Bluffton Public Library’s adult book discussion group’s focus in March is “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows.

The book discussion, open to the public, is at noon, Wednesday, March 6, in the library. The monthly discussion group is open to new members and registration is suggested. The group meets the first Wednesday of every month, and occasionally has the author visit via Skype. 

Copies of each month’s books are available for checkout the month prior to each discussion. E-mail [email protected] for more information.

Book synopsis

A No. 1 New York Times Bestseller, and now a major motion picture on Netflix: A remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name. 

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.

About the authors

Mary Ann Shaffer was born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, in 1934. Her career included libraries, bookstores (including the renowned Book Passage), and publishing, but her life-long dream was to "write a book that someone would like enough to publish." 

Mary Ann Shaffer became interested in Guernsey while visiting London in 1976. On a whim, she decided to fly to Guernsey but became stranded there when a thick fog descended and all boats and planes were forbidden to leave the island. While stranded, she learned of the German occupation of the Channel Islands and became fascinated with the topic. 

Many years later, when goaded by her book club to write a novel, Mary Ann naturally thought of Guernsey. She chose to write in the epistolary form because, "for some bizarre reason, I thought it would be easier." Several years of work yielded The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which was greeted with avid enthusiasm, first by her family, then by her writing group, and finally by publishers around the world. Sadly, Mary Ann's health began to decline shortly thereafter, and she asked her niece, Annie Barrows, to help her finish the book. 

Annie Barrows was born in 1962 in San Diego, California, but quickly moved to a small town called San Anselmo in the San Francisco Bay Area. She spent most of her childhood at the library. 

She's worked her way up the publishing ladder before turning to writing. She has written a number of children's books, starting with "Ivy + Bean". 

Upcoming titles for discussions

April 3: “The Stranger in the Woods” by Michael Finkel, including Skype Visit from author

May 1: "The Heart’s Invisible Furies" by John Boyne

June 5: "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney", including Skype visit from author