The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is an audiobook by Annie Barrows, narrated by Paul Boehmer and Susan Duerden and Rosalyn Landor and John Lee and Juliet Mills. The unabridged Audible edition runs 8 hrs 6 mins.
Publisher’s Summary
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A NETFLIX FILM • A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.
“Treat yourself to this book, please—I can’t recommend it highly enough.”—Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love
“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she’s never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb. . . .
As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, Juliet is drawn into the world of this man and his friends—and what a wonderfully eccentric world it is. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the society’s members, learning about their island, their taste in books, and the impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by their stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds will change her forever.
Written with warmth and humor as a series of letters, this novel is a celebration of the written word in all its guises and of finding connection in the most surprising ways.
Praise for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society
“A jewel . . . Poignant and keenly observed, Guernsey is a small masterpiece about love, war, and the immeasurable sustenance to be found in good books and good friends.”—People
“A book-lover’s delight, an implicit and sometimes explicit paean to all things literary.”—Chicago Sun-Times
“A sparkling epistolary novel radiating wit, lightly worn erudition and written with great assurance and aplomb.”—The Sunday Times (London)
“Cooked perfectly à point: subtle and elegant in flavour, yet emotionally satisfying to the finish.”—The Times (London)
Audiobook Details
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer and Susan Duerden and Rosalyn Landor and John Lee and Juliet Mills
- Length: 8 hrs 6 mins
- Publisher: Random House Audio
- Release year: 2008
- Audible category: Literature & Fiction / Genre Fiction / Literary Fiction
Listener Ratings
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society holds an average listener rating of 4.6/5 from 14322 Audible ratings.
On Audible, ratings for this title break down into narration performance and story separately:
- Performance (narration): 4.8/5
- Story: 4.7/5
- 5-star ratings: 74% of all ratings
What Audible Listeners Are Saying
5/5 stars — “Love, Love, Love”
I love, love, love this book. I’ll admit that despite several recommendations that it took me a very long time to pick this book up. I have a tendency to avoid depressing books and movies and knowing that it was about post-WWII, I just knew it was going to be absolutely, positively gloomy. But how wrong I was.<br/><br/>Written in the form of letters between several different characters, our main character/heroine, Juliet, is introduced to people of Guernsey via a letter from one of its residents who happens to find her name in a book that he was reading. They begin a correspondence that then blossoms into a relationship with the whole town once Juliet finds out about the townspeople and their literary society. The literary society was formed initially as a cover story to keep a few residents from getting in trouble during the Nazi occupation when they are found breaking curfew, and then blossoms into a true literary society once the residents discover the power of books which help carry them through the toughest times in their lives.<br/><br/>There are definitely a few sad moments in the book, but despite that, this book is overwhelmingly heartwarming and funny. I was absolutely shocked how often I laughed. I listened to this as an audiobook and as I mostly listen to audiobooks while I run, I must have looked like an complete loon running with a constant smirk on my face and randomly bursting out in laughter.<br/><br/>And just like Juliet, I fell in love with Guernsey and it’s residents. I rarely cry (especially at books and movies) and I found myself holding back tears of joy as I finished the last chapter of this book. I wished it would never end and I was sad to leave them when the last page was read.<br/><br/>I cannot recommend this book enough. It will lift your spirits and brighten your day in so many unexpected ways.— KK, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “Hallmark Hall of Fame movie material?”
What a wonderful cast of characters and readers. I typically find when a "cast" reads the story the narration doesn’t work as well. However, with this book it worked wonderfully, possibly because of the format of telling the story through the letters. The presentation of the German concentration camp experiences was perfectly managed without getting too graphic. I think this would make a great Hallmark Hall of Fame movie.— Garland L. Burch, Audible listener
5/5 stars — “One of the best”
Heatwarming, informative, engrossing, lovable characters . . . I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narration was perfect and it was an all-around delight to listen to. Strongly recommended.— Kathy in CA, Audible listener
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