The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce ****

 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

Harold receives a letter from Queenie, whom he hasn’t seen in 20 years. She is in hospice. He believes she will not die for as long as it takes him to walk to her. The walk is also his penance for his life’s sins. The walk goes viral. A novel of redemption.

Harold and his wife, Maureen, lived in the same house. She took care of the house, made meals, and did the laundry. She slept in the guest room, and he slept in the master bedroom. Their son disappeared (drug, alcohol) after Cambridge. Only Maureen communicated with David. Both Harold and Maureen blame Harold for David’s problems. Harold was a successful beer salesman until he was demoted. He is depressed. The walk gives his life purpose.

After receiving the letter from Queenie Hennessy, Harold decided to walk from Kingsbridge to Berwick-upon-Tweed. He is ill-prepared in terms of fitness, experience, and equipment. He has yachting shoes instead of hiking shoes. He left his cell phone at home. Later, he mailed his wallet and debit card back to Maureen. When totally dependent on the goodwill of others, he is like a pilgrim of yore. “What you’re doing is a pilgrimage for the twenty-first century. It’s awesome. Yours is the kind of story people want to hear.”During the pilgrimage, Harold meets many people. Most of the people he met were good, and Harold didn’t dwell on the others.

During their separation, Harold and Maureen reviewed their relationship and reevaluated it.

English humor: “What do you call two robbers?” he heard her ask. This time, they were back in the car. “I beg your pardon?” “It’s a joke,” she’d said. “Oh, I see. Very good. I don’t know. What do you call them?” “A pair of knickers.”

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