• 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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One of my all time favorites!

I just finished listening to this book for the second time and suspect I would continue to find humorous surprises and layers of meaning every time I might choose to revisit it. It will remain one of my all time favorites. The author's perfect articulation of dry, witty dialogue combined with an expansive knowledge of human nature can rarely be found, side by side, in one book. And I can't imagine anyone bringing this gem to life better than Peter Altshuler. His perfect delivery makes one glad for the privilege of listening to him. If you are wavering on on whether or not to choose this book let me assure you that you would find it quite difficult to make a better choice.

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just a great story

Because I bought this at the beginning of quarantine, it took me a while to get into! But I am so glad I went back to it! Absolutely a wonderful story! So many layers and levels.

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Credit-worthy!

Really enjoying this listen...quickly stepped into another world. Found my self chuckling at the humor. Highly recommend!

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Charming, sweet, funny, and romantic story!

I listened to this book right at the start of the pandemic in 2020 and absolutely loved how sweet and charming this story and the characters were. I loved the narration as well and found the themes of grief, old age, and race still very relevant to current times. I wish there was a sequel! If you liked A Man called Ove, you will love Major Pettigrew as well!

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Wonderful escape

This was such a wonderful way to escape the pressures of the day. The combination of the reader’s voice and the beautiful, thoughtful word choice made the journey a pleasure.

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The narrator’s ability to embody the various characters through his narration was a huge delight. Added much to the story.

I appreciated hearing how British and Pakistani cultures interacted closely in their mutual location , yet neither allowed the other into their cultural groups,

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A Surprising Treat!

Any additional comments?

This book was wonderful! I enjoyed every minute and really hope that there might be another book with further adventures of Major Pettigrew in future. Terrific characters. Excellent narration. Engaging from start to finish. Not to be missed.

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47 people found this helpful

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Light and Wonderfully Charming

As a 20 something American male I wondered how invested I would become with the protagonist being an elderly English war veteran, but I found myself absolutely engaged with the character. The wit and humor are excellent and the covert love story reveals that 60 or 16 we are all weak kneed and uneasy when it comes to love. Enjoyed the cultural nuances between English, Pakistani, and American characters, which provided some humorous and awkward events. An easy, light, and delightful listen. Accent and voices of the narrator were consistent and easy to understand.

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19 people found this helpful

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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

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'Ear Candy' from start to finish

One of my top ten best books ever. No pyrotechnics (OK, well - some, but literally), no car chases or vampires. Not a lot of blood or corpses littering the scene. just REALLY GREAT storytelling, delicious dialogue, amazing writing. Incredibly funny, absolutely laugh-out-loud hilarious at times. My wife and I listened to it on a long drive from Massachusetts to Texas - the miles just melted by - didn't want to get out of the car when we pulled up to our motels along the way. Major Pettigrew became part of our family.

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5 people found this helpful