Welcome to the Words, Wine and Women Bookclub.

Discover, debate and discuss books over wine with Libby, Jenna, Kat and Char from Sentinel Pass in the Wine, Women & Words Bookclub.

Our First Book:

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

“ 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. (description from the hardcover, from randomhouse.com.)

Available for purchase:
Amazon.com | B&N

Questions

1. The most heart-wrenching moment for me in this book was when the parents on the island had to decide whether to send their children away to keep them safe or keep them near and hope for the best. What would you do?

2. There were some unconventional heroines in this book—the main protagonist, of course, but also the women who dared eat pig—and set up a book club. One woman fell in love a member of the occupying force and stood up to her brutal captors. Each was tested by her times and by love. Discuss.

3. Humor. For me, there were an equal number of smiles and tears in this book. Share your favorite example of each.