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)

nice read

can be a little slow near the end. at first did not realize that the son was dead.

Astonishingly beautiful

A beautiful, simple, moving story, told with simplicity and grace. Simply marvelous. To be listened to again and again.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry

I really enjoyed this book .Sometimes life unexpectantly sends us down a road that brings us to a place we could not image.We get a new perspective on our old life, appreciate what seemed mundane and annoying before and leads us to understand ourselves better. Harold felt stuck in his mundane life, felt stuck in his marriage and had a lot of unresolved anger.His unplanned journey opened his mind to looking at things differently and realizing his part in his unhappiness.It gave him a new perspective and appreciation for his life.

Beautiful.

I won’t forget this book. The themes of loss and grief and attempting to find meaning in life. Beautifully written. Often very funny. So glad I listened to the audiobook as well. Jim Broadbent was the perfect choice to narrate. Nobody does kindness and pain mixed into one like he does. Highly recommended.

Loved!

I don't know if it's because I'm "of an age" but such a beautiful story.

Fabulous Quilt like story

Totally enjoyable tale. Character development superb. Like a British version of Forest Gump. ❤️. Life lessons without preaching Highly suggest if you want a beautiful story

From hopeful to sad

This story really took me in. At the beginning, I felt like the husband was looking for an escape, and the letter gave him a sense of purpose. It became so much more than that, revealed in small parts over a long journey. It was quite telling how the media and bandwagoners changed the journey, and then it seemed hopeless. I spent the entire book rooting for Harold, wanting him to succeed and to find happiness along the way. The real ending is a nice little bonus.

A lot darker than was led on to be

Read this book for a book club, I was told that it was a lot lighter and wittier then a lot of our typical book club books had been. But the story was quite serious and intense with a lot of very depressing and dark subject matters... important topics, but nonetheless this was a lot darker than we had thought it would be. Still, a very interesting story and extremely well read by Jim Broadbent.

Unforgettable

Loved the descriptive language of this story, the emotional details, and the quality of the writing. Well narrated!

Simple, beautiful and heartworthy

Jim Broadbent was superb for this novel. Right up there with Davina Porter for tempo and pitch. Bravo.

This is one of the most beautiful, unassuming and courageous books I have had the pleasure of reading in a very long time.

Harold Fry is an ordinary man who does not voice his feelings but stoically goes on, whatever life throws at him knowing his wife barely tolerates him and tries to appease her. One day he receives some very distressing news that a colleague and friend from the past is dying with cancer. He decides to send her a note and finding this inadequate a series of events leads to him walking the great distance from one corner of England to the other. This does not dissolve in a Forest Gump fest, although there are echoes, but trudges along at Harold's timbre. Allowing him to learn more and more about himself and the mysterious world around him.

Harold is retired and is wearing every day shoes and sets off in nothing more than one would be wearing for a trip to the shops. But he is armed with determination, self belief and sense of right. On his journey the introvert Harold, who likes to see the best in people but tries to avoid them, meets many different characters,some who bolster and assist him and others who use Harold and his story to further their own ends. But all leave their mark on dear Harold. He brings out the best of the British nation as they unite on his travails.

His journey becomes a pilgrimage and whilst walking, letting going of the trappings of life and just being Harold cleans out the corners of the painful memories that dwell inside along with the happy ones. He begins to reflect and unearths and examines his marriage, his choices and his relationships with his parents, his son and Queenie the woman he is walking to see, hoping his pilgrimage will give her that umpf she needs to hold on because she feels valued. He is repaying what he sees as a debt from the past. As he journeys he reaches his own private watershed and we are allowed to share this with him.

Harold's wife tetchy and cleaning obsessed Maureen also has to examine her own choices and behaviours. She runs the entire gamut of emotions which gets the reader wondering what terrible things Harold may have done and becoming suspicious, against your better judgement, or Harold's motives. Maureen too examines her part in this life of theirs and begins to see another truth emerging and allowing her to be who she really is.

This beautiful tale shows the very best, the very worst and how the ordinary can become most extraordinary. I smiled, I laughed and towards the end where the tale completely unfolds I cried big fat tears of sadness as the secrets were finally spilled. But I also rejoiced at the end.

To find oneself and to love is a joyous thing.