I know this warm and wonderful book will be among the best, if not the best, that I will have read for the next few years. Historical fiction, it is set in the present day in London and involves a writer corresponding with the inhabitants of the Channel Islands off Great Britain through a series of letters. The letters recount what life was like during the Nazi occupation of this island during WWII. I learned so much about what the War years were like for those living on the Island during at that time (something I always really appreciate in a story). The depth of character of the letters writers brings the author to the Islands to meet its inhabitants and the story continues. A beautiful tapestry of past and present is the result.

The story has everything a good story should contain. Humor, as the book title suggests, a reflection on the depth (or lack of it) of the human spirit as displayed by the voice of each letter, alongside the poignancy, pain, and beauty of life during the war years and in the present day. An added dividend for those who enjoy listening to their books, as I do, is that different persons read for different characters. A true bonus, indeed, as the characters are portrayed much more realistically this way. This book gets a solid A++, a must read. Enjoy!

PS - For those of you who have enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road, (also made into a movie with Anne Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins), this book is similar in many significant aspects. For those of you that haven't read the book or seen the movie, I heartily recommend both.

~ Submitted by Elaine