Ten Days One Guernsey Summer

by Tony Brassell

This is the story of a family living on the Channel Island of Guernsey, faced with the potential of invasion by the forces of Nazi Germany during June 1940. Based on a true story, this is how they faced up to the decisions that needed to be made during the last few days before the occupation of the British Channel Islands.

We also follow the story of a Luftwaffe bomber pilot, and the actions he was involved in during the same period and how his life and actions impacted on that Guernsey family during 'Ten Days one Guernsey Summer'.

This is a story of love and compassion in the face of extreme adversity. A must read for anyone interested in this period of history, 'Ten Days One Guernsey Summer' is a story that will warm your heart and bring you to tears. Prepare to relive those days and experience what it was like to face a period when decisions had to be made without anyone knowing to where those decisions might lead.

252 pages, Paperback

Published June 19, 2017

Reviews

[Geet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review on my Blog : booklish Feelings

I am in tears . I have read a lot of historical fiction books but this is one of rare books that has a happy ending . I'd love to visit Guernsey one day . These types of books are the reason i love historical fiction .

Laurence and Lily lives on Guernsey island in English channel with their three kids Rachel , Michael and Laura . Lily's mother also lives on the island . Bad time comes when the island is threatened by Nazi invasion . Almost of of the population flew to England before the Nazi invaded the island . The family go through bad times and flew the island . The story is based on historical facts and the names are changed for their privacy . 5 stars from me for this lovely book ❤

[Helen Marquis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was born and brought up on Guernsey, so the events of the Second World War have been told to me since I was a child. My father was one of the Elizabeth College school boys who were evacuated to Great Hucklow in the Peak District, so this is a story very close to my heart.
Brassell's book is undoubtedly factually accurate, but I found it lacking in warmth and soul, possibly due to his overly technical writing style when discussing the machines of war, combined with a relatively dry and matter-of-fact way of writing when describing the day-to-day activities of the main characters. Maybe my Dad just did such a good job of bringing that dark period in his childhood to life for me, that anything else is going to pale into insignificance.
While it has a fascinating story at its heart, personally I found the style of writing too unengaging. I've seen other reviews saying it should be a companion piece to the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society. That could work as GLPPS is such a misleading piece of garbage about life in the Islands, that this could actually add some realism to the mix. Maybe if you combined the two you'd get a decent book out of it. As it is, you're currently faced with two pretty poor choices.

[Susan Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a novel based on the true story of the author’s grandparents. There is literary license taken but for the most part, it tells the facts faced by so many people in the UK in 1940. Mainland Europe had been conquered by the Nazis and the British stood alone. Families were wrenched apart as bombs fell and parents tried to figure out what was safest and best for their family. Stay or go was the decision and to go often meant the uncertainty of ever being reunited. It is impossible to imagine the agony of those decisions.
On the Channel Islands, they were cut off from the rest of the country, undefended, and right in the path of any Nazi blitz. While they were unscathed, the window of opportunity for escape was closing. Laurence and Lily sent their oldest child off with her school. Rachel ended up in Scotland in a Mansion but not all evacuees had such good luck. There are countless stories of how the urban children were received by the rural folk and the two cultures clashed almost as badly as the countries at war.
The book is done well with points of view of the Guernsey residents and a Luftwaffe pilot. He is a decent chap who much regrets bombing innocents so he too is a sympathetic character. Much of the first part of the book is slow paced but it builds as the danger to both the island and to the pilots increase.
It is a fascinating read if you are, like me, a fan of historical fiction and a student of WWII. It will be impossible not to care about the outcome of these ten days on all involved. There was never any doubt that the Germans would occupy the island until the end of the war but the suspense was real on the human level.
I give it four purrs and two paws up.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again a story set amidst the Great War and one in an idyllic setting. Actually all the stories I've read have been idyllic settings.

This one amongst the peaceful Guernsey group of islands. A family living a quiet life, most of the inhabitants never having left the islands and then we have forced evacuation. First their eldest girl taken from them along with many other school children and sent by ship to England. For the family and the child it was devastating. The child recovers swiftly as she is placed in an aristocratic home in Scotland with many comforts - a stark contrast to the simple life in the island. For her parents it was an uneasy time, subsequently having to take decisions to move out themselves when the islands became occupied.

It also descriptively and in detail sets out the life of a bomber on the other side. His daily forays, his ideas, his total commitment to the German cause and the orders he undertakes without question as to the damage and suffering he causes. His diaries reveal in great detail the life he undertook when he joined the German airforce.

This was a poignant, emotional read but not a soppy one. It was pragmatic and down to earth at the same time. Both sides knew that this had to be gone through - at whatever price.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished Ten Days One Guernsey Summer by
Tony Brassell and would like to thank Net Galley for the advanced copy. I like any books dealing with WWII and this book was good. It was a great story and kept me interested. I did find that there was a lot of constantly reading the same things throughout the book which dragged out the story. Other than that I did like the book for its story about the Guernsey people and a German pilot who was troubled about bombing Guernsey. Again thanks for the advanced copy.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the memoirs of the author's grandfather, this love story will grab your heart and not let go until you can breathe a sigh of relief at the last page.

Thoroughly captivating and enjoyable.

I read this EARC courtesy of Net Galley and Books Go Social.. pub date 07/10/18

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

An historical account of the authors grandparents experience in the lead up to the German occupation in WW2.
A moment by moment account capturing the build up in the people of Guernsey that their quiet island is not going to remain that way.
Somewhat simplistic in style but nonetheless a good account by the author who admits he hadn’t gained a real lot of background from his grandfather due to his (the authors) young age when his grandfather died.
I was holidaying on Guernsey when my husband bought me this book and steeped in the Guernsey atmosphere I enjoyed reading this semi documentary account and also romantic / dramatic account of one family at that time.

[Irene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book captures the mood on the British Channel Island of Guernsey at a moment in time. It was the summer of 1940. The Nazis had overrun Holland, Belgium and France. England was surely next. The Channel Islands stood in full view of Occupied France. To some Islanders, it seemed inevitable that the Germans would invade. Others hoped the demilitarized Islands would be left in peace.
Tony Brassell tells the story of his grandparents--maybe some of the conversations are fictionalized but the account is true. It was told to Brassells by his "Grumps and Nan."
Although history has told us the outcome of WWII and we know that the Germans did, indeed, occupy the Channel Islands from 1940 until 1945. Still, Brassell tells the story in such a way that we live day by day, knowing only what the residents know. What their hear on the wireless, read in the paper or in back-fence conversations.
Woven throughout is the story of a "good" German--a flying ace with a conscience who is demoted when he suggests that the trucks that German reconnaissance has identified as military targets are farm vehicles.
It is a well-told story--much in the wistful, nostalgic of the 1971 film Summer of '42.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to read this novel through Net Galley for my honest opinion. This book covers a short period of time during WWII on a small British island and written by a family descendant. The story hooks you immediately and won't let go until long after you finish reading! You will need a few tissues but remember this is written by a family member! I strongly recommend this novel!!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having previously holidayed on Jersey and visited the Underground War Hospital, I was very much looking forward to reading Ten Days One Guernsey Summer to get more information and idea of what times were like during this turbulent time. It is a good read capturing the feelings and sentiment on the Island at that time, I felt the writing was very simplistic and did take away somewhat from my enjoyment of the story, however, I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the Channel Islands at this point in their history.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based upon the memoirs of Tony Brassell's grandparents. It covers their family's story on the 10 days prior to Germany's invasion of their island of Guernsey. The story varies between his grandparents and their kids, a German bomber pilot with a conscience, and the story of their oldest daughter, sent with her school to a safe location in Scotland.

This is a book written with love, about a loving family and their gentle lives during that time, and the difficult decisions they had to make in a time of war. It wasn't fast moving, but I read it in one day because it was so compelling. It was so interesting I went to the internet to find out more about Guernsey and The Channel Islands. I felt I had been there by the time the book ended. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in WWII, or the history of Guernsey.

[Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a captivating story about a family living on the island of Guernsey during WWII after the Germans had taken France. The characters and their everyday lives are so well written that you can feel the fear simmering under the surface of everything they do. They make the best of a frightening situation and continue to live their lives. The story alternates between viewpoints of the the husband and wife, their oldest daughter and a German fighter pilot. I found it to be fascinating and horrifying at the same time. I strongly recommend this book.

[Tina Milledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable and interesting book on a short but worrisome period of life and testing decisions made by parents of three children immediately before the German occupation of Guernsey during World War 2, as well as following the orders given to a compassionate German pilot at the same time. I enjoyed the author’s descriptive narrative, forming a picture of life in Guernsey at that time, and found it easy to switch between the chapters about Laurence’s family and the pilot, Bernard. Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for providing a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten Days One Guernsey Summer by author Tony Brassell.
This story set Guernsey in 1940 is about the authors grandparents ,who were living on the island . Its been very interesting to read as shows their day to day life at the time , what was happening and how they managed as a family . The things they had to go through especially with the decision to send their oldest daughter to England ,that must have been heart breaking . I have read several books about the Channel Islands during the war years but this is the first one about a family who lived there. Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read the book
Very well recommend this book and give five stars.