Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle)

By the third page of this wonderful epistolary novel of the island of Guernsey during the German occupation, I was captivated by its characters, especially the charming, self-effacing author, Juliet Ashton, and her emerging friendship, conducted by post, with the recently liberated islanders. The whole novel is an homage to books and bibliophiles, and a moving reflection on the horrors of war.

Just after World War II, a journalist and author is looking for her next big project when by chance, she receives a letter from a man on Guernsey, the British island that was occupied by the Germans. Gradually she becomes absorbed into the stories and lives of the island's inhabitants. Funny, poignant, and charming, this is a novel that would make a marvelous read for anyone.