership in the society?

6. Juliet occasionally receives mean-spirited correspondence from strangers, accusing both Elizabeth and Juliet of being immoral. What accounts for their judgmental ways?

7. In what ways were Juliet and Elizabeth kindred spirits? What did Elizabeth’s spontaneous invention of the society, as well as her brave final act, say about her approach to life?

8. Numerous Guernsey residents give Juliet access to their private memories of the occupation. Which voices were most memorable for you? What was the effect of reading a variety of responses to a shared tragedy?

9. Kit and Juliet complete each other in many ways. What did they need from each other? What qualities make Juliet an unconventional, excellent mother?

10. How did Remy’s presence enhance the lives of those on Guernsey? Through her survival, what recollections, hopes, and lessons also survived?

11. Juliet rejects marriage proposals from a man who is a stereotypical “great catch.” How would you have handled Juliet’s romantic entanglement? What truly makes someone a “great catch”?

12. What was the effect of reading a novel about an author’s experiences with writing, editing, and getting published? Did this enhance the book’s realism, though Juliet’s experience is a bit different from that of debut novelist Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece, children’s book author Annie Barrows?

13. What historical facts about life in England during World War II were you especially surprised to discover? What traits, such as remarkable stamina, are captured in a detail such as potato peel pie? In what ways does fiction provide a means for more fully understanding a non-fiction truth?

14. Which of the members of the Society is your favorite? Whose literary opinions are most like your own?

15. Do you agree with Isola that “reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones”?

Suggested by Members

This book is written in the form of letters, how did that effect the way you read this book?
What did you learn about the occupation of the island and how the people coped with the occupation?
Did the ending surprise you?
by Annasnana (see profile) 09/19/13

None
by lnavarette (see profile) 08/10/13

These suggestions are at the back of the book.
by lars (see profile) 06/19/13

What was it like to read a novel composed entirely of letters? What do letters offer that no other form of writing (not even emails) can convey?
In what ways were Juliet and Elizabeth kindred spirits? What did Elizabeth’s spontaneous invention of the society, as well as her brave final act, say about her approach to life?
Do you agree with Isola that “reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones”?
by tiffy121380 (see profile) 02/13/13

Is there anyone you know in your life that may remind you of one of the characters in the book?
Did reading this book intice you to visit the Guernsey Island and if so, what would you hope to find?
What 'important' role do you feel Remy played in this book? Or, did she?
by cherylwilliams5 (see profile) 07/17/11

Think about the people in your life or your grandparents and see how many people you can see in these characters.
by julnelms (see profile) 06/01/11

We used the questions at the end of the book.
by tbauer (see profile) 10/23/10

If the U.S. were occupied by a foreign country during wartime, would you have a hard time with people who fraternized with the enemy?
If you were a Guernsey parent, would you have sent your children away?
by julie1212 (see profile) 12/09/09

The book dealt primarily with relationships between people. Considering how the book club started, how did the people in the book club change in their relationship to each other and also their idea of self?
Stressfull situations bring out the best and the worst in people. Talk about those incidents where stress brought out the worst and the best in people and relate that back to incidents in your own lives.
How did you initially respond to a book written in the form of letters back and forth?? Was it harder to 'get into' and follow the individuals right away, or did you fall right into the story?
by joleen (see profile) 08/03/09

Be sure to use the reading guide for help in your discussion. It is easy to get off topic without it.
by tbushman (see profile) 08/03/09

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

No notes at this time.

Book Club Recommendations

Member Reviews

Overall rating:
 
 
by Melanie M. (see profile) 04/22/24

 
by haeyoung p. (see profile) 12/04/23

Since it was our first book, it was hard to understand the circumstances and story line but ended up really interesting and enjoyable book. Even studied about the world war 2 and the background of the... (read more)

 
by Jacki v. (see profile) 07/25/23

 
by Lakin G. (see profile) 07/16/23

I absolutely adored this book!

 
by Merry H. (see profile) 12/09/22

 
by Amanda B. (see profile) 06/21/22

 
by Renee F. (see profile) 05/25/22

 
by Heather W. (see profile) 02/08/22

 
by Emily M. (see profile) 11/30/21

 
by Laurie S. (see profile) 11/16/21

I loved the narrators of audio book and the story.

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