Potato Peel Pie

What do books, potato peel pie, and Nazis have to do with each other? Plenty, if you are reading the wonderful new novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I never cared much for dry history textbooks, I’m afraid, but give me some good historical fiction and I’ll absorb the history like a sponge. Did you know that the Channel Islands off the coast of England were occupied by the Germans during World War II? Have you ever given much thought to what daily life was like during the occupation? I had not, but got a taste of it all while reading this book. The story is written as a series of letters between the characters, who include Juliet, a young author from London, her publisher, a few friends, and the delightful folks she befriends on Guernsey. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society turns strangers into friends through reading great books together and striving to make the best of a very difficult time. I really felt as if I knew each of the characters and found myself staying up much too late each night to find out how their lives would turn out. It is an easy read and a delightful one -perfect for a quiet afternoon with scones and a cup of tea.