Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers. How delightful if that were true.
As soon as this book was published, it was a classic. This is the most heartwarming book I have ever read, and I can guarantee it will be read and loved by generations to come.
Set in the aftermath of World War II, this book is based on the correspondence of Juliet, a witty newspaper columnist stuck for ideas. But inspiration falls in her lap in the form of a letter from Dawsey, a man who has come into possession of a book previously owned by Juliet, and the two soon become fast penpals. Dawsey tells her of Guernsey, which suffered under German occupation during the war, and of the Literary and Potato Peel Society, which was founded as a way for the island’s inhabitants to come together and socialise under the noses of the Nazis.
Dawsey describes each of the members with such warmth and humour, that Juliet can’t help but find an excuse to visit the island for herself. And once she does, her life will never be the same.
Reading this book always leaves me with a big goofy smile on my face. It is funny, lovely, heartbreaking, redemptive, optimistic, and every other adjective for ‘wonderful’ that I can think of. I have recommended this to countless people, and every single one of them has fallen in love with this book. So what are you waiting for?
