Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The

I picked up this book so often but the letter format put me off. I finally bought it at Costco (big discount). It sat around for awhile. Then when I picked it up I could hardly put it down.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (2008, Dial Press/Random House) tells the story of a young writer in post-World War II England who uncovers a story of love and sacrifice between a British woman and a German soldier (a doctor) on the Channel Island of Guernsey. In so doing (guess what?) she finds love, too. Humor and pathos.

This is a gentle, lovely book; inspiring, too. Perfect summer reading. Or airplane read (but I would wait and savor it while on vacation or stay-cation, whatever it may be.)

The film is due out in 2011 but the Internet Movie Database lists it as “in development” and is mum on details. Didn’t find anything on Google either but I didn’t look that hard.

When you read the book you can just imagine who could play the characters that populate its pages. I think I hear a Joan Plowright there….

The lead actress will play someone about 33 years old, not too tall. Please don’t say Amy Adams. She’s too cute. This has to be a woman who could put out fires (literally) during the London blitz.

Kate Winslet would be awesome in the lead now for a 35-year old British actor ….