• Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

  • A Novel
  • By: Helen Simonson
  • Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
  • Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (4,597 ratings)

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Major Pettigrew's Last Stand  By  cover art

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

By: Helen Simonson
Narrated by: Peter Altschuler
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Editorial reviews

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, author Helen Simonson’s wry, perceptive debut novel about love, the British class system, and family obligations, genially unfolds amid a quaint, leafy English village, tweedy and provincial as any Miss Marple mystery, drafty vicarage and all. Edgecombe St. Mary is home to retired widower Major Ernest Pettigrew, a courtly, roguish martinet whose predictable daily order cracks when he loses his heart to Mrs. Ali, a genteel local Pakistani shopkeeper with “crisp enunciation”, who shares both his devotion to Kipling and the loss of a cherished spouse.

As narrated by Peter Altschuler, 68-year-old Major Pettigrew is a snippy educated snob with a posh accent and sentimental streak. Altschuler inhabits the Major as a man who telegraphs disappointment in Roger, his drippy banker son, through throat-clearings and stutters. But it’s his reading of complicated Mrs. Ali that truly elevates this book. Altschuler articulates her quiet, ruminating spirit and cautious nature by slowing down his own conversational flow. There is deliberateness and intimacy to Mrs. Ali reflected in her low, melodious speech and tinkling laughter. Her insecurities and droll humor sand down the Major’s prickliness and humanize his peevishness. Mrs. Ali, it turns out, is as funny and flawed as the rest of us.

Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is wistful and rolling, only gradually revealing the origins of blemishes in one’s family life. Roger’s social climbing, hinted at by Altschuler through his slick use of his father, gives way to a more nuanced explanation of the son’s ambition. And when the Major compares Mrs. Ali to other village dames, noting that she’s “a butterfly to their scuffle of pigeons”, you get the sense that Major Pettigrew, crusty, old soul, is meant to bust out flowery paeans to Mrs. Ali, off-key, certainly, but authentic, nonetheless. Nita Rao

Publisher's 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 her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?

©2010 Helen Simonson (P)2010 Random House

What listeners say about Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

delightful!

While the story does start off slowly it is worth staying with. I found it absolutely delightful and was sorry when it came to an end. And the reader was perfect for the story.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Magical Pairing of Author and Narrator

Helen Simonson's beautifully imagined characters and Peter Altschuler's amusing and poignant narration join together delightfully in this audiobook. While I'm sure that Ms. Simonson's book stands up well in print, Mr Altschuler brings great heart and, well, OOMPH, and drew me along to the exciting conclusion. Exactly what I'm looking for in a great audiobook - very satisfying.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved Major Pettigrew!

Sometimes I wonder, with some books, how I just READ them before. With a book like Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, it almost cries to be listened to. The narrator does a marvelous job of reading this book, what's more, for me he became Major Pettigrew, with all his fuddy-duddiness and his never ending wish to keep things all things so "veddy veddy Engish." But the best part was how human he made him. I loved this book and was really sorry when it ended. It really was an old fashioned love story of two unlikely people and it makes for a great read. It was also hysterically funny and the Major cetainly did get himself into some situations. I highly recommend it!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Keep listening

This book takes a long time to get started. I almost gave up, but I'm glad that I kept listening. A sweet and entertaining read.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved the book, Major Pettigrew & Mrs. Ali

When a man is 68, he can either become disenchanted with life -- or take the sum of his life experiences & continue to grow. The Major's opinion about everything & everyone was hilarious!! It was interesting to see how his feelings about some people changed as the novel progressed. For example, he was completely disgusted with his son, Roger's, American fiancee -- but grew to have empathy for her as the novel progressed. A completely delightful read!!!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

LOVED It!

I generally don't enjoy "English humor" so was hesitant to choose this audio, however, the great reviews persuaded me--I am so glad I listened. The narrator was perfect in portraying the nuances of each character. I felt like I was present with the characters and, at times I was actually laughing out loud. It was sweet and funny- an unexpected jewel!

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well-written. Slow Plot, Great Character Developme

This story starts out well with excellent character development. The writing is quite good, and the narrator is excellent. The story seems to drag a bit in the second half as you start to realize that not much is happening. I would recommend this book if you are looking for a modern-day Jane Austen type book geared for men and women.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

More than you think.

As this started off, I thought it was going to be a predictable, British village novel. It's much more. The protagonist turns out not to be a cardboard caricature, but a likable gentleman of some complexity. I thought the narration was just right - the reader's accent added to my enjoyment of the book.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

very slow starter

not the best british narrator I have heard. Story grows on one as the 2nd part begins. gives a reliable portrait of british village problems to this day

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Very Interesting!

I enjoyed this book; learning the mores and practices of this class of society was very enlightening -- as well as all their prejudices. The reader was very expressive, and the author was very insightful in describing these complex relationships.

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6 people found this helpful