Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson (New York: Random House, 2010). Summary:
"You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel, he will steal your heart.
"The Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?"
Opening Line:
"Major Pettigrew was still upset about the phone call from his brother's wife and so he answered the doorbell without thinking."
My Take:
A lovely, gentle love story that also happens to have a lot to say about friendship, integrity, family, and culture. Part of me wants to see a movie made out of this one; part of me thinks the big studios would just ruin it. Very satisfying story that I think I'll be buying several gift copies of.
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