It's a Team's Life
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Several years ago through Audible.com we downloaded this book and after about thirty minutes of listening I turned the book off and moved on. First time I had listened or read a book written in this style and I did not care for it. Luckily, our daughter Brandy asked if I had finished the book and I told her I had quit listening. She told me to go back and listen and was she right, when I listened with an open mind in a very short period of time I was hooked.
The story takes place in 1946 as World War 2 ends and people begin to rebuild their lives. Guernsey is one of the Channel Islands that was occupied during World War 2 and I admit I really did not fully understand what that meant. Through letters back and forth from the islands inhabitants to Juliet the story unfolds of why The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peal Society was formed and how the society was the network that was how they survived the occupation.
Some of the highlights was when they knew the Germans were coming England told the islanders that within 24 hours they would send over ships and take all of the children and adults that would fit on the ships to England until the danger was over. In 24 hours they had to decide if they wanted to let their children go or to keep them on the island. Many let their children go and some of the mothers also went with them. The Islanders thought they would be sending their children away for at the most six month... That turned into five years with very little word from their children.
The islanders had to share all of their gardens and any animals slaughtered with the Germans and they had ingenious ways to save a little extra for themselves. In time though both Germans and Islanders were starving, as there was not enough food. In many instances the Germans helped the islanders with medicine and what they could provide and the islanders shared food with them. They were all starving by the time the Red Cross was allowed to come in and give them food baskets.
When we made plans to go to France we found out how close this island was and we made plans to tour the island. Through our Trucker Buddy English teacher in France we learned of a tour guide that would take us around the island while talking about the book and also the occupation. Our guide would spend three hours with us in her car covering the island and stopping at many of the highlights in the book.
The tour started with Annette Henry, of Annette Henry Tours, meeting us at our hotel and then giving a little history of herself and her family that were born on the island. Some of the children that had left the island were her family. Annette showed us Red Cross letters that her Great Grandparents had sent to their children and the replies they had received. During the time the children were away from the island for the five years only a few letters got through. It was hard for any of to imagine what it must have been like for the parents to put their children on that boat to go live with strangers.
Annette then drove us around the island (on the other side of the road) as they are an English colony and talked about their history. Annette was a fantastic driver and all of us were thankful we were not in the drivers seat. Many of the roads were one lane but cars went both directions along with walkers and bicyclists. She was always watching ahead as were the other drivers to see who would pull onto the side of the road and let the other pass.
We were able to see "The Little Chapel" that is wrote about in the book and the underground hospital. Annette pulled off into small areas so we could see what a typical house would have looked like during that time. She also pointed out the many Gypsy paths that we covered with vines during the occupation and the islanders used them after curfew to get around.
There were so many things that happened during the occupation and no outside word that I could not imagine the pain of not knowing about their children. It was sad to hear that many of the children left and came back almost as adults and they did not want to come back as they only knew their life in England. One of the main characters, Elizabeth, had a child with a German soldier, and their child Kit is also a main character in the book. I thought the author did a great job writing about the hardships of all the characters and that were bad people on both sides. Some islanders turned in each other to gain favor and some of the Germans risked getting shot to help the islanders.
The three hours flew by and her many stories brought the islanders to life with their hardships and their victories. The book was very good and the tour was the icing on the cake. If you have not read this book I suggest that you add it to your list of book to read.
Local home on Guernsey
Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
[email protected]
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business