#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. “Treat yourself to this book, please—I can’t recommend it highly enough.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love “I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that … there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” 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’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 friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. 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, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable 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.
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
“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.”—People
“A book-lover’s delight, an implicit and sometimes explicit paean to all things literary.”—Chicago Sun-Times
“A sparkling epistolary novel radiating wit, lightly worn erudition and written with great assurance and aplomb.”—The Sunday Times (London)
“Cooked perfectly à point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish.”—The Times (London)
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Loved the story, felt swept away by the era and the location. Loved it…made watching the movie even better
I enjoyed the historical details and the characters. Great read and the movie is great also.
Loved this book
loved this book
My favorite book!
Characters you’ll love. Great historical fiction. Happy ending.
One of my all time favorite books.
I loved the format of the story being told with nothing more than the exchange of letters! I knew nothing of these islands during WWII so it was a great exploration for me.
My book club read this and everyone loved it.
Have been to Guernsey many times & have heard from those involved about the WW2 situation there. This was true to the times & happenings there.
This is one of my all-time favorite books. Not only did I learn about a place where the War took place in history that I did not know about, but the characters were so appealing, I felt like I was living day to day with them during this difficult time. I have read this book several times and even watched the movie adaptation this past year. The …
Excellent book!
Wonderful. The movie was even better
This was such a great read! I really loved the way the characters were developed and the story it told of a piece of WW2 I had never heard about.
I just fell in love with this book. Loved everything about it.
Much better than the horrible movie netflix made. The book is a gem!
Lovely story with great atmospherics and believable characters.
I so thoroughly enjoyed this book. And I learned a lot about the War and Guernsey Island history. I saw the movie and it was good, but the book was much better. A keeper.
I loved this assortment of interesting characters and events set during the second world war. It was inspirational the way they supported and cared for one another under the threat of Nazi occupation.
This is one of my favorites- a unique group of people, friendships and book loving.