16 Nov The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, WWII Book
Last year my sister Kathy and my sister-in-law Barbara both recommended that I read this book because the author talks about the bombings of London and the rooftop Fire Guards. Our mother experienced all of this when she was in London from January until August of 1944.
The bombings by the German planes, we would watch at night and the ack-ack of the British artillery attempting their destruction. This was exciting but when the buzz bombs (V-1’s) started, that was different. The bombs flew over and when the motor stopped that was it. You knew it was going to hit. They started every evening all night long — later on, we had day time treats also.
I spent my evenings in underground night clubs and my boss, Bill Carlson, got me an ankle bracelet that he insisted I wear because he knew that I would be found somewhere with no identification. (Hedvig Johnson)
I do love my neighborhood Book Club, but last year I had to explain that since I am writing a book I don’t have time to read anything unless it’s about World War II. This month’s book is … The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows! During the war, the Germans occupied Britain’s Channel Islands, one of which is Guernsey. I took the book down from my shelf and this time I began in earnest to read it.
The author on page 30 describes a “Punch” cartoon which, as the author details … “shows ten or so people walking down a London street. The chief figures are two men in bowler hats, holding briefcases and umbrellas, and one man is saying to the other man, ‘It is ridiculous to say these Doodlebugs have affected people in any way.’ It took me several seconds to realize that every person in the cartoon had one normal-sized ear and one very large ear on the other side of his head.”
When I read that passage, I shrieked! I have that cartoon! Well, the one I have is not from Punch, which was at that time a British weekly magazine. My cartoon was published in the British newspaper, The Daily Express on July 11, 1944. The cartoonist is Carl Giles. Our mother, Hedvig “Hedy” Johnson sent it to her parents, and after her Mother died, Hedy retrieved it and stored it in her London scrapbook.
I’m halfway through the book and will finish it by tomorrow, just in time. It has been so interesting to read how the islanders got through the war. And I can’t wait to show the ladies at the Brookfield Book Club Hedy’s cartoon.
July 11, 1944 Cartoon in the Daily Express
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on amazon.com
Frederic Dupont
Posted at 14:08h, 11 JanuaryThank you so much for posting this cartoon that I had been looking for for weeks.
I am French and teach English in a Lycée (high school) near Troyes, in France , and my students who are taking A levels English literature are currently studying The Guernesey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I told them I would look for that cartoon for them after we talked about Punch magazine while commenting on Dawsey’s letter to Juliet dated january 31st 1946.
I also loved the way this cartoon sort of travelled before it ended up in your mother’s scrapbook. In a way, all this reminds me of a letter Paul Auster published in his collection, True Tales of American Life; the letter is entitled Connections-it appears in the Families section of the book.
Thanks a lot again.
Fred.
Pat
Posted at 14:58h, 11 JanuaryFred, I am delighted to hear from a teacher in France. Now I am on a mission to find the “Connections” letter. THANKS, Pat
Carol Sue Ravenel
Posted at 10:05h, 08 SeptemberHi, Pat,
Read with interest your list of WWII books that you have read for your research. I, too, have a long list that I read while writing my 3 novels. Since they dealt with the FBI, B-17s, Untersee Boots (U-boats!) and many geographical areas in Europe, I had to be sure my facts were correct and the timelines, too. But growing out of all the research reading has been my love of reading a lot of WWII novels…and a few bios. I will try to remember to bring my list of those books on the 19th when we meet for lunch. I am almost finished with “The Guernsey…..” It is totally different than what I expected. Have a friend whose husband has relatives in Guernsey and they have visited there…she said it was “exciting” to drive on the left side of the very narrow roads there! Interesting to note that I have a character in my second novel who has much the same personality as the German who was Elizabeth’s lover in the book….was a Nazi by conscription, not choice.
See you the 19th….best get back to work here at the office!
Grace & Peace,
Carol Sue
Joy
Posted at 13:11h, 12 SeptemberI just finished reading a Covert Affair about Julia and Paul Childs and other OSS ers in the far east (mainly). It is as much about the McCarthy Communist witch hunts as the war itself though. Apparently many OSS people had left sympathies,since Donovan recruited all types , and J Edgar Hoover and others hated Donovan and the whole OSS crowd. HUAC impetus apparently came from the ‘loss’ of China,and a lot of people who really knew about the Far East, China and Indochina, were driven out of the State Department. Theodore White (later famous for his works on the presidency) wouldn’t even broach the subject for years because of the McCarthy attacks. Paul Childs was interrogated due to his friendship with Jane Foster , a woman who had been a communist in her youth but was far too inconoclastic for most party activities. Her assessment of the problems in Indochina which she made public got her in trouble, probably, along with her later associates, but a lot of OSS types agreed that supporting the return of colonialists (British , Dutch , French)in the East betrayed the promises of independence and liberty that the US had made part of its propaganda efforts . It’s a fascinating book, and various OSS people are thanked and were interviewed for its background. I found it much more enlightening to go back and reread parts of my reference (I forget the authors name) on the OSS once I had read A Covert Affair.Bette McIntosh (McDonald) who wrote Sisterhood of Spies was interviewed and never believed that Foster was a spy for the Soviets. The documents are open to interpretation on that. But as Jennett Conant (the author ) says, the red hunt blinded and blinkered a lot of US foreign policy due to hounding out a lot of experts on Indochina and the east, at the time they were needed most. Highly recommend the book for all the fascinating information that is included.
Anne Mac Leod
Posted at 12:23h, 07 DecemberThanks ever so much for posting this cartoon. I also teach English literature (in France (in Châteauroux) and my students are currently studying the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society; I am so glad to be able to show them the cartoon in class tomorrow!
I love the story of how you came across the cartoon and will definitely tell it to my students!
thanks again,
Anne
Pat
Posted at 12:38h, 07 DecemberAnne, thank you so much. I am thrilled that this little story of my mother during the war will be shared with your students. My pleasure, Pat
Theresa
Posted at 12:40h, 04 FebruaryHello Pat,
I’m in progress reading the book, Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I am involved with a book club, and it was amongst a list of “Heather’s Pics” that I chose to read. I am thoroughly enjoying this story told through letters, and am happy to see a copy of the cartoon here. Thanks for this post!
Without appearing too foolish, I am imagining that the big ear is a result of listening so hard for the sound, and then for the stopping of the sound (i.e. if you heard it go by you were okay, but if the sound stopped near you, you had only a short time to take cover.)
Since I am the one faciliating the next evening I am going to print this post and have it ready for the ladies who come to my home at the beginning of March.
Thanks again for sharing here!
Theresa
Pat
Posted at 07:18h, 05 FebruaryThank you Theresa for your comment. Yes, you are right … everyone was on high alert for the sound of the V-1’s or “buzz bombs” as our mother always called them. Oh, she would be so amazed to know that your book club is reading about the cartoon she mailed home to her mother so many years ago. THANKS, Pat
Audrey Langstroth
Posted at 10:32h, 28 MarchI too am part of a book club and have chosen to read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I’ve been looking for “accessories” to our meeting after our read and am so happy to have come upon your mums cartoon. Good Luck to you with your book…I’ll be waiting for the debut!
Maureen Flynn
Posted at 21:07h, 18 JulyI JUST have to have a copy of this cartoon… My mother was a Nursing Sister with the Canadian Medical Corps in England at the time and she has often mentioned this cartoon believing it was in the Punch Mag. She read the book and like the lady above she’ shrieked!!!
Please let me know what I can do to secure a copy. This is now my Holy Grail on behalf of this 92 year old Veteran.
With Kindest Regards
Maureen Flynn
Ottawa, Ontari
613-558-2401
Pat DiGeorge
Posted at 06:36h, 19 JulyMaureen, I just searched for this online and found a site I’d never seen before. It’s the University of Kent British Cartoon Archive. They seem to have all of Carl Giles’ cartoons through the years, and I was able to find this one. If you click on the link “charges for services” you can order a high resolution digital image. Good luck!
http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/record/GAA010038