The section I read this week was just as good as past sections, maybe even better. I really liked how the author summed the story up and kept it fun and interesting all the way through. I especially liked the way the author told the story by letters and telegrams between the different characters of the story. It was a new and rewarding experience for me. This was the first book I’ve ever read using the letter or diary format. I think if I come across any other stories of this format, I will surely take a stab at it. The reason I enjoyed it so much was because it can give you insight into the lives of the characters that you might not see otherwise using a regular storytelling format. You get to experience each and every character’s life through their eyes, which is quite similar to first person, but still very different. Instead of only seeing the story through the narrator’s eyes (first person), you can see the story through multiple characters’ eyes (letter).
In this week’s reading, many good things happened, but here I will only go over the highlights. If you want the whole story, I highly recommend getting the book and reading it. First off, Remy, the French girl that served in the concentration camp with Elizabeth, came to stay on Guernsey. She was still very shaken up from the war, but she gradually gets better. Isola finds a few letters by an apparently great author, Oscar Wilde, and gains quite a bit of publicity for it. Although I have never heard of Oscar Wilde, he is supposedly an extremely famous author. The final and most important point from this section came on the last two pages. Juliet and Dawsey finally admit their love for each other (as I predicted from the beginning) and are getting married. It was such a good way to end the story.
In concluding this book, I leave it feeling happy and satisfied. I’m really glad that I read it and I recommend it to anyone looking for a light-hearted, funny story.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
POST #4
A lot of very important things went on in this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It starts off with Juliet arriving in Guernsey and finally getting to meet all of her friends. Almost the whole literary society came to greet her as she got off the boat. Isola was there, there was Eben and his grandson Eli, Kit, Amelia, and of course, Dawsey. They were all so happy to finally meet her, save Kit who gave her one of the evilest stares ever produced by a four year-old. Supper was held at Amelia's house, celebrating Juliet's arrival. Here everyone got to know her a little better and vice versa, and Kit even began to take a liking to Juliet.
Before this memorable night, Juliet and Markham V. Reynolds had a bit of a fight over her going to Guernsey. He is convinced that she is trying to escape from his marriage proposal to her. Juliet explains that it is a necessary trip for her work and that he wouldn't understand. Nothing he said could change her mind. It looks as though their romance is set on standstill, with Mark still awaiting answer to his proposal. Juliet feels as though this is best for her, because she does not wish to end up always being in the limelight, and never writing again.
While staying on Guernsey, Juliet lived in Elizabeth's old cottage that she stayed in during the German Occupation. Elizabeth is Kit's mother, although she has not been seen or heard from since being sent off to a concentration camp for harboring a todt worker. Everyone in the society is missing her greatly and wishing for her to return home safely. Meanwhile, Juliet continues to do research for her book. She interviews everyone within the society and then even reaches out to the other islanders. With all this great help, she still is having trouble getting her book to work. She continually writes to Sophie and Sidney asking for advice for her book, with no luck.
During this section, the people of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society receive a letter from one Remy Giraud regarding Elizabeth McKenna's whereabouts. She wrote about Elizabeth's execution at the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in 1945. She told of Elizabeth's bravery and how she stood up for other women in Block 11 and always found away to keep Remy happy and with hope. Elizabeth told Remy about Guernsey and her literary society. The letter and the news had a huge effect on the people of Guernsey. They all cared for her so much and mourned her death, but were still happy that they knew what happened, instead of living in uncertainty.
Sidney then came to visit Guernsey, and was welcomed with the same enthusiasm as Juliet. He met everyone and made friends with all the literary society members. He was staying Isola in her house. They had late night conversations where Isola asked if Sidney and Juliet were going to get married. Sidney said that they both love each other, but there was no way they could be together. Sidney revealed that he was homosexual. This proved my prediction wrong that there was going to be some kind of romance going on between them, and that Sidney was jealous of Mark Reynolds. After returning home and looking at Juliet's notes, Sidney suggested that she base her story around Elizabeth's life. It was the perfect idea.
It seems as though the relationship between Juliet and Mark Reynolds is completely over, and a new relationship is forming between Juliet and Dawsey. Mark came to Guernsey to see Juliet, but she completely rejected him. Mark gave up and went home. Just before Mark's arrival, it looked like Juliet and Dawsey were going to kiss, but they were interrupted. Sidney and other society members have noticed the two of them looking at each other. I predict that they will fall in love and get married.
Link to xtranormal video:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11433398/The_Guernsey_Literary_and_Potato_Peel_Society_Interview
Before this memorable night, Juliet and Markham V. Reynolds had a bit of a fight over her going to Guernsey. He is convinced that she is trying to escape from his marriage proposal to her. Juliet explains that it is a necessary trip for her work and that he wouldn't understand. Nothing he said could change her mind. It looks as though their romance is set on standstill, with Mark still awaiting answer to his proposal. Juliet feels as though this is best for her, because she does not wish to end up always being in the limelight, and never writing again.
While staying on Guernsey, Juliet lived in Elizabeth's old cottage that she stayed in during the German Occupation. Elizabeth is Kit's mother, although she has not been seen or heard from since being sent off to a concentration camp for harboring a todt worker. Everyone in the society is missing her greatly and wishing for her to return home safely. Meanwhile, Juliet continues to do research for her book. She interviews everyone within the society and then even reaches out to the other islanders. With all this great help, she still is having trouble getting her book to work. She continually writes to Sophie and Sidney asking for advice for her book, with no luck.
During this section, the people of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society receive a letter from one Remy Giraud regarding Elizabeth McKenna's whereabouts. She wrote about Elizabeth's execution at the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in 1945. She told of Elizabeth's bravery and how she stood up for other women in Block 11 and always found away to keep Remy happy and with hope. Elizabeth told Remy about Guernsey and her literary society. The letter and the news had a huge effect on the people of Guernsey. They all cared for her so much and mourned her death, but were still happy that they knew what happened, instead of living in uncertainty.
Sidney then came to visit Guernsey, and was welcomed with the same enthusiasm as Juliet. He met everyone and made friends with all the literary society members. He was staying Isola in her house. They had late night conversations where Isola asked if Sidney and Juliet were going to get married. Sidney said that they both love each other, but there was no way they could be together. Sidney revealed that he was homosexual. This proved my prediction wrong that there was going to be some kind of romance going on between them, and that Sidney was jealous of Mark Reynolds. After returning home and looking at Juliet's notes, Sidney suggested that she base her story around Elizabeth's life. It was the perfect idea.
It seems as though the relationship between Juliet and Mark Reynolds is completely over, and a new relationship is forming between Juliet and Dawsey. Mark came to Guernsey to see Juliet, but she completely rejected him. Mark gave up and went home. Just before Mark's arrival, it looked like Juliet and Dawsey were going to kiss, but they were interrupted. Sidney and other society members have noticed the two of them looking at each other. I predict that they will fall in love and get married.
Link to xtranormal video:
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/11433398/The_Guernsey_Literary_and_Potato_Peel_Society_Interview
Friday, March 11, 2011
POST #3
Once again, this week I read a wonderful section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. The fascination that Juliet has with the people of Guernsey and the other way around is astounding. It's amazing how people can be come such close friends when merely writing to each other and without ever seeing each other's faces. The members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society have really felt a strong connection with Juliet. Now in the upcoming section, they're even going to meet. Juliet plans to make a trip to Guernsey to get a better understanding for her book and also to meet the people with which she has been enjoying writing to. Now I can get a feel for what it's like to have a foreign pen-pal across seas, which is something I have always been interested in doing. Something surprising to me is that a few of the characters that live on Guernsey have been opposed to Juliet's article and upcoming book. They have written her speaking badly of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society and its members, saying how they should not be honored for what they've done. I think it is very disrespectful that fellow islanders are writing to someone who isn't even among them, saying bad things behind the backs the of the society members. I think may just be jealous.
This a link to a website dedicated to tourists planning trips to the Guernsey Channel Islands: http://www.visitguernsey.com/
This is where the Guernsey Literary Society is located. This website is for current times, so it doesn't look the same as it would have in the 1940's, when the book takes place. On the history section of the website, it even discusses some of the events that take place in the book.
This a link to a video about the Neuengamme Concentration Camp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YLd9Bq2Kk
The Neuengamme Concentration Camp was something discussed in the book. One of the minor characters who lived on Guernsey actually lived and ended up almost dying there. It was a horrible concentration camp where about 55,000 people died. Luckily this man survived and was able to be part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
This a link to a website dedicated to tourists planning trips to the Guernsey Channel Islands: http://www.visitguernsey.com/
This is where the Guernsey Literary Society is located. This website is for current times, so it doesn't look the same as it would have in the 1940's, when the book takes place. On the history section of the website, it even discusses some of the events that take place in the book.
This a link to a video about the Neuengamme Concentration Camp:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8YLd9Bq2Kk
The Neuengamme Concentration Camp was something discussed in the book. One of the minor characters who lived on Guernsey actually lived and ended up almost dying there. It was a horrible concentration camp where about 55,000 people died. Luckily this man survived and was able to be part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Friday, March 4, 2011
POST #2:BEGINNING
The main character in the book would be Juliet Ashton. Every letter in the book is either to her or from her. Throughout the first seventy-some pages, she has written to and has been written to by at least ten different characters, but there are only a few that are important at this point in the story. There is Dawsey Adams, who is the man that first wrote to Juliet about his reading and his Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Another important character is Sidney Stark, who is Juliet's publisher and dear friend. Lastly, there is Sophie Strachan. She is Juliet's closest friend and always gives her good advice, but they don't get to see each other very often because Sophie lives in Scotland, which is a pretty good distance away from London.
The story starts off with an exchange of letters between Juliet and Sidney regarding her latest book, Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War, and its sales and tour for book signings and readings within England. She's not too happy about the tour but she doesn't have much of a choice because it will boost the book's sales. Then she receives her first letter from Dawsey Adams, who had stumbled upon a book with Juliet's address written on the inside cover. He discussed his thorough enjoyment of the book Selected Essays of Elia and of the book's author, Charles Lamb. He mentioned the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and also asked for the address of a bookstore in london so he could purchase another Charles Lamb novel. Juliet responded in favor, also including a book by Charles Lamb and a photograph of him. She was intrigued by Dawsey's letter and his mentioning of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and wished to know more. In the meantime, Juliet's tour through England was going spectacular until she had a little run-in with a sleazy reporter where she threw a pot of tea at his head. This made big news, in turn increasing the sales of Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War, which shot it straight onto the bestseller's list. Due to her great success and publicity, the Times (one of the most prestigious magazines/newspapers in England), wanted Juliet to write a featured article for them.
All of this begins to set the stage for a few different conflicts arising in the story. The first is the featured article she must right for the Times. She is having a spot of trouble with it because it is on a very serious topic that she isn't too familiar with. This is how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society comes into play. She employs their aid for her article. She writes to many of the members of the society to get an idea about how their society works and how it came to be, to learn more about the occupation of the Germans on the Guernsey Islands during World War II, and to get to know each of them better as people. This all is a great help for her article, and she also manages to make some new friends along the way, especially Dawsey. Another conflict she has is this American fellow by the name of Mark Reynolds. He is a very rich publisher and paper manufacturer over in America who came to England to find great new authors to publish. Juliet begins to strike up a bit of a romance with him. Sidney wishes that Juliet not see Mark because he is convinced that he will attempt to steal her away from Stephens & Stark and bring her to New York to be an author in America. Juliet thinks nothing of it, but it could grow into a greater conflict later on in the story.
Surprisingly, I am really enjoying this book. When read the back of the book I became interested, but I still wasn't sure if I would like. Then when I read the first page, I became almost sure that I wouldn't like it. I'm glad I kept reading on because about three pages later, I began to like it. Now, I am truly a fan. I'm really enjoying it because it is funny, interesting, and informative all at the same time. It amazes me how much you can learn about a person by just reading their letters. While I'm reading, I am constantly inferencing. Your never actually directly told something while reading, so you must analyze the dialogue and writing of the letters and make inferences to really understand what's going on.
One prediction that I have is that Mark Reynolds will in fact, as Sidney had said, attempt steal Juliet away to America. I'm still not sure whether she would accept the invitation because she is very loyal to Sidney and Stephens & Stark. I think she would most likely turn the offer down. Another prediction I have is that the relationship between Juliet and Dawsey will grow much stronger. Just by reading their writing to each other, I can tell that they have taken a fond liking to each other. I believe that they will one day meet in person.
The story starts off with an exchange of letters between Juliet and Sidney regarding her latest book, Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War, and its sales and tour for book signings and readings within England. She's not too happy about the tour but she doesn't have much of a choice because it will boost the book's sales. Then she receives her first letter from Dawsey Adams, who had stumbled upon a book with Juliet's address written on the inside cover. He discussed his thorough enjoyment of the book Selected Essays of Elia and of the book's author, Charles Lamb. He mentioned the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and also asked for the address of a bookstore in london so he could purchase another Charles Lamb novel. Juliet responded in favor, also including a book by Charles Lamb and a photograph of him. She was intrigued by Dawsey's letter and his mentioning of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and wished to know more. In the meantime, Juliet's tour through England was going spectacular until she had a little run-in with a sleazy reporter where she threw a pot of tea at his head. This made big news, in turn increasing the sales of Izzy Bickerstaff Goes to War, which shot it straight onto the bestseller's list. Due to her great success and publicity, the Times (one of the most prestigious magazines/newspapers in England), wanted Juliet to write a featured article for them.
All of this begins to set the stage for a few different conflicts arising in the story. The first is the featured article she must right for the Times. She is having a spot of trouble with it because it is on a very serious topic that she isn't too familiar with. This is how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society comes into play. She employs their aid for her article. She writes to many of the members of the society to get an idea about how their society works and how it came to be, to learn more about the occupation of the Germans on the Guernsey Islands during World War II, and to get to know each of them better as people. This all is a great help for her article, and she also manages to make some new friends along the way, especially Dawsey. Another conflict she has is this American fellow by the name of Mark Reynolds. He is a very rich publisher and paper manufacturer over in America who came to England to find great new authors to publish. Juliet begins to strike up a bit of a romance with him. Sidney wishes that Juliet not see Mark because he is convinced that he will attempt to steal her away from Stephens & Stark and bring her to New York to be an author in America. Juliet thinks nothing of it, but it could grow into a greater conflict later on in the story.
Surprisingly, I am really enjoying this book. When read the back of the book I became interested, but I still wasn't sure if I would like. Then when I read the first page, I became almost sure that I wouldn't like it. I'm glad I kept reading on because about three pages later, I began to like it. Now, I am truly a fan. I'm really enjoying it because it is funny, interesting, and informative all at the same time. It amazes me how much you can learn about a person by just reading their letters. While I'm reading, I am constantly inferencing. Your never actually directly told something while reading, so you must analyze the dialogue and writing of the letters and make inferences to really understand what's going on.
One prediction that I have is that Mark Reynolds will in fact, as Sidney had said, attempt steal Juliet away to America. I'm still not sure whether she would accept the invitation because she is very loyal to Sidney and Stephens & Stark. I think she would most likely turn the offer down. Another prediction I have is that the relationship between Juliet and Dawsey will grow much stronger. Just by reading their writing to each other, I can tell that they have taken a fond liking to each other. I believe that they will one day meet in person.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
POST #1: INTRODUCTION
The book that I am going to be reading is called the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. This was the first book written by Mary Ann Shaffer, who died in 2008. Her niece, Annie Barrows, who helped her write this, is the author of many children's books. She now lives in Northern California.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society takes place back in the time of World War II during the German occupation of the island of Guernsey in 1946. Unlike many World War II novels, this book was written for recreational purposes and it is in the letter/diary format. The main character is a writer named Juliet Ashton. She receives a letter from a complete stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. The whole novel is pretty much their letters back and forth to each other.
I predict the story will be very interesting and most likely amusing. The use of letters to tell the story allows the authors to include some personal flare. This could include comedy, smart remarks, etc. I think that towards the end of the story, Juliet Ashton and the stranger will meet in person and fall in love or something like that. It would make for a good ending.
Overall, I think it will be a pretty good book. I have heard good things about it and it looks really interesting, especially since I have never read a book in the diary/letter format. It will probably also be a good learning experience, in which I learn about some of the events during World War II. My only hope is that I don't get bored with it.
Reading Schedule:
Week 1: Pg. 3-81
Week 2: Pg. 82- 155
Week 3: Pg. 156-220
Week 4: Pg. 221- 274
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society takes place back in the time of World War II during the German occupation of the island of Guernsey in 1946. Unlike many World War II novels, this book was written for recreational purposes and it is in the letter/diary format. The main character is a writer named Juliet Ashton. She receives a letter from a complete stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. The whole novel is pretty much their letters back and forth to each other.
I predict the story will be very interesting and most likely amusing. The use of letters to tell the story allows the authors to include some personal flare. This could include comedy, smart remarks, etc. I think that towards the end of the story, Juliet Ashton and the stranger will meet in person and fall in love or something like that. It would make for a good ending.
Overall, I think it will be a pretty good book. I have heard good things about it and it looks really interesting, especially since I have never read a book in the diary/letter format. It will probably also be a good learning experience, in which I learn about some of the events during World War II. My only hope is that I don't get bored with it.
Reading Schedule:
Week 1: Pg. 3-81
Week 2: Pg. 82- 155
Week 3: Pg. 156-220
Week 4: Pg. 221- 274
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