The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

A Novel

By: Rachel Joyce

Narrated by: Jim Broadbent

Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST

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.

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

©2012 Rachel Joyce (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"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)

Resonates deeply.

A reminder of what matters in life and the importance of noticing. Slow down. It all passes so quickly. So well written, the narration is superb.

Lovely story

I enjoyed this lovely story of love, lost, and dealing with grief.Harold, Maureen, and Queenie are well developed characters and the audible edition was pleasant to listen to.

Why did he have to walk??

I kept wondering… why didn’t he just take a train? A bus? Rent a car?? His spirits and body struggled so… why did he carry on, putting one foot in front in front of the other, when he could have saved himself the physical toll and arrived at his destination sooner?? Because then there wouldn’t have been this story, full of faith, determination, and cleansing of his soul. I love how it was told not only from his perspective but also from his wife’s. Sometimes painful to listen to, this story was a lot more than I expected and will stay with me for a very long time.

Excellent story and narration

I loved this story so much that while listening to the excellent narration on Audible, I ordered the paperback because it’s a book I’ll want to experience again and again. Beautiful writing and the narrator’s voice and way of speaking was the perfect combination to tell this story.

Very Engaging!

When I had to pause, I couldn’t wait to get back to the story, to get to the end.

The Pilgrimage

…the unfolding….the pilgrimage….I went on the journey also……even untouched by suicide, the journey spoke

The power of sorrow when left unattended.

Loved the narrator and the depth of impact of everyday nuances on one’s life. I would like to have had more moments of lightheartedness. It was becoming quite heavy with the load and misfortunes. A few more light moments might have balanced it some.

Heart felt story…

I want to give Harold a hug! This is an easy read, a warm and touching story! Very nicely narrated.

To Be A Pilgrim!

"...and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." - Hebrews 11:13

This novel reads like an inverted bildungsroman. It is a novel about the pilgrimages we all must take later in life and the penance that we all must finally pay. That indeed sounds like a dreary novel, but with Joyce's talent for prose and pacing this novel absolutely flows with funky characters and breathes with a gentle humor. For me, it was like I was reading a great novel by Peter Carey, or David Mitchell or Brady Udall. Those are the peers that she belongs with. The story of Harold Fry's pilgrimage is beautiful and the characters are vivid. Ultimately the book, like a soft hymn sings that we are all important to the people we come in contact with, no matter how simple and ordinary we may at first appear.

Jim Broadbent reads this novel with a nuance, liveliness, and sensitivity that one rarely find outside the theatre. One of the best narrations I've EVER listened to.

beautifully written debut novel.

This is a debut novel, beautifully written. Harold Fry has recently retired from a job he hated, along with his boss, for at least 20 years. He believes that he has failed at everything he’s ever done, including raising his son. His wife, Maureen, seems to agree that he’s failed at everything since she scolds him for every little thing, even the way he butters his toast. So one day he gets a letter which is from a co-worker who he hasn’t seen in 20 years, Queenie Hennessy. She is apparently dying and has written a letter to let him know that and to thank him for being kind to her at one time. Harold is immediately grief-stricken as well as feeling very guilty. He believes that while Queenie was kind to him, he failed her and let her get fired for something he had done. He sets out to send her a note that just says he’s sorry. He has on casual clothes and very casual footwear to go to the mailbox. But he keeps walking. He stops for a burger and is told by the worker there that her aunt lived and recovered from cancer because people had faith that she would. Harold decides to undertake a pilgrimage of walking 600 miles to the hospice where Queenie is dying with the idea that if he can walk that distance he’ll keep her from dying. So he starts on a two-month odyssey to reach his goal. He meets all kinds of people, some generous, some taking advantage of him. His pilgrimage becomes a celebrated cause with the newspapers getting hold of it. The results of all of this reveal his family secrets and in some ways has a very surprising result. This debut novel is already being listed as a possible Booker Prize winner, and we can expect more wonderful books from this author who seems very good at telling stories.