Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

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Much of the novel focuses on the notion of "otherness." Who is considered an outsider in Edgecombe St. Mary? How are the various village outsiders treated differently? I think I threw the turkey out the window,"said Roger. "Or maybe I threw it throught the window. There's a big draft in here." Saturday morning, the Major was working in his garden when a flustered Roger emerged from the house. The Major had been taken by surprise by Roger’s abrupt visit and realized he would not know what to make of Abdul Wahid. With Sandy keeping Abdul Wahid busy in conversation, Roger made several statements to his father that hinted a distrust of Abdul Wahid based on his race. When Roger and Sandy went to the car to get lunch, Abdul Wahid told the Major he should leave because Roger and Sandy wanted to stay the weekend. The Major deflected any hasty decisions and invited Abdul Wahid to lunch; he accepted, but noted that most of the pork-based dishes would be off limits to him for religious reasons. Jasmina is an independent spirit, a reader, a Pakistani woman before her time. Her nephew, Abdul Wahli is working in the shop but Jasmina feels more than capable of running her husband’s business. Tradition dictates her place and she must consider allowing Abdul to take over but she won’t go out without a fight.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a 2010 novel by English author Helen Simonson. Set in a small town in the English country called Edgecombe St. Mary, it follows the titular protagonist, the retired Major Ernest Pettigrew, whose peaceful life is disrupted when his brother dies. He befriends a Pakistani shopkeeper in town, Mrs. Jasmina Ali, and soon becomes entangled in several marriage plots while also trying to negotiate the terms of his brother’s will. The novel touches on the intersections between national identity, race, racism, culture, and institutions of marriage. The author does a great job of highlighting the importance of family ties throughout the novel, without being overly sentimental.

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The Major and Mrs. Ali had arranged for a Sunday meeting at his house because she had the afternoon off and her nephew was accustomed to her being out. As the Major fussed over the tea set, he came across two cups that he and Nancy had acquired early in their marriage. It reminded him of Nancy, but he convinced himself he felt no sense of conflict in his growing attachment to Mrs. Ali. To busy himself until Mrs. Ali’s arrival, the Major began to work on the restoration of Bertie’s gun. He was dismayed to find it in very different condition than his own meticulously cleaned rifle. He knew that a slow and laborious restoration would be required to convince Ferguson that the two were a set. First impressions in Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand can be deceiving. Discuss the progressions of the characters you feel changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel" by Helen Simonson is a work of fiction and the author's debut novel. The story details the life of Major Ernest Pettigrew, a 68 year old widower living in Edgecomb St. Mary, a rural village located in Sussex, England. 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 her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition? The story's very ambiguity steadily feeds its mysteriousness and power, and Danielewski's mastery of postmodernist and cinema-derived rhetoric up the ante continuously, and stunningly. One of the most impressive excursions into the supernatural in many a year. The Major (Earnest, aptly named) – Retired British Army, military attitude, and strong values, almost stuffy with an air of ostentation.A comforting and intelligent debut, a modern-day story of love that takes everyone—grown children, villagers, and the main participants—by surprise, as real love stories tend to do.”—Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge

The writing style was very elegant and effortless, allowing for easy reading while still delivering an insightful message.One of the more frustrating books I have ever read. Some good writing, but with terrible characters and dodgy plotting--an infuriating combination. I am positive that my enjoyment of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is largely due to the fine narration of the audiobook by Peter Altschuler. He gives Major Pettigrew just the right tone of proper brusqueness without diminishing the importance of the other characters. His ability to distinguish each allowing his/her own voice is proof of his expertise.