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Letters from Guernsey

Posted by Robyn Lee in Reviews on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 1:30 PM

When I heard the name of the book that we were supposed to read for book club, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, I thought it was a joke. What could the book even be about?

As I started to read, I realized the entire book is comprised of letters. At first I was annoyed by the style. I wanted one voice and I was confused by all of the characters, but as the letters continued I was intrigued and couldn’t put the book down.

The book begins with letters from London author, Juliet Ashton. She is writing snail mail (and even telegrams) to her publisher, her friends, and eventually to the inhabitants of Guernsey Island.

I had never heard of Guernsey, but luckily there was a map on the inside cover of the book (Guernsey is in the English Channel).

We first learn of Guernsey Island when Juliet receives a letter from farmer, Dawsey Adams. Dawsey read one of Juliet’s books for the neighborhood book club. Dawsey explains that the book club is called The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and it was formed accidentally during the German occupation. The literary society was just a made-up story to explain why a group of friends were out past curfew, but then it became an actual gathering that the Guernsey people enjoyed.

Juliet wanted to hear more.

As the novel continues you read the letters from all the members of the society. They write to Juliet about books, the way of the island, the hardships of the German occupation and suddenly the characters start to become your friends.

One character, Isola, writes to Juliet about how much she enjoyed reading Wuthering Heights: “reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad books.”

Another islander writes about the literary society being his only joy during the war. Eben Ramsey writes to Juliet: “We clung to our books and to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part to us.”

I found the letters charming. They transported me to another time and reading the back and forth between the characters made me want to write letters again. (I don’t even know the cost of a stamp!)

My sister Alison told me that after reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society she encouraged her kids to write letters to family and friends during Lent.

I like her idea. Sitting down to write a letter allows me to slow down a little, collect my thoughts, and let someone know that I am thinking of them. My friend Heather is always sending me little notes or funny cards. It is a simple gesture that makes my day.

My sister Maryan Vander Woude wrote “The Lost Art of Letter Writing” in the May/June 2009 issue of Faith & Family magazine. In the article she wrote about finding a lost treasure: her letter box tin.

I too have a special box filled with letters from my dad that he wrote to me in college, special birthday cards from my Aunt Jane who has since passed, and other memorable notes that I love to read. There is something about a handwritten letter that is so precious.

What about you? Do you still write regular ol’ letters? Do you keep snail mail letters that are special to you?

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