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Allison Larkin

Internationally Best-Selling Author

You are here: Home / books are awesome / The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

April 1, 2009 Filed Under: books are awesome

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is about a writer and her growing relationship with the inhabitants of the island of Guernsey after the German occupation, as she searches for subject matter for her next book. The story is told through a series of letters to and from her editor, the members of the Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and some assorted friends and relations.

When I realized the entire book was letters, I worried about the way the story would unfold. I thought this method of story telling might make for choppy reading, missing details, or information being added unnaturally to the letters, since there is no other narrative in this book. But the book is a marvel. It’s so well crafted and the story progresses easily. The characters’ voices are strong and the subject matter is fascinating. I’ve read The Diary of Anne Frank, and Night, but I’d never given much thought to the challenges facing non-soldiers outside of concentration camps in German-occupied areas of Europe during WWII.

While the subject matter is certainly heavy, the book doesn’t read that way.
This book was an absolute delight to read. I finished it a few days ago and am so sad it’s over.

Sadly, this was Mary Ann Shaffer’s first and only book. She became ill, and was unable to complete the editing process. Her niece, Annie Barrows, stepped in to complete the book. Ms. Shaffer passed away in 2008, just before The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was published.

4 Comments

Comments

  1. Neil says

    April 1, 2009 at 5:15 pm

    Wow, the author’s story is as heavy as the premise of the book. For a funny, light use of letter writing as a novel, check out “Who Moved My Blackberry?” which is a British import. It’s written entirely from one person’s emails, leaving us to imagine what the other emails are saying.

    Reply
  2. TMC says

    April 2, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    I read this one! I liked it. I enjoy epistolary novels and thought it was well done. Heavy subject but not an overall heavy tone. Quirky characters are always a draw for me.

    Reply
  3. Vanessa says

    April 4, 2009 at 5:29 pm

    I’m taking this as a sign. This is the 6th time this week I have been encouraged to read this book, including having someone GIVE it to me. Ok, ok, I’m taking the hint and heading for the couch!

    Reply
  4. C.J.Duffy says

    April 6, 2009 at 3:30 pm

    I find this really interesting as I have been using ‘sent letters’ and diary pieces by way to add ‘flavour’ and a historical perspective to my books. They are a great device but you have to be really brave to write a whole book of letters to tell the narrative.

    Reply

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Glamour shot. #dailyroxydog #huskymix #chihuahuami Glamour shot. #dailyroxydog #huskymix #chihuahuamix #huskychihuahuadachshund #dog
How’s relaxing going, you ask? Well, so far I’ How’s relaxing going, you ask? Well, so far I’ve cleaned the gutters and raced Roxy to the vet ER to determine she did not (thankfully) eat any of the scrap of composite plastic decking she magically found out of freaking nowhere. (Getting pet insurance was the smartest thing I’ve ever done). I’m extremely bad at rest. Although I do find puttering around the house kind of meditative. Cleaning the gutters exhausted my body, but calmed my mind (briefly).
This is our neighbor, Francis. We visit Francis a This is our neighbor, Francis. We visit Francis a couple times a week and we all like to stand around staring at each other. It’s lovely. Francis seems just as interested in us as we are in them. (And look at that stance! And Francis’s little paw resting on the ledge 😍). #groundsquirrel #groundsquirrelsofinstagram #dailyroxydog #dogstagram #neighbors
I don’t think there’s anything more comforting I don’t think there’s anything more comforting than lying in a hammock. I’m exhausted. I’ve pushed against the limits of my being very hard all summer working on my draft and I definitely need to soak up some calm quiet on a large scale. Which is also to say if I owe you a call/email/text, it might take me a week or two to circle back. I’m going to catch up with myself and then with everyone else this time. Which I think might mean spending as much time as I can lying in my hammock listening to birds. #rest
There are few greater joys than a long walk with a There are few greater joys than a long walk with a curious little dog. #dailyroxydog #seenonmywalk #dogsofinstagram
All I ever want is an endless stream of tiny snack All I ever want is an endless stream of tiny snacks to crunch while I’m working. But since I have MCAS and it limits my diet, most of what I eat is food I make myself. Thankfully, corn tortillas are a safe food for me (everyone’s MCAS is different — so please don’t take my safe foods as any kind of sign they’re safe for someone else who has MCAS). Today, I remembered that I  have tiny cookie cutters, so I made myself a bowl of mini chips. I tossed them with lime juice and salt and threw them in the air fryer. And then, of course, because I don’t want to waste food, I did the same for the scrap pieces (which somehow tasted even better!). So happy! #tortillachips
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