• 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 (4,598 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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Wonderful story

Would make a great movie or tv program. It has a n excellent message with a wonderful touch of humor.

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A relaxing, amusing listen.

I found myself laughing out loud. A great commentary on life, parent child relationships and aging. It was a,wonderful listen!

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A thoroughly entertaining listen

What did you love best about Major Pettigrew's Last Stand?

The character of "the major" could be one out of central casting, but that is ok with me.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand?

The ending, so I won't spoil it for those who have not listened to the book

What about Peter Altschuler’s performance did you like?

Superb reading by the voice artist. I always love a good aristocratic British accent!

If you could rename Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, what would you call it?

I like it as is

Any additional comments?

Simple entertainment and a great love story. I doubt I would have enjoyed it as much as a book, but the reader brought it to another level. I am sorry that other books he has read didn't seem to interest me

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    4 out of 5 stars

Generational

This novel is about my parents' generation and was bittersweet to listen. I so enjoyed it! The subtle portrayal of relationships between charters, Major Pettigrew's embarrassment at expressing emotion in the beginning, (he being English military and all), and the slow revealing of his wisdom and integrity, enables the reader to find his clever, bold problem solving completely believable. The dance scene in the middle of the book is one of those horrifying can't read another word but can't put the book down scenes. Pacing works, narration works, but mostly the gradual change taking place in this man adjusting to a world with which he isn't quite comfortable is a wonderful read when you are not in a hurry.

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Delightful

This was a greatly intertaining book. I was instantly engaged. I loved the characters and the outcome. Even had a little twist.

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Understated British Charmer

Charming and well-witten story of a stuffy retired British gentleman in a small town getting his limits tested by and finding much in common with a local Pakistani shopkeeper. Every time you think the story is settling into stereotypical roles, the author surprises you with a small surprise that keeps you engaged until the next one.

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A Modern Old-Fashioned Romance

The author has written a touching romance about a widow and a widower. Her characters are so developed by her writing and the narrator's reading that you feel sure you know them. The beginning starts out slowly, just as romance does in real life, but ends with a bang that I felt was a bit over-the-top. A Disney ending. But I did enjoy it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a gentle read.

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Engaging and Delightful

What an enjoyable story! It was lovely and socially relevant. Peter Altschuler's ability to vocally embody the motivation of every move of each character made this story a delightful journey. Helen Simonson paints beautifully vivid word pictures that Peter Altschuler brought to life. They are a dynamic duo.

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Delightful

Charming story told from the perspective of a very human, old-fashioned English gentleman who is adapting to modern society. Excellent reader. Easy to listen to and hard to ignore as you get involved in these characters.

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A charming story with a near-perfect narrator

If you love charming yarns with a small-town English setting, this is the book for you. I can't think of a better narrator for this story (except for a couple of accents that didn't quite make sense - but they were minor characters).

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