Amazon.ca Editors' Pick: Best Books of 2012
Recently retired, sweet, emotionally numb Harold Fry is jolted out of his passivity by a letter from Queenie Hennessy, an old friend, who he hasn't heard from in twenty years. She has written to say she is in hospice and wanted to say goodbye. Leaving his tense, bitter wife Maureen to her chores, Harold intends a quick walk to the corner mailbox to post his reply but instead, inspired by a chance encounter, he becomes convinced he must deliver his message in person to Queenie--who is 600 miles away--because as long as he keeps walking, Harold believes that Queenie will not die. So without hiking boots, rain gear, map or cell phone, one of the most endearing characters in current fiction begins his unlikely pilgrimage across the English countryside. Along the way, strangers stir up memories--flashbacks, often painful, from when his marriage was filled with promise and then not, of his inadequacy as a father, and of his shortcomings as a husband. Ironically, his wife Maureen, shocked by her husband's sudden absence, begins to long for his presence. Is it possible for Harold and Maureen to bridge the distance between them? And will Queenie be alive to see Harold arrive at her door?
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
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Amazon.com - Best 100 Books of 2012
Amazon.ca - Best 100 Books of 2012
Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize
“Late last year the time came to pick 2012’s ‘new face’ for books: I read a pile of first novels and enjoyed a few, but there was only one I adored, and that was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry… 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… This book may follow a pattern set by another radio dramatist-turned-novelist, David Nicholls, whose One Day has now sold more than a million copies and been made into a successful film simply because one reader said to another ‘I love this book’ over and over again. So I’m telling you now: I love this book.”
—The Times
“The redemption Joyce offers at the end of this novel is haunting, unexpected and inspiring. She makes you want to leave your phone at home and walk out to discover things.”
—The Times (UK)
“[A] moving debut.”
—The Guardian (UK)
"Very rarely, you come upon a novel that feels less like a book than a poignant passage of your own life, and the protagonist like an acquaintance who has gently corrected your path. . . . Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry starts off in just this way. . . . A smart, subtle, funny, painful, weirdly personal novel."
—The Globe and Mail
“ . . . a gentle adventure with an emotional wallop. It's a smart, feel-good story that doesn't feel forced.”
—USA Today
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other. . . . it is very much a story of present-day courage. She writes about how easily a mousy, domesticated man can get lost and how joyously he can be refound.”
—The New York Times
“Joyce’s beguiling debut is another modest-seeming story of ‘ordinary’ English lives that enthralls and moves you as it unfolds.”
—People Magazine (four stars)
“. . . [a] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”
—O, the Oprah Magazine
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other.”
—The New York Times
“It’s a deceptively simple novel about the anguish of regret, the importance of faith, and the redemptive power of love. . . . [Harold’s] story is humorous, moving and profound—one of those you keep thinking about weeks after you’ve finished it. . . . I promise it’s one of the best books you’ll read this year.”
—Daily Mail (UK)
“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 every step of his journey. I’m still rooting for him.”
—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry isn’t just a book I enjoyed reading, it’s a book I feel lucky to have read. It takes the most ordinary and unassuming of men and turns him into a hero for us all. Harold Fry faces the same questions we all do as we age, questions about the meaning of our lives, faith and love, but confronts them in a most surprising way. To go on this journey with him will not only break your heart, it might also just heal it.”
—Tiffany Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
“The odyssey of a simple man. Original, subtle and touching.”
—Claire Tomalin, author of Charles Dickens: A Life
“A delightful story of faith, hope and redemption. Harold encounters human nature in all its guises, becomes a minor celebrity, learns to manage with few possessions and takes pleasure in the smallest of things. It's funny and touching, a celebration of life and a reminder that it's never too late to change.”
—The New Zealand Herald
“ . . . Joyce captures Harold’s emotions with a tidiness of words that is at times thrilling. It’s a trip worth taking.”
—Maclean’s
“Life-affirming delight. A comic pleasure.”
— Woman & Home
“A tender, funny debut about second chances and regained love as a man takes to the road on an unusual quest.”
— Marie Claire
“Tender and funny, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry shows that even our frailties can be uplifting and redemptive.”
—Edward Stourton
“A wonderful book . . . Full of sadness, hope, and ultimately love. I found it very moving.”
—Esther Freud
“[A] charming début . . . Deeply affecting.”
—The Bookseller
“While [Joyce] handles her material with deceptive lightness, Harold’s journey towards a better version of himself is totemic. To read about him is to be moved to follow him.”
—The Telegraph (UK)
“ . . . Joyce captures Harold’s emotions with a tidiness of words that is at times thrilling. It’s a trip worth taking.”
—Maclean’s
“Rachel Joyce’s first novel—about a retired Englishman shuffling off to visit a dying colleague—sounds twee, but it’s surprisingly steely, even inspiring, the kind of quirky book you want to shepherd into just the right hands. . . . For all her merciless insistence on the brutality of illness, she has a lovely sense of the possibilities of redemption. In this bravely unpretentious and unsentimental tale, she’s cleared space where miracles are still possible.”
—The Washington Post
"Oh to be a pilgrim in yachting shoes and waxed cotton jacket, fueled only by a microwaved burger from a roadside garage and a sudden burning need to save a dying friend. Harold Fry is infuriating, hilarious and completely out of his depth, but 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. Marvelous!"
—Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
Amazon.ca - Best 100 Books of 2012
Shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize
“Late last year the time came to pick 2012’s ‘new face’ for books: I read a pile of first novels and enjoyed a few, but there was only one I adored, and that was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry… 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… This book may follow a pattern set by another radio dramatist-turned-novelist, David Nicholls, whose One Day has now sold more than a million copies and been made into a successful film simply because one reader said to another ‘I love this book’ over and over again. So I’m telling you now: I love this book.”
—The Times
“The redemption Joyce offers at the end of this novel is haunting, unexpected and inspiring. She makes you want to leave your phone at home and walk out to discover things.”
—The Times (UK)
“[A] moving debut.”
—The Guardian (UK)
"Very rarely, you come upon a novel that feels less like a book than a poignant passage of your own life, and the protagonist like an acquaintance who has gently corrected your path. . . . Rachel Joyce's The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry starts off in just this way. . . . A smart, subtle, funny, painful, weirdly personal novel."
—The Globe and Mail
“ . . . a gentle adventure with an emotional wallop. It's a smart, feel-good story that doesn't feel forced.”
—USA Today
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other. . . . it is very much a story of present-day courage. She writes about how easily a mousy, domesticated man can get lost and how joyously he can be refound.”
—The New York Times
“Joyce’s beguiling debut is another modest-seeming story of ‘ordinary’ English lives that enthralls and moves you as it unfolds.”
—People Magazine (four stars)
“. . . [a] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”
—O, the Oprah Magazine
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is not just a book about lost love. It is about all the wonderful everyday things Harold discovers through the mere process of putting one foot in front of the other.”
—The New York Times
“It’s a deceptively simple novel about the anguish of regret, the importance of faith, and the redemptive power of love. . . . [Harold’s] story is humorous, moving and profound—one of those you keep thinking about weeks after you’ve finished it. . . . I promise it’s one of the best books you’ll read this year.”
—Daily Mail (UK)
“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 every step of his journey. I’m still rooting for him.”
—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry isn’t just a book I enjoyed reading, it’s a book I feel lucky to have read. It takes the most ordinary and unassuming of men and turns him into a hero for us all. Harold Fry faces the same questions we all do as we age, questions about the meaning of our lives, faith and love, but confronts them in a most surprising way. To go on this journey with him will not only break your heart, it might also just heal it.”
—Tiffany Baker, New York Times bestselling author of The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
“The odyssey of a simple man. Original, subtle and touching.”
—Claire Tomalin, author of Charles Dickens: A Life
“A delightful story of faith, hope and redemption. Harold encounters human nature in all its guises, becomes a minor celebrity, learns to manage with few possessions and takes pleasure in the smallest of things. It's funny and touching, a celebration of life and a reminder that it's never too late to change.”
—The New Zealand Herald
“ . . . Joyce captures Harold’s emotions with a tidiness of words that is at times thrilling. It’s a trip worth taking.”
—Maclean’s
“Life-affirming delight. A comic pleasure.”
— Woman & Home
“A tender, funny debut about second chances and regained love as a man takes to the road on an unusual quest.”
— Marie Claire
“Tender and funny, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry shows that even our frailties can be uplifting and redemptive.”
—Edward Stourton
“A wonderful book . . . Full of sadness, hope, and ultimately love. I found it very moving.”
—Esther Freud
“[A] charming début . . . Deeply affecting.”
—The Bookseller
“While [Joyce] handles her material with deceptive lightness, Harold’s journey towards a better version of himself is totemic. To read about him is to be moved to follow him.”
—The Telegraph (UK)
“ . . . Joyce captures Harold’s emotions with a tidiness of words that is at times thrilling. It’s a trip worth taking.”
—Maclean’s
“Rachel Joyce’s first novel—about a retired Englishman shuffling off to visit a dying colleague—sounds twee, but it’s surprisingly steely, even inspiring, the kind of quirky book you want to shepherd into just the right hands. . . . For all her merciless insistence on the brutality of illness, she has a lovely sense of the possibilities of redemption. In this bravely unpretentious and unsentimental tale, she’s cleared space where miracles are still possible.”
—The Washington Post
"Oh to be a pilgrim in yachting shoes and waxed cotton jacket, fueled only by a microwaved burger from a roadside garage and a sudden burning need to save a dying friend. Harold Fry is infuriating, hilarious and completely out of his depth, but 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. Marvelous!"
—Helen Simonson, author of Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
About the Author
The author, Rachel Joyce, has written over twenty original afternoon plays for BBC Radio 4, and has created major adaptations for the Classic series and Woman’s Hour, as well as a TV drama adaptation for BBC2. In 2007 she won the Tinniswood Award for Best Radio Play. Joyce moved to writing after a twenty-year career in theatre and television, performing leading roles for the RSC, the Royal National Theatre, The Royal Court and Cheek by Jowl; and winning a Time Out Best Actress Award and the Sony Silver. She currently lives in Gloucestershire with her family and is at work on her second novel.
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There's been lots of buzz about Rachel Joyce's debut novel - The Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.
Harold lives in the southern part of England. He is a quiet man, who has tried to keep a low profile in life, preferring not to draw attention to himself. He has recently retired and now stays at home with his wife Maureen, filling the days with small, mundane tasks. But, the relationship between himself and Maureen is growing increasingly fractious. One day the post arrives - with a letter from someone named Queenie Hennessey. Queenie and Harold worked together many years ago, but haven't kept in touch. Queenie is dying and has written a good bye letter to Harold. Harold feels he should send a reply, so he does and dutifully sets off to mail it straight away. Except.....when he reaches the post box, he decides to post it at the next box. And then he has an epiphany - why not deliver the letter in person? And if he can walk the 600 miles to Queenie - she won't die. And that moment marks the beginning of Harold's pilgrimage.
"Tell her Harold Fry is on his way. All she has to do is wait. Because I am going to save her, you see. I will keep walking and she must keep living."
As Harold walks, he begins to remember and recount his past, much of which he has chosen to repress.
"It surprised him that he was remembering all this. Maybe it was the walking. Maybe you saw even more than the land when you got out of the car and used your feet."
With just the clothes he had on when he left the house, Harold is forced to step outside of his comfort zone and interact with those he encounters. Many of these people are 'stuck' as well. Harold seems to grow a little bit more with every connection and every step he takes. Harold's journey has an effect on Maureen as well - although she is not walking, she too is on a journey of self discovery.
"In waking, he freed that past that he had spent twenty years seeking to avoid, and now it chattered and played through his head with a wild energy that was its own. He no longer saw distance in terms of miles. He measured it with his remembering."
Oh, what can I say - I absolutely loved this book! Joyce has created a marvellous character in Harold - he fairly leapt off the page for me. I shared his sadness, urged him on when he faltered and was sitting on the edge of my chair in the final chapters. But it was Harold's (re)discovering of himself that had me alternating between tears and joy. Joyce's exploration of the human spirit is by turns heart breaking and life affirming. Harold's journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of redemption. Just an absolutely fantastic debut.
Do yourself a favour - take a walk with Harold - it's a road worth travelling.
Harold lives in the southern part of England. He is a quiet man, who has tried to keep a low profile in life, preferring not to draw attention to himself. He has recently retired and now stays at home with his wife Maureen, filling the days with small, mundane tasks. But, the relationship between himself and Maureen is growing increasingly fractious. One day the post arrives - with a letter from someone named Queenie Hennessey. Queenie and Harold worked together many years ago, but haven't kept in touch. Queenie is dying and has written a good bye letter to Harold. Harold feels he should send a reply, so he does and dutifully sets off to mail it straight away. Except.....when he reaches the post box, he decides to post it at the next box. And then he has an epiphany - why not deliver the letter in person? And if he can walk the 600 miles to Queenie - she won't die. And that moment marks the beginning of Harold's pilgrimage.
"Tell her Harold Fry is on his way. All she has to do is wait. Because I am going to save her, you see. I will keep walking and she must keep living."
As Harold walks, he begins to remember and recount his past, much of which he has chosen to repress.
"It surprised him that he was remembering all this. Maybe it was the walking. Maybe you saw even more than the land when you got out of the car and used your feet."
With just the clothes he had on when he left the house, Harold is forced to step outside of his comfort zone and interact with those he encounters. Many of these people are 'stuck' as well. Harold seems to grow a little bit more with every connection and every step he takes. Harold's journey has an effect on Maureen as well - although she is not walking, she too is on a journey of self discovery.
"In waking, he freed that past that he had spent twenty years seeking to avoid, and now it chattered and played through his head with a wild energy that was its own. He no longer saw distance in terms of miles. He measured it with his remembering."
Oh, what can I say - I absolutely loved this book! Joyce has created a marvellous character in Harold - he fairly leapt off the page for me. I shared his sadness, urged him on when he faltered and was sitting on the edge of my chair in the final chapters. But it was Harold's (re)discovering of himself that had me alternating between tears and joy. Joyce's exploration of the human spirit is by turns heart breaking and life affirming. Harold's journey is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of redemption. Just an absolutely fantastic debut.
Do yourself a favour - take a walk with Harold - it's a road worth travelling.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Reader Writer Runner
TOP 50 REVIEWER
Format:Hardcover
In Rachel Joyce's debut novel, "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry," a retired sales representative receives a letter from an old friend, Queenie, who informs him that she's dying from cancer. Harold scribbles a polite reply and heads to the mailbox at the end of the road. Unsatisfied with such a brief walk, he makes for the next mailbox, then the next one until he finally decides to walk the 600 miles to Queenie's sickbed, convinced that this will somehow help her survive.
Harold carries no possessions and wears only "yachting shoes" but faith and determination become his armaments. Along his journey, he encounters a cast of unique characters from a famous actor to an oncologist to a group of women on a cycling tour. Some applaud Harold for his faith; others deem him crazy to believe that his pilgrimage will end with a medical miracle. As Harold ponders his life, his relationship with his wife and son and his recent interactions with strangers, he begins to see his life in a new light.
Joyce has written a poignant, thought-provoking piece of work that combines the themes of love, friendship, mortality, and burning regrets. Her prose reads beautifully and reflects a painful but deeply spiritual journey. Though at times the novel approaches over-sentimentality, it never crosses the line. It remains a story about faith, persistence, and opening oneself to the world.
Harold carries no possessions and wears only "yachting shoes" but faith and determination become his armaments. Along his journey, he encounters a cast of unique characters from a famous actor to an oncologist to a group of women on a cycling tour. Some applaud Harold for his faith; others deem him crazy to believe that his pilgrimage will end with a medical miracle. As Harold ponders his life, his relationship with his wife and son and his recent interactions with strangers, he begins to see his life in a new light.
Joyce has written a poignant, thought-provoking piece of work that combines the themes of love, friendship, mortality, and burning regrets. Her prose reads beautifully and reflects a painful but deeply spiritual journey. Though at times the novel approaches over-sentimentality, it never crosses the line. It remains a story about faith, persistence, and opening oneself to the world.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
It is a rare pleasure to find an introvert as the hero of a story. It was wonderful to read the thoughts and memories of Harold Fry as he made his unlikely pilgrimage. Harold; so socially stilted, so human, so faulted so decent...so breathtakingly kind. It was pure joy to see Harold's heart and his world expand with each step of his difficult journey.
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4.3 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
You will like this one.
So many things in life can't be explained. That's the strength of this book. They just happen.
I enjoyed every step of this book but I can't exactly tell you why. Read more
I enjoyed every step of this book but I can't exactly tell you why. Read more
Published 12 days ago by Stan Waese
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very interesting read
I chose this book because of the unusual title. I enjoyed it so much that I have recommended it to others and chose it for my book club to read and discuss.
Published 13 days ago by Carole L Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read
A beautiful story. Funny moments and abolutely heart wrenching as well. I fell in love with Harold. I had trouble putting it down, wonderful read.
Published 15 days ago by Ruth McFadden
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it: read it twice
In a novel that is by turns hilarious and deeply serious, Harold sets out to walk the length of England, hoping passionately, but irrationally, to bring healing to an old friend... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Annamarie Beckel
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hang in There
I read this book because it was the pic of the month for my book club. I thought the book overall was a good book and an easy read. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Kat
5.0 out of 5 stars
Such a great book
I really enjoyed reading this book. The complicated characters, the descriptive scenery, all of it was great! Best read in quite awhile!
Published 3 months ago by Therese Guiguet
5.0 out of 5 stars
We had this book for our Book Club.
This book was excellent. When we got together to discuss it, we all agreed that we liked it, this is a feat as we like different genres. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Brenda Louie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Diamond in the rough
This book was very surprising, my book club read it and I was shocked at just how vivid the characters and scenery are. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Amaryste
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Unlikely Pilgrimage nof Haroold Fry
I thought the book gave a good example of how important communication is in a marriage. I admired Harold's determination to reach his destination once he decided to see Queenie... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Elizabeth Madaro
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN OUTSTANDING NOVEL NOT TO BE MISSED!
Harold Fry is a sixty-five year old retired Sales Rep, who worked in a Brewery. He is married to Maureen and lives in a small Village named Kingsbridge, South Hams. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Janet Babins
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