Potato Peel Pie anyone?

I just finished a book called The Guernsery Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. It's about the German occupancy of an English Channel island during WWII. The story is full of interesting details of the happenings on the island called Guernsery. There is a mild love story throughout, nothing that will send anyone gagging. The entire book is written in letters, to and from various characters. Different facets of the story emerge from the varied perspectives.

I liked it, but didn't love it. I found I could bear to put it down. It reminded me of Daddy Longlegs, by Jean Webster, probably because it is also written in letters.

The most interesting part of the book, to me, was the afterward. It told how the author stumbled upon the story and about how this book was a life's work of a woman who had never been in print before, but had quite a reputation as a great storyteller. Sadly, she died right before the book was released. It's wild success (NY #1 bestseller) is a testimony to how the book has been embraced.

Charming. That's what it was.

Why I Love Old Books

I really do love classics. Some of my favorites are Robinson Crusoe, The Scarlet Pimpernell, Around the World in Eighty Days, and of course P&P and Jane Eyre.

Maybe I'm drawn to the history--being able to step into the author's world and live and observe characters from the point of view of someone who lived during or near that time.

I think that another reason that compels me to pick up a classic is that I enjoy the code of conduct that people generally lived by until the 1800's. To be called a gentleman or a lady meant something. Even during the late 1700's there was a distinction strongly preserved, not by rank alone, but by conduct, that distinguished a gentleman from the common man.

George Washington was known for his ability to overlook an insult or at least answer it in a calm and rational way. This was considered a mark of "good breeding". To treat an undeserving person with respect that was not due them was expected.

The basic principal was that in difficult situations, a gentleman or lady was expected to rise to the occasion. The bar was set high. I've hear it said that people are like teabags: you don't know what is really in them until they get in hot water.

I'm not so romantic or naive to think that this code didn't have its drawbacks. I can see how people must have stuffed down their real emotions to a fault. I also see how pride in position or self-importance would get in the way. I like Rhett Butler's assessment of Scarlet: she's no lady.

I also see that a more relaxed setting might be able to kick back and enjoy life more, though Elizabeth Bennet does give me reason to believe that laughter often emerged in refined settings too.

Maybe I just like the good stories that I find in old books. Whatever the reason, they hold a charm for me that I don't find as often in modern books.

Blissful Pride and Prejudice

I just finished reading it again. I didn't add it to my reading list in my side column because I was a little embarrassed at having it appear again in such a short time. You would think that Pride and Prejudice was my favorite book, but I actually like Jane Eyre more.

This time I picked up the book because I just watched the new movie, Becoming Jane, about the author, Jane Austin. It made me curious about some of the scenes in the book so I picked up my copy and scoured the end for some particulars. Having read the end of the book, I couldn't just put it away without reading the rest. So, in a timespan of five months I've read the book twice.

To my great delight, my friend, Melissa, told me that she finished it just yesterday. She had some great observations to talk about. It was fun to banter about it when it was so fresh in our memories.

So many people pick out wonderful lessons that they learn through the missteps of the characters or admire the literary genius of the author, but I have to say that I just get caught up in the love story and I'm a sucker for a happy ending. Shallow? You bet.