The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Read Time: 3 Minutes

I do enjoy ridiculous, weird, or comically long titles on books, and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is certainly a mouthful. But behind that unwieldy name is a genuinely charming story told entirely through letters and telegrams.

Juliette Ashton, writing under the pen name Izzy Bickerstaff, is a London author still trying to find her feet in the aftermath of the war. When she receives a letter from a man named Dawsey Adams on the island of Guernsey, it sparks a correspondence that opens a window into a small, eccentric community recovering from the German occupation.

Through the letters, we meet the “Society” itself. They’re a mix of farmers, labourers, and other locals who once blurted out the name of their made-up club to avoid being arrested for breaking curfew… and from there, history started writing itself. What began as a cover story became a lifeline for its members during some of the island’s darkest years. Their humour and resilience come through beautifully in the correspondence. It feels surprisingly personal and immediate for such a slow way of communicating.

There’s a gentle romance that threads through it all. Juliette is briefly courted by Markham Reynolds – a brash American who is intent of marrying Juliette even though he’s obviously wrong for her. The real heart sits with Dawsey, who’s far less flashy but much more genuine. It’s a slow-burn sort of connection, made sweeter by the fact they’ve never met in person for most of the story.

What I really liked is how the letter format gives such an intimate sense of character. You get fragments of daily life and small details about the occupation – the rationing, the confiscations, the way the islanders slowly ran out of everything, even firewood. It’s an easy read (or listen), but there’s a quiet sadness underneath, and those historical moments give it weight.

Now, I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I will anyway. The edition I listened to was the film tie-in version, and those always irritate me. The UK edition has a much more charming original cover – I’ve added it below for contrast. Out of curiosity, I sampled the UK audiobook too, which is narrated by Charlie Norfolk. She’s just as good as Taylor Owynns, maybe even a little better suited to the tone. I’m honestly considering grabbing the UK copy just to compare.

All up, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is one of those quietly lovely listens. Heartfelt without being sappy, lightly humorous but never flippant, and full of characters you feel you might actually know and long to meet in person. It captures a small piece of history in a very human way, through the letters, the little acts of kindness, and the connections that form long after the war has ended.

As it turns out and after a bit of poking around after my rant above, there are seemingly a number of versions out there. I think this is my favourite, though!

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