Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ~ Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

[Deems]

The Book Club Online is  the oldest  book club on the Internet, begun in 1996, open to everyone.  We offer cordial discussions of one book a month,  24/7 and  enjoy the company of readers from all over the world.  everyone is welcome to join in.

The year is 1946.  Juliet Aston, a writer looking for her next book subject, finds herself "gloomier than she ever was during the war."  Quite out of the blue she finds her subject, one  that will change her life, with the arrival of a letter from a member of a book club in Guernsey, a British Channel island occupied by the Nazis during the war.

Imagine a book club in a place where there is not a single book store! This is exactly what Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece, Annie Barrows have done as they draw us into  the engaging relationship betweeen Juliet Aston and the  Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  Perhaps their story explains the popularity of book clubs everywhere.

Discussion Schedule: Feb. 1-7   *Letters -- January 8, 1946 - March 1, 1946 Feb. 8-14    *Letters -- March 2, 1946 - May 13, 1946 Feb. 15-21   *Letters -- May 14, 1946 - July 15, 1946 Feb. 22-28     *Letters -- July 17, 1946 - Sept. 17, 1946

Topics for Pre-discussion

1.  Have you ever read or heard about Guernsey and the Nazi occupation during WWII?
2.  How many novels have you read that were based on  correspondance between fictional characters?   
     Do you think this is an easy feat for a writer?
3.  What is the special relationship beteen the two authors of this book?
4.  This is also a novel about books.  What novels have you read that introduced you to other books?
5.  Can you locate one of Charles Lamb's essays and tell us about it here?
6.  Potato peel pie?  Can you share a recipe?

Related Links: Author's Biography; Visit Guernsey ;   A history of Guernsey during the German Occupation 1940 - 1941.

Discussion Leaders:  JoanP and Pedln

Deems: This sounds like a fun discussion.  Don't have the time to read the book, but I'll be following the discussion with interest.  Our classes are packed this semester (budget crunch) which means even more paper grading. 

I did see the Masterpiece Theater production that folks have mentioned about the German occupation of Guernsey.  Remember liking it, but not much else.  It must have been about eight years ago. 

I also read Daddy Long Legs and Dear Enemy, both about the girl orphan and her guardian.  Both books were also read aloud to me by my grandmother when I was home with one of my many bouts with bronchitis.  To this day I love being read to (assuming that the reader is a good one).

Maryal

[Gumtree]

JoanP Lady Susan- did I say Masterpiece ? H'mmm maybe I should have said 'little gem'. It's not of the same quality as P&P or Persuasion. Austen herself found the epistolary style too difficult and ended the story using a narrator.

As for our Potato Peel Pie - even the potatoes and onions would have been hard to come by - the Guernsey people were almost starving by the time they were liberated - most of the livestock was either confiscated or under strict control by the Germans and those who had a cow or chickens had to account for the milk and eggs, so milk (or cream)  and eggs would be very highly prized. I daresay the herbs could be found easily enough.

[Steph]

NOw I am intrigued.. Hopefully there were no jews on the island? I have been reading about holocaust survivors and their children. So I am a bit amazed at how long and how horrible it was for several generations.

[pedln]

Deems, welcome.  I'm glad you can be here even if you don't have time to read the book.  You'll be all primed and ready for it -- do you get any kind of break before spring?

Gum, I think you're probably right about what they had and didn't have.  I think about the people there when I throw things away.  Steph, I think this book is full of things we wouldn't dream of.

Hmmm.  Feb. 1 is one week from today.  I'm loving our pre-discussion.  So many interesting things coming up.

[Babi]

 Yes, indeed.  That damp climate is the reason all the British Isles are green, and the ladies have those soft, milky complexions.  I browsed through the link on Guernsey, and from the lovely picture at the top of the page, I have decided that if I could go there, it would definitely be in April. All those beautiful blue flowers!
   I suspect that the original potato peel pie for the book was not nearly as good as the one Joan made.  I remember reading somewhere that turnips were also a staple diet for many farm households during the Great Depression here.  One farmer, after eating turnips thru' most of the winter, swore he would never eat another turnip.  Unfortunately, he said, the next year was even worse.  My husband liked combining mashed rutabaga and potatoes; I wonder if that originated during the G.D.?

[JoanP]

If you ask Bruce about the pie, he'll tell you it was great.  Of course he covered it with gravy.  (at least it wasn't catsup, right?)  And he loves beets, which I sprinkled liberally over the top.  (And made him a wonderful cold beet salad to go with this culinary delight. - oh yes, he was very happy.)

And then I had to add a lot of my own touches - because I didn't know what else to do. Start with the potato peel pie shell. 
What is self-rising flour?  (Remember I'm the one who had to ask what beet root is. )
I closed my eyes and asked the Guernsey Islanders what they would have used to prepare this dish...and believe this, I got an answer.  "Use whatever you have on hand." Do you know - I don't have my Gold Medal flour bag anymore - is regular white flour self-rising?
This pie shell didn't rise, but it was a pleasing crunchy texture, so I guess it worked out okay.

Now about the mashed potato filling.  How do you mash potatoes without adding milk and butter?  They were quite dry.  The recipe called for sour cream - as a topping with chives and diced beets.  Well, there I stood with dry potatoes and a container of sour cream - so in it went!
You wouldn't believe how good that was!

But, I will agree with you on this, Gum - the famous Guernsey cow would not have been wandering freely on an island where so many are starving.  The sour cream ingredient, so essential to my success, would not have been available.

No chickens either - no egg?  What would have bound the grated potato peels together to form the crust?
I'm going to hold out for the beets and the onion though. (No turnips, Babi!) Come on!  Without them, we'd have had nothing but a baked potato! (Thanks for the chives and thyme, Gum!)

Steph - Pedln, I can't wait to get into the story to learn more about the ingredients that went into this pie - keeping in mind that this is Mary Ann Shaffer's fiction. 

[JoanP]

Pedln, another wonderful site - I'm going to put this page from that site in the heading right now
   A history of Guernsey during the German Occupation 1940 - 1941. 

From this site - "

Of the population of 40,000, 17,000 were evacuated to England."

So many questions - don't you wonder who was evacuated, who remained on the island?  Surely no one would  do so willingly - would they? 
And what became of those who remained?  Were they able to sustain themselves?  I can't see the Germans supporting them.

"By 1943 over five thousand foreign slave workers were working on Guernsey, many of whom lost their lives from exhaustion and starvation. They were guarded by a garrison of 13,000 German troops." 

What were the slave workers doing on the island?
Were they necessary to maintain the Atlantic Wall which Traudee describes?
How many are needed over and above the 13,000 German troups?
These were foreign slave workers.  Starving.  What of the native Islanders?  Are they too dying of starvation at this time?

"After the D-Day Normandy landings in 1944, the islands became cut off from the rest of Europe and food and fuel supplies dried up.   Life became steadily worse with both the occupying forces and islanders suffering from starvation."

Well, at least it sounds as if food supplies were coming in between 1940 - 1944.  Imagine they continued to be occupied after DDay - the landing at Normandy - right across the pond?

  Maryal -  welcome, good to have you with us!  - Do you remember anything more about the Masterpiece Theater production,   "Islands at War"?   Bruce is going to see if he can order it through Netflix - I'd love to see it again. 

Steph, I vaguely remember a Jewish family in this production -  in grave danger of being  identified  and being sent off-island to the camps.  The Islanders worked together to hide them.  The Islanders working together seems to have played a mighty big part in their survival!

[bellamarie]

JoanP...you have made my mouth water and I will have to try a Potato Peel Pie this week.

I have been reading Lady Susan by Jane Austen online and feel like I am in a gossip session.  It is quite amusing to say the least. 

Just bought my Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie book at Borders last night and can't wait for Feb 1st.  You should see the reactions my friends and family give to me when I tell them the name of the book.  They have never heard of it and think I am crazy. 

[bellamarie]

4.  This is also a novel about books.  What novels have you read that introduced you to other books?
In one of our past discussions we were reading "To Kill A Mockingbird" and it mentioned Truman Capote's,  "In Cold Blood."  Again it was two authors coming together.

[serenesheila]

Count me in, too.  I have the book on my Kindle.  A week from today, seems too long away.

Sheila

[JoanK]

Somehow I missed the fact that the pre-discussion had opened, or I would have been here earlier. I just got my book yesterday from Amazon. I had the (slow) free shipping, and it still got here pretty fast, so unless we have exhausted their supply, I wouldn't worry.

I had forgotten about Lamb's "Tales from Shakespeare". I loved it as a kid. I wonder if my 9-year-old grandson is ready for it?

No, Lady Susan is not as good as Austen's other books. but to us Austen nuts, any Austen is better than no Austen!! I've never read Pamela or Clarissa, but one day I will.

[Steph]

Lambs.. Tales from Shakespeare.. Oh me, I had not thought of that for years. Stories dumbed down is what I remember of them.
I wish Amazon would hurry..

[Laura]

Here are a couple of interesting tidbits from Annie Barrows in the Barnes and Noble on-line discussion of the book:

Mary Ann fell ill just after the book was sold to The Dial Press. She asked me to complete the editorial work for her, so my job was primarily to add more to the story, rather than changing what was there. I consulted with her a few times, but she was pretty ill, so I tried not to pester her.  When in doubt, I invented.
 
I asked Mary Ann once why she had chosen the letter form. She laughed and said, "For some bizarre reason, I thought it would be easier." 

I think the problem with most epistolery novels is too few narrators. It's very difficult to believe in a story that's told through forty-page letters by one character (who writes forty-page letters, much less forty-page letters complete with dialogue, descriptions, and background?). I believe the solution is not to bag the epistolery novel, but to have so many characters that no single one is responsible for all the story-telling. I have to say, it was tremendous fun to tell a story through so many voices. Each one gives the story a separate little charge, and each one has his or her own quirks and ideas. I don't know how I'm going to return to regular narrative again.

[Gumtree]

January 26th AUSTRALIA DAY -  A day to wave the flag, welcome new citizens, eat barbqued lamb, watch the tennis and the fireworks and above all, give thanks for living in such a great country.

No 4: what novel have you read that introduced you to other books.
One book with references to other literature was Alan Bennett's Uncommon Reader which we read and discussed together not so long ago. There were certainly a few books mentioned there which I didn't know about.

Another is Dai Sijie's Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress - though I have read much of Balzac.

Cervante's Don Quixote introduced us to the old Spanish novels of chivalry - none of which I have ever consciously read or even thought of reading.

One book already mentioned is  Hanff's 84 Charing Cross Road which introduces us to another title every other page. They are mostly drawn from 18th and 19th century and reflect Hanff's interest in English Literature and History and whilst I have read some she mentions, (Pepys' Diary for instance,) there were plenty of others  I have not. I am simply full of admiration for Hanff and her diligence.

[pedln]

Happy Australia Day, Gum and all the folks from Australia.  I hope you all have a wonderful celebration.  Bar-b-qued lamb sounds delicious, too.

Bellmarie and JoanK, I’m glad you got your copies, and Sheila, yours on the Kindle.  JoanG, is yours on the kindle, also.

Steph, you and I are waiting for Amazon.  Mine is supposedly due tomorrow, along with a strongly predicted ice storm, possible power loss, etc.  (I’ve just checked flashlight batteries and supply of books.)

Laura, what interesting remarks from Annie Barrows, especially her comments about the advantages of telling a story through so many different voices.  That will certainly be something we’ll want to think about as we read the book.

I had to laugh at your comments about rutabagas,Babi, (not laughing at the GD).  As a child I had an intense dislike of them and my mother would always insist on putting them on my plate.  And I have never ever cooked one, and don't ever plan to.

This is a great site (above), Joan.  Can you imagine, almost half the island’s population evacuated.  So many questions raised here.  Will we be able to answer them?

[joangrimes]

Yes Pedlin,  my copy of the book is on my kindle.

Joan G

[JoanP]

We're so glad you found us, JoanK.  Lots of good information has been pouring into this pre-discussion.  I definitely think the 9 year old could handle the Lambs' Tales from Shakespeare.  Steph, I wouldn't call these beautifully illustrated stories for children, dumbed down Shakespeare.  These are intended for children - their first introduction to the Bard.  I know a good number of children who grew to be Shakespeare enthusiasts after their first exposure to these stories.

Charles Lamb is quite an interesting character - I'm going to hunt for a link to some of his essays.  I think it would be helpful to get somewhat familiar with his work before we get into the novel.  I don't know anyone who reads him anymore, do you?

Bellamarie, I'm hoping that we each get into one author whose work is unfamiliar - before we finish this discussion.  (I think mine just might be Charles Lamb.)  It sounds as if you have already accomplished that  by reading Jane Austen's Lady Susan.

Laura, I think it would be great if we could get Annie Barrows involved in our discussion.   Since you have just participated in the B&N discussion with her, we thank you in advance for sharing some of the points she made.  I had wondered how the two collaborated on the book.  And now we know.  It will be interesting to hear more from Annie as we get into the story.  Did you say that the book was nearly complete when Annie took over?  It was more than editing ...she made up some of contents!  Please stay with us, Laura.  Your input should be worthwhile.
hahaha, I'm laughing at Mary Ann Shaffer's admission that the reason she wrote this "epistolary novel"  - she thought it would be easier!

Is anyone else besides JoanG and Sheila reading the book on a kindle?  I'll bet there are no page letters.  I'll bet the letters are dated though.  Another good reason not to use page numbers dividing the weekly discussion schedule, don't you think?  Is there anyone still unable to locate a book?

[straudetwo]

Thanks for the prediscussion site.
The Guernsey Islands have a long proud history. Here's a link
http://www.islandlife.org/ancient_monuments_gsy.htm

More photos are within that link.

[MarjV]

"Island at War"  - a British fiction film series available thru Netflix tho I saw mine from our library.    I enjoyed watching it last summer - gives a sense of of island life for the familes.

Netflix:     Set on St. Gregory's, a make-believe section of the Channel Islands, this fascinating British series examines the lives of three different families caught on the islands at the outbreak of World War II. Catch all the episodes of this groundbreaking show, which captures its characters dealing with the stresses of everyday living as well as the repercussions of global conflict. Stars Felicity Dorr, James Wilby and Louisa Clein.


AND- here's the wikipedia link about the film series
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_at_War

[Steph]

Sorry.. But you have to understand that I went to a small rural school. They used Lambs Shakespeare in the 7-8-9 grades. And so yes, I remember being horribly disappointed in what I thought was Shakespeare. Thank heaven, my Mother looked at it all and went out and bought some real Shakespeare and told me this was the real stuff, not the other.
Happy Australia Day. Oh how I would love to visit you, but the long long airplane trip does me in. I can barely make it to Europe without going completely nuts nowadays.. Oh the small seats, the horrid food, the screaming children.. I love to visit, but hate to get there except for our RV.. That is heaven on the other hand.
Amazon is not shipping my copy until Feb 4.. because when Idid  the free shipping, one of the other books is coming out that day..Darn darn darn.. I will coast for the first week obviously.

[JoanR]

My book probably won't come until after we start either but I do have the library copy. I also picked up at the library the Modern Library edition of the complete essays and letters of Charles Lamb plus a bio. ( Pedln, Charles and Mary Lamb were brother and sister.) He wrote to Wordsworth (another brother & sister menage!), Coleridge, Southey and Mrs Shelley.  I like browsing through this book.
My sister reminded me about another interesting book which describes life on Guernsey through both World Wars.  It's "The Book of Ebenezer Lepage" by G.B.Edwards which she has -  but is way up in Boston!  I checked our library but had to request it on interloan - there seem to be only 2 copies in the county.

[CallieOK]

Hello.  I'm basically "marking my spot" so I can read along with the discussion.  However, I'm not really good at interpreting the finer points of a story so doubt I'll have much input.

I picked up my reserved copy of "Guernsey Literary..." on Saturday.  Since I'm trying to finish a very long saga, I've only dipped into this one.  It's so delightful that I must discipline myself not to stay up all night and finish it.

Now, I'll be brought to this site when there are new messages posted so...I'll cyber-see you along the way.

Callie

[EvelynMC]

I received my copy from Amazon last week and will join you on February 1.

Evelyn

[pedln]

Evelyn and Callie, it’s good to see you here, glad you were able to copies.  And if you’re holding off reading, it’s a hard book to put down.  As Callie says, it is so delightful.  And folks, we’re not looking for the ‘finer points’ of this book.  We’re just sitting in front of the fire (watching the ice build up) or fan, saying whatever pops into mind.

JoanR, thanks for the heads-up about Ebeneezer Le Page. There are several university libraries in the state that have it, but it’s not available locally, so I’ll have to see if the public library can get it through Inter-library loan.  Am currently waiting for M. Bunting’s Model Occupation..

That’s a nifty Wikipedia article on Island at War, Marj.  Good background information, and even synopses of each segment (but I’m holding off on those.)  Three discs.  I’ve got the first  one at the top of my Netflix queue.  Hmmm.  I wonder what they’ll think when they get a run on this particular film.

Traude, thanks for the link to all the historical information.  That goes back a looooong way.  Those dolmens, burial sites, are something, aren’t they?  I can’t believe they let people go in them now.  It’s just mind-boggling all the information, books, and links coming to light, all because of this one book.  Annie Barrows and the family of  Mary Anne Shaffer should be very proud.

Hang in there, Steph, maybe some good Samaritan will lend you a copy for overnight.  And FlaJean and Janice, hopefully something will turn up for you too.

[Judy Laird]

Pedln I am sorry I can't join your discussion I know it will be good. It doesn't come out in paper back until May 5th and I can't read hard cover books but I will tag along.

[JoanR]

Here's a link to the reviews of "The Book of Ebenezer Le Page".  I'm going to order it!

The Book of Ebenezer Le Page

[JoanR]

Wow, wht a long URL!!  I somehow had the idea that they shrank when you hit "paste".  I know there must be a way to neaten them up.

[bellamarie]

PatH..."Jane Austen also started a novel told in letters--"Lady Susan"--but she evidently got tired of it, because she wound up the story abruptly with a non-letter summary."

I just finished reading Lady Susan, thanks to PatH for providing us the link:  Gutenberg   http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/946

As I mentioned as I began reading it the other day, I felt like I was in a gossip session.  Now that I have completed it I feel like I just read someone's personal diary/journal.  I was quite disappointed in the abrupt ending and how she stopped writing in letter form.  All in all it was enjoyable and I can now brag and say, I have read one of Jane Austen's books.  I am so far behind in my years of knowledge of great authors and their works.  Since I have been participating the past few years in the Senior book discussions I am amazed with all of you scholars of literature.  And don't be so humble...I am proud to be in your company.   

I would like to ask if any of you have a diary/journal?  I have kept journals for many years and imagine if someone were to find and publish mine years after I am gone.  tsk tsk   

[bellamarie]

I just found one copy of The Ebenezer Le Page book at our library and will be getting it on Friday.  I hope it will help me learn much as I go about reading our GLPPPS book come Feb. 1. Now on to find some of Charles Lamb's books.

[JoanP]

Look at all these posts! 

Bellamarie - you are a wonder.  Congratulations on finishing Lady Susan.  The Guernsey Literary Society, the discussion of this society  should send us into areas that we never would have gone before.

JoanR, I tidied up your url - you need to use this code [ url=.....paste the url here[ /url]Name of site   putting those brackets close together of course.  But your link worked find without it.  The book looks quite interesting - "couched in musical Guernsian English."  Please come in and tell us about it. You too, Bellamarie - see if you pick up on the l"musical anguage.

Traudee, great site.  I found myself wondering if the blood line of any of the residents of WWII Guernsey  went way all the way back to medieval times.  It's possible, isn't it?

Pedln, I'm looking forward to your book report on  Madeleine Bunting's Model Occupation.  It sounds yummy.  Here's an excerpt:

'When the Germans arrived on the Channel Islands after the defeat of France in the summer of 1940, they and the islanders agreed that it would be a 'Model Occupation'. But as the war dragged on and Britain appeared to abandon the islands to their fate, so features of Nazi occupation already widespread throughout Europe emerged. Making use of recently released archives in Moscow, Berlin, Paris, London, Guernsey and Jersey, as well as unpublished private papers and over a hundred interviews with people - islanders, forced labourers and German soldiers - who lived through the five-year Occupation."

MarjV- Islands at War is in Netflix!  That's great to know.  We saw it on Masterpiece Theater years ago.  I am looking forward to seeing it again - had hoped to see something of Guernsey - but Bruce just looked it up and told me that it was actually filmed on the Island of Man.  Bummer, but I'd like to see the story again anyway.

Judy, please do coast along with Steph and Janice...JoanR too. -   You did try your library, Judy?  I'm amazed at the number of people on the hold list for this title at libraries.  Do you suppose all these people are getting prepared for this discussion?

I found a great site containing the Gutenberg online essays and letters of Charles Lamb - saved  it on my other computer.  Will bring it here in the morning. I have to admit that I never read any of them - at least I don't remember reading him.

Stay warm everyone - the ice storms are dangerous.

[JoanK]

I've started "Guernsey", and it's delightful!! I'll have to sit on my eyes to keep from reading too far!

[JoanR]

I was sneaky.  I figured that there was a long reserve list on "Guernsey..." so I requested the large print edition and got it in 3 days!  More than one way to peel a potato!

[PatH]

JoanP--the storms on this side of the Potomac left a gap when it was safe for my buddies and me to go out to eat, but the sleet which started later has left a slick glaze on everything.  I wouldn't want to walk in it, much less drive.

[bellamarie]

I was sneaky.  I figured that there was a long reserve list on "Guernsey..." so I requested the large print edition and got it in 3 days!  More than one way to peel a potato!

You are so amusing!

JoanP..I found a great site containing the Gutenberg online essays and letters of Charles Lamb - saved  it on my other computer.  Will bring it here in the morning."

I'm looking forward to reading some of his work. Thanks!

JoanP, here in Ohio we are on a Winter Storm Warning with 5 more inches to fall before noon tomorrow.  Grrrrr or should I say Brrrrrrrr? 

[Gumtree]

Bellamarie As you say Lady Susan does come to a rather abrupt halt and the use of the narrator seems to break the mood. The general  view is that Jane Austen simply tired of writing in the letter mode (which does have limitations) and so finished the piece in a hurry.
Do try one of her major novels when you can - they are a treat

[kidsal]

My book arrived.  This book reminded me of a British film I saw many years ago - "Tight Little Island."  The setting was during WWII on an island off the coast.  The plot line is a cargo ship full of liquor has become stranded on the rocks off the island and all of the islanders row out to salvage the cargo.  In case the Germans come they set up a road block.  Of course there is only one road and it circles the island

[MarjV]

Kidsal and all:     I researched - "Tight Little Island" is also titled "Whiskey Galore" according to my library interloan website.    Darn! It's not available for borrowing.

[Steph]

Still waiting, but Judy , do come in and listen.. You might find it worth it. I am going to. The book sounds interesting. I honestly did not know that England pretty much abandoned it in WWII. You would think it would have been a good jumping off point for the allies.

[bellamarie]

I spent a good amount of my spare time last night reading The Best Letters of Charles Lamb.   I got through many of his letters to his dear friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge.  I was amazed at the very close and sentimental relationship Lamb has with Coleridge.  I am finding I like the letter writing style since instead of chapters you are getting breaks with each new letter.  I can see why Lamb, Coleridge, Wodsworth, Southey, Barton etc. etc. were great poets and writers.  They were not afraid to show their feminine side of expressions in their writings.  But then it seems Lamb did not appreciate Coleridge revealing this trait.

"For God's sake," he wrote to Coleridge. "don't make me ridiculous any
more by terming me gentle-hearted in print, or do it in better verses.
It did well enough five years ago, when I came to see you, and was moral
coxcomb enough at the time you wrote the lines to feed upon such
epithets; but besides that the meaning of 'gentle' is equivocal at best,
and almost always means poor-spirited, the very quality of gentleness is
abhorrent to such vile trumpetings. My sentiment is long since vanished.
I hope my _virtues_ have done _sucking_. I can scarce think but you
meant it in joke. I hope you did, for I should be ashamed to believe
that you could think to gratify me by such praise, fit only to be a
cordial to some green-sick sonneteer."

I liked reading this particular bit of information:
It may well be that the "Essays of Elia" will be found to have kept their perfume, and the LETTERS OF CHARLES LAMB to retain their old sweet savor, when "Sartor Resartus" has about as many readers as Bulwer's "Artificial Changeling," and nine tenths even of "Don Juan"lie darkening under the same deep dust that covers the rarely troubled pages of the "Secchia Rapita."

Enjoy.....
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10125/10125-8.txt

I must get back to GLATPPPS.  A perfect day to indulge, since we have now been blasted with 8 inches of snow since I awoke this morning here in Ohio.  I do look forward to spring or at least temperatures in the 30's.

Bellamarie As you say Lady Susan does come to a rather abrupt halt and the use of the narrator seems to break the mood. The general  view is that Jane Austen simply tired of writing in the letter mode (which does have limitations) and so finished the piece in a hurry.
Do try one of her major novels when you can - they are a treat

I look  forward to such a treat, thank you Gumtree. 

[Babi]

JOAN, I know a great many children in England were evacuated from the cities to the countryside. I would think the children would certainly have been evacuated if the Islands expected to be invaded. Mothers of babies would need to go with them, wouldn't they?  Who else would go?

I like Annie Barrows comments on what makes a good epistolary novel. It makes sense, though the lack of numerous characters writing letters certainly didn't affect my enjoyment of Hanff's book.

GUMTREE. I read "Pepy's Diary" also, but I cannot remember now if I read it before or after reading "Charing Cross Road".

I had to grin on reading, in PEDLN's new link, that on Guernsey, the Queen's title is 'Duke of Normandy'.  A peg or two lower than Queen. (Surely, that should be Duchess.)

And since we are revealing any new reading that the Guernsey Literary Society has inspired, I will note that I am asking my library to find me a copy of Seneca's essays.