I started this lovely epistolary novel this evening, as something to read in parallel with the Austen bio by Tomalin, and I am completely hooked. No parallel reading here...it'll be one fell swoop, with only pauses to blog about the quotable quotes I'm finding.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Random House Reader's Circle)
is such a treat. It has two authors, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows--I wonder how they shared the writing. I need to Google for interviews with them to find out. I can't imagine I'm the only reader to wonder that.Now for the quotable quote that got my out of my armchair and back in front of my PC.
It comes quite early, page 11, in fact, of the pp edition.
That what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you onto another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It's geometrically progressive--all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.(first letter from Juliet Ashton to Dawsey Adams, dated 15th January, 1946)
O LOOOOVED this book!! In fact, I put it right up there with A Room With a View (which is my favorite non-Austen book)
ReplyDeleteThis book is also the HOT book this summer (since coming out in paperback). I can't go into Borders without someone trying to sell it to me or seeing the clerks trying to sell it to others. And it not all about sales: Everyone genrrally likes this book.
I admit to preconceived notions at first. I avoided it like the plague - assuming it was one thing or another. Who know that it was like the 1940s version of Bridget Jones?
BTW: That quote could apply to Wikipedia as well. You go there looking for one topic... then three hours later...
>I admit to preconceived notions at first. I avoided it like the plague - assuming it was one thing or another.
ReplyDeleteI did too. I end up liking epistolary novels, though I come to them reluctantly.
>Who know that it was like the 1940s version of Bridget Jones?
Ha!
So glad you dropped by, Teresa! Now get back to that writing :)
I just did a post about this book. I loved it too. I only read it this spring (a bit late to the party!)
ReplyDeleteThen I heard the news that they are casting the movie version of it. When I was reading it I had a picture of Richard Armitage as a sort of John Standring type for Dawsey Adams.
I really hope they can get him for this movie!!