Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

What a fabulous book!

What a fabulous book! I fell in love with Major Pettigrew from the start. He is so gentle and dryly humorous, willing to own his faults, humble and yet completely fallible and human. When he falls in love with Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper in their small English village, he does it wholeheartedly. Yet their relatives and neighbors disapprove and they have to fight racism, ignorance, and censure to stay together. The author, Helen Simonson, does a great job of addressing nasty issues with a light and gentle hand. The Major struggles with what his beliefs confronting religion, environmentalism, and racism with his wisdom and humor. The plot is fast-paced and interesting making this a real page turner with a surprising twist at the end. A fun, heartwarming book that nevertheless examines some serious social issues.

20 out of 21 people found this review helpful.

GREAT HUMAN SPIRIT!

An older, distinguished gentlemen expanding his friendship with a mature lady friend in the English countrywide, is a beautiful unconventional love story, wry and witty, frequently hilarious. GREAT HUMAN SPIRIT AND FEEL GOOD READ! I loved it!

13 out of 14 people found this review helpful.

A winner!

Helen Simonson's 'Major Pettigrew's Last Stand' is a novel of love and grief and family and relationships. And while the fact that the major characters are fifty plus may be beside the point, it is nevertheless refreshing to see that the aged and aging may have real lives.

Widower Major Ernest Pettigrew, veteran of Her Majesty's Service and stanch upholder of all things British, is attracted to Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani matron who runs the village shop. No reader will be surprised that the members of the Major's golf club aren't impressed by his choice nor is Jasmina's family pleased that she has a British suitor. Ernest is expected to marry the local spinster (after a little not too genteel nudging by the ladies circle) and Jasmina's in-laws are expecting her to relinquish her shop to her nephew and 'retire' to the safety and servitude of family obligation.

However, this is less a story of plot than character. And Simonson does an excellent job of rendering each of her characters - from the upright and moral major and his sometimes greedy and consistently unsure son Roger with his flip yet sympathetic American girlfriend to the lovely and wise Jasmina and her serious, scholarly, and equally greedy and unsure nephew Abdul - with great depth and flair.

Five Stars: Recommended for all readers who want to be reminded of the cost and power of love and who want to smile as they close the book at the end.

10 out of 11 people found this review helpful.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a great contemporary English village romance

In Edgecombe St. Mary, sexagenarian English Widower Major Ernest Pettigrew grieves the death of his younger brother, Bertie. As a memento of growing up together, Ernest wants Bertie's antique Churchill shotgun, which is part of a set in which he owns the other piece. However, his sibling's wife Marjorie refuses to give it to him. Meanwhile Ernest's son Roger salivates over selling the Churchill collection.

Ernest is attracted to Pakistani shopkeeper Widow Jasmina Ali who he buys his tea from and enjoys discussing literature especially Kipling with her. He wants to court the single mom though Roger interferes as does the village socialites; each has their own reason while her nephew Abdul Wahid demands she give him the shop as women should not be storekeepers by themselves. However the major plans to ask the shopkeeper to accompany him to the dance at the club unaware of the volatile theme.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a great contemporary English village romance with a very modern day theme of two subcultures clashing when a person from each group falls in love with someone from the other side, a Romeo and Juliet taboo. The story line is character driven by the strong lead couple who has feelings that is unacceptable by their families and friends. Jocular and poignant, Helen Simonson writes a relevant tale of forbidden love even for middle aged military veterans who risks his place in the village by taking a last stand for what he wants.

Harriet Klausner

8 out of 12 people found this review helpful.

Glad he made his last stand

Helen Simonson writing is delightful. Her characters were interesting all the way through the book. It certainly makes the reader think of his or her prejudices. It is not a combination of cultures that is usually written about. There were parts that were funny too. I have recommended this to anyone who likes a pleasant book to read and am loaning my copy to friends. I was sort of sad when it ended because the main characters had become comfortable. Perhaps it won't be his last stand after all and we will hear more?

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

A totally satisfying read

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand updates the English countryside novel with multi-cultural characters, and she transcends the genre with their complexity. Simonson's writing is sharp in its criticism of narrow-mindedness, but her affection for her characters--even the very flawed ones--is obvious.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

GREAT BOOK

Do Not start this book unless you want to spend the night reading, I couldn't put the book down. A Awesome Debut Novel!!!

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Fabulous Read!

I loved this book all the way up to the last several pages. It didn't end with a nice bow around it, which is a usual requirement of mine. But after thinking more, it ended in the spirit of the book - life isn't perfect. Although the main story line is about unforbidden love, preconceptions and judgment, the subtext that resonated for me is about family - how neither parents or children are perfect in each others eyes. It was beautifully written in an English proper way, the prose beautiful and full of aha moments.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Only in America

...would you find enough people with sufficient self-hatred to embrace a book that is absolutely full of ugly American stereotypes complete with all the stupidity, boorishness, and insensitivity of Simonsons's American characters. No we aren't perfect, but then neither are the English people who continually look down their noses at us in spite of the fact that we died by the tens of thousands for them in the last world war.

Oddly enough this is a book about prejudice but I guess it's only a bad thing when directed at other groups. I have lived in England, and believe me, the hatred toward all Americans is alive and well and not really all that charming. If the Americans who read this book think that if they lived in England everyone would love them because they would be the exception to the rule -- think again. Prejudice doesn't wait to see if the individual fits the mold, it strikes the minute they hear your accent, no matter how quietly spoken.

2 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

Chivalry Is Not Dead

I really, truly enjoyed this book. In a time when civilization moves so quickly and prejudge is prevelent almost everywhere we do, it's refreshing to read about a couple who overcomes it to be together. I was also happy to see the author create an older couple for this scenario as it most certainly relates to a broad range of readers. This author has a great writing style that offers humor to offset serious topics of discussion. The characters jumped off the page and I instantly fell in love with the Major. How chivalrous he was to all the other female characters, but especially to Mrs. Ali, the shopkeeper he falls in love with (and I fell in love with too!). I also found that the Major's son, Roger, who was an unlikable character from the start, seemed to have a reformation toward the end of the story which I found endearing. This is an excellent book that readers from different ages and generations are sure to enjoy.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Modern Day Romeo and Juliet... Who Meet Later in Life

This was a charming story about a developing love and passion that happens between a couple over the age of 50. Despite the wisdom of their years, they still find their blossoming romance interferred with by meddlesome family and the conventions of society. It was nice to read a love story for a change about an older couple--a pleasant reminder that love can happen at any age and is not reserved only for twenty-somethings.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

DELIGHTFUL READING AT ANY AGE

A very touching, provocative story written beautifully.

There is also quite a bit of hilarity and if you enjoy this part you should also read Last Summer at the Club by Geri and Ed Muir. It's wonderful!!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Read!!!

Was a very easy read and absolutely loved the story line. I couldn't put the book down, I just wanted to read it till the end.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

a lovely, charming story!

halfway thru this book, i found myself putting it down after reading a few chapters just savor the story!

the major's keen wit, mrs. ali's little gems on life, their love found late in life in spite of drama from family/neighbors along w/life in an small, english village ("warts & all") made for just a lovely, charming story that left me wanting more.

helen simonson hit one out of the park w/her first book!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Charmingly old fashioned

I enjoyed this story for exactly what it is, however the choice of reader (in this case, the author) can greatly enhance or diminish the overall feel of a book. A professional reader with a good director would would have made this a better recording.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

What a delightful book. I felt that Mr. Pettigrew had such a calming effect when dealing with circumstances. Such a different "read". I know this is Helen Simonson's first novel, and I wrote to her telling her I so hoped she is working on another one to be published soon.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Touching

Very interesting characters whose lives you truly care about. You bevome a part of their town and their dillema. Very well done.

Highly recommended

Great story with good humour as well as suspense. Well-written and properly edited.

WHAT is ThIs DOIng

mY NooK iS ACTINg up AND IT Iis CApItaliZING and unCapiTtALiziiNG aNd tuRniNG pages All BY iTS SELF and i cant rEAS thiS Book AND it iS My favORitE one. ITS a REaLly GOos booK.

Recommend

Starts off a bit slow, but grabs you with a flowing story. Provides an honest potraly of cultrual biases. Some unexpected twists and of course the Major's dry wit.