Rebecca Nolen, Historical Diaries, writing

Cover of "The Guernsey Literary and Potat... — Cover via Amazon

Ha. So I did my “political” rant of the year and got good alternate opinions. Thank you! Now for something a little lighter and more refreshing.

Here’s a great book for you to enjoy:

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

You know, sometimes books come along that you can’t help but hold up and yell “You have got to read this, people!” and this book is one of those.

Set immediately following WWII the story is about a writer who is at a crossroads because she can’t decide what to write next. Nothing seems to be working. Then she receives a letter from a person in the Guernsey Islands telling her that he is a fan and would she recommend some reading material for him and his friends in the community.

Apparently the Germans invaded and occupied the Channel Islands during the war and declared that because they were English, they were one step away from occupying England. And during that time all forms of communications and any goods and food from England were cut off. No books, no phones, no letters, nothing was allowed.

So these people have been starved of everything for five years or more and the writer decides that there might be a story in this story. So she sets off for Guernsey.

She finds more than a story, but I’ll let you discover this for yourself. Read this book. It’s full of stories of what really happened during the war set into communications through letters.

In this day of quick emails, and instant messaging, it is refreshing to read real correspondence.

Thanks, and come again!