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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Major Pettigrew's Last Stand
by
Helen Simonson
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ISBN13:
9780812981223
ISBN10:
0812981227
Condition:
Standard
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$7.95
List Price:
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Awards
2010 Powell's Staff Top 5s
4.7
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Average customer rating 4.7 (25 comments)
`
Emily Ragsdale
, January 02, 2013
A warm-hearted, funny story of two lonely people finding love, despite the obstacles thrown in their way by family and friends and well-meaning neighbors.
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spellerb10
, January 01, 2013
This is such a heartwarming story! The characters are diverse and strong and the plot is never slow but a calming consistency. Masterful scenery and descriptions as well. It's like the reader is a member of the community.
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Magnolia Rando
, May 13, 2012
(view all comments by Magnolia Rando)
I enjoyed this sweet little love story. It was about a Retired English Major who begins a friendship with a middle aged Pakistani shop keeper. The book explores their friendship and the reaction of their families. There were several instances that I laughed out loud. Cute book.
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Michelle Orengo-McFarlane
, January 31, 2012
I absolutely ADORED this book. First off, it's written with wry, dry British humor. The author gives her protagonist, Major Pettigrew (as well as many of the other characters) a gift for honest and uncompromising introspection, even when unflattering (reminds me a little of Orwell in some of his essays). Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper with whom Pettigrew discovers a mutual love for Kipling, is one of the most likeable characters I've met in a long time; I fell completely in love with her. Beyond the individual and interpersonal, the book also touches on global issues -- the legacy of British colonialism, race and class issues, and the many conflicts between modern and traditional, both for the English-born English and the immigrant Pakistani characters. Of interest, the author is an Englishwoman, but has lived the last two decades in New York. I suspect this gives her descriptions of villages in the English countryside an unusual luster of poignancy (much as Lucy Maud Montgomery's exile from Prince Edward Island added a certain longing to her PEI descriptions in the Anne of Green Gables books). Her realistic but affectionate depictions are a sensory delight.
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Vermont
, January 25, 2012
(view all comments by Vermont)
If only more of us could behave as Major Pettigrew.
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Vermont
, January 25, 2012
(view all comments by Vermont)
If only more of us could behave like Major Pettigrew.
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gilbert87
, January 04, 2012
(view all comments by gilbert87)
A very engrossing story. I couldn't put it down!
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Cindergirl3
, January 03, 2012
(view all comments by Cindergirl3)
This was my favorite book of 2011. I recommend it to readers of all kinds. The setting and characters were so vividly drawn I felt I could easily step through the pages of this book. The Major is one of the best characters I've met in a long time.
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Rachel Coker
, October 14, 2011
(view all comments by Rachel Coker)
I adored this book. It's the novel that Jane Austen would be writing if she were alive today. An incisive, witty, suspenseful comedy of manners set in modern-day England, complete with cell phones, obnoxious bankers, grasping nouveau riche Americans and interracial relationships ... and the usual tea, disapproving relatives, formal dinners, drawing rooms and brisk winter mornings. Every part of the story rings true, each character gets an appropriately complex story line and the descriptions are so vivid that you can picture each scene in your mind. It's truly hard to believe that this is Helen Simonson's first novel. I hope she's hard at work on something equally wonderful now!
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Virtually snowbound
, September 02, 2011
(view all comments by Virtually snowbound)
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand is a charming book. Perhaps, after a brief glance at it, you suspect it's a little too charming, but instead of falling into the trap of simply glorifying life in a quaint English village, this book is full of many unpleasant characters, family problems and threats to the happiness of our protagonists. And the book achieves those protagonists' destiny through an altogether surprising series of events. Although it has almost nothing in common with the Miss Read books, I think this is one of those "if you liked that, you'll like this" comparisons. It's a great read, it's beautifully written, and, if you are over 60, gloriously reassuring that life still has infinite possibilities.
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Denise Showers
, March 06, 2011
(view all comments by Denise Showers)
Sometimes you have to run away from home -- say, when you are fighting a nasty battle in the improbable state of Wisconsin -- and despite cringing at all the descriptions of this story, I went for it. Am I ever glad. Simonson is economical with her words to the point of wonder. I cannot recall the last time I got inside a character's skin as quickly and effortlessly as I came to see Mrs. Ali and the local surroundings as the Major sees them. We are immediately sympathetic to the trials of the Major who is suffering the sting of potentially losing a beloved set of heirlooms to what looks like greedy simpletons, and the further sting of a rather harsh continuous self-inventory in every interaction, especially early on with Mrs. Ali. I really did chafe. How could a stuffy English town appeal to my need for immediate escape? But I'll return again and again to watch the sweet unfolding of the primary relationship in this novel, made sweeter, ironically, without a hint of saccharin. The several threads of the story are familiar ones. The character's unlikely, entirely plausible responses are not. Brava to this first novel.
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Julie Williamson
, January 23, 2011
(view all comments by Julie Williamson)
Maybe it is my age that made me love this tender love story between a staunch upper class Englishman and an widowed Indian woman who kept a shop in his town. Love conquers all!
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twinreader
, January 16, 2011
(view all comments by twinreader)
The best fiction creates a world and invites us into it. This book takes us into an English village - not a BBC stereotype, but an actual place. In the beginning of the novel, Major Pettigrew is a lonely and miserable widower. His growth is sporadic and believable - and worth a great big hip-hip-hooray. Give this gentle, intelligent romance a try.
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CYNTHIA LACEY
, January 06, 2011
(view all comments by CYNTHIA LACEY)
I loved this book. They were delightful characters united by a love of reading. I hated to see it end.
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jeanschbooks
, January 04, 2011
A social satire that's emotionally satisfying at the same time. Funny and moving and British.
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lundsus
, January 03, 2011
Humor, conflict, racism and love. This book is subtle but compelling, it's very classy and I found myself reading it slowly as I didn't want it to end. I have recommended it to all my friends. I hope Ms. Simonson continues writing, I look forward to her next book.
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k581marie
, January 02, 2011
(view all comments by k581marie)
This was a wonderful, light, multi-cultural, quick, happy story. In the dark days of winter, it's nice to read a happy book for a change! Families get tangled, misinterpretations occur, but the characters decide to seize the moment. I read this twice....very unusual for me
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cdbWA
, January 02, 2011
I really enjoyed the richly drawn characters. The graciousness with which the Major and Mrs. Ali conducted themselves was so refreshing. It is a reminder of true intimacy in a world that so often forgets.
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nora
, January 02, 2011
A delightful book. I didn't want it to end.
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Irwin
, January 01, 2011
Loved the character development and the writing was superb. This was a book with feeling.
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Lynn Marler
, January 01, 2011
(view all comments by Lynn Marler)
Wonderful book! The author said no sequel because she wants to leave the major characters in peace to live happily ever after; but I hope she does a sequel about one of the minor characters--I think her name was Rose; the British gal everyone was trying to fix the major up with--she kinda got screwed over in this book; I'd love to see a "plain-jane, boring" type get the guy for once instead of it always being the "exotic" gal, yawn.
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robertdsmith
, January 01, 2011
A wonderfully warm look at a man of a certain age who crosses social and cultural barriers to find true love.
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Nancy Laws
, January 01, 2011
(view all comments by Nancy Laws)
Delightful happy and uplifting story!
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John Reinhart
, January 01, 2011
Simonson channels Jane Austen in this delicious comedy of manners.
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Autumnseer
, January 01, 2011
(view all comments by Autumnseer)
If you love a good English novel, this is for you. Satisfying characters, an interesting story and a wonderful landscape. Highly recommended!
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Product Details
ISBN:
9780812981223
Binding:
Trade Paperback
Publication date:
11/30/2010
Publisher:
Random House Inc
Series info:
Random House Reader's Circle
Language:
English
Edition:
Reprint
Pages:
368
Height:
8.25
Width:
5.50
Thickness:
1.00
LCCN:
bl2010032156
Grade Range:
General/trade
Number of Units:
1
Copyright Year:
2010
UPC Code:
4294967295
Author:
Derek Miller
Author:
Helen Simonson
Subject:
Literature-A to Z
$7.95
List Price:
$18.00
Used Trade Paperback
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Qty
Store
7
Burnside
More copies of this ISBN
New, Trade Paperback, $18.00
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