The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society

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

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society received much praise when it was published in 2008 and it is easy to understand why it has become such a popular book. During a research trip to England, Mary Ann Shaffer, by chance, read about the Nazi occupation of Guernsey during World War II and became fascinated by that history. Eventually, she wrote this book with the help of her niece Annie Barrows. Using the literary device of letters written among a group of individuals, the aspects of life on Guernsey during the occupation are revealed. The "literary society" was formed as a way residents of the island could meet and seemingly avoid the scrutiny of the German occupiers. At their meetings, they could ban together and remain strong under German rule, which was harsh and cruel at times. Shaffer and Barrows have populated the book with some wonderfully eccentric and lively characters and they make the story come alive. While this reader wanted to know more about war-time Guernsey, this book has many charms and is an interesting reading experience.
-Roy