The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
A Novel
by Rachel Joyce
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Pub Date Jul 24 2012 | Archive Date Sep 01 2012
Random House Publishing Group | Random House
Description
Meet
Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his
wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does, even down to
how he butters his toast. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one
morning the mail arrives, and within the stack of quotidian minutiae is a
letter addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl from a woman he hasn't seen or
heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to
say goodbye.
Harold pens a quick reply and, leaving Maureen to her chores, heads to the
corner mailbox. But then, as happens in the very best works of fiction, Harold
has a chance encounter, one that convinces him that he absolutely must deliver
his message to Queenie in person. And thus begins the unlikely pilgrimage at
the heart of Rachel Joyce's remarkable debut. Harold Fry is determined to walk
six hundred miles from Kingsbridge to the hospice in Berwick-upon-Tweed
because, he believes, as long as he walks, Queenie Hennessey will live.
Still in his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold embarks on his urgent quest
across the countryside. Along the way he meets one fascinating character after
another, each of whom unlocks his long-dormant spirit and sense of promise.
Memories of his first dance with Maureen, his wedding day, his joy in
fatherhood, come rushing back to him-allowing him to also reconcile the losses
and the regrets. As for Maureen, she finds herself missing Harold for the first
time in years.
And then there is the unfinished business with Queenie Hennessy.
A novel of unsentimental charm, humor, and profound insight into the thoughts
and feelings we all bury deep within our hearts, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of
Harold Fry introduces Rachel Joyce as a wise-and utterly
irresistible-storyteller.
The author, Rachel Joyce, has written over twenty original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and has created major adaptations for the Classic series and Woman's Hour, as well as a TV drama adaptation for BBC2. In 2007 she won the Tinniswood Award for Best Radio Play. Joyce moved to writing after a twenty-year career in theatre and television, performing leading roles for the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, The Royal Court and Cheek by Jowl; and winning a Time Out Best Actress Award and the Sony Silver. She currently lives in Gloucestershire with her family and is at work on her second novel.
For hi-res covers and author photos, please visit: http://smartpublic.randomhouse.com/teams/
Advance Praise
Advance
praise for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
"When it seems almost too late, Harold Fry opens his battered heart and lets
the world rush in. This funny, poignant story about an ordinary man on an
extraordinary journey moved and inspired me."-Nancy Horan, author of Loving
Frank
"There's tremendous heart in this debut novel by Rachel Joyce, as she probes
questions that are as simple as they are profound: Can we begin to live again,
and live truly, as ourselves, even in middle age, when all seems ruined? Can we
believe in hope when hope seems to have abandoned us? I found myself laughing
through tears, rooting for Harold at every step of his journey. I'm still
rooting for him."-Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
"Marvelous! I held my breath at his every blister and cramp, and felt as if by
turning the pages, I might help his impossible quest succeed."-Helen Simonson,
author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
"Harold's journey is ordinary and extraordinary; it is a journey through the
self, through modern society, through time and landscape. It is a funny book, a
wise book, a charming book-but never cloying. It's a book with a savage
twist-and yet never seems manipulative. Perhaps because Harold himself is just
wonderful. . . . I'm telling you now: I love this book."-Erica Wagner, The
Times (UK)
"The odyssey of a simple man . . . original, subtle and touching."-Claire
Tomalin, author of Charles Dickens: A Life
"The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry takes the most ordinary and
unassuming of men and turns him into a hero for us all. To go on this journey
with Harold will not only break your heart, it might just also heal
it."-Tiffany Baker, author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
"Spontaneity has never been Harold Fry's strong suit, especially once he
retired. Just ask his long-suffering wife, Maureen. So imagine her surprise
when Harold abruptly decides to walk 500 miles to the north of England in a
naive attempt to save a dying woman, a colleague he once knew briefly but to
whom he hadn't spoken in 20 years. It's the proverbial case of a man going out
to mail a letter and never coming home. Clad only in his everyday garb, lacking
a cell phone, backpack, or reliable sense of direction, Fry puts one poorly
shod foot in front of the other and trudges through villages and hamlets, often
relying on the kindness of strangers to keep his momentum going. To the object
of his inspiration, the fading Queenie Hennessy, he writes pithy postcards,
bravely exhorting her not to die. Solitary walks are perfect for imagining how
one might set the world to rights, and Harold does just that, although not
always with uplifting results, as he ruminates on missed opportunities and
failed relationships. Accomplished BBC playwright Joyce's debut novel is a gentle
and genteel charmer, brimming with British quirkiness yet quietly haunting in
its poignant and wise examination of love and devotion. Sure to become a
book-club favorite.- Carol Haggas Booklist Review
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9780812993295 |
| PRICE | $25.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 336 |
