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77 reviews

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel
by Rachel Joyce

Published: 2013-03-26
Paperback : 384 pages
112 members reading this now
258 clubs reading this now
78 members have read this book
Recommended to book clubs by 74 of 77 members
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST
 
“[Rachel] Joyce’s beguiling debut is [a] modest-seeming story of ‘ordinary’ English lives that enthralls and moves you as it ...
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Introduction

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST
 
“[Rachel] Joyce’s beguiling debut is [a] modest-seeming story of ‘ordinary’ English lives that enthralls and moves you as it unfolds.”—People (four stars)
 
Meet Harold Fry, recently retired. He lives in a small English village with his wife, Maureen, who seems irritated by almost everything he does. Little differentiates one day from the next. Then one morning a letter arrives, addressed to Harold in a shaky scrawl, from a woman he hasn’t heard from in twenty years. Queenie Hennessy is in hospice and is writing to say goodbye. But before Harold mails off a quick reply, a chance encounter convinces him that he absolutely must deliver his message to Queenie in person. In his yachting shoes and light coat, Harold Fry embarks on an urgent quest. Determined to walk six hundred miles to the hospice, Harold believes that as long as he walks, Queenie will live. A novel of 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.
 
Praise for The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

“[A] gorgeously poignant novel of hope and transformation.”—O: The Oprah Magazine
 
“A cause for celebration . . . [Joyce] has a lovely sense of the possibilities of redemption. In this bravely unpretentious and unsentimental take, she’s cleared space where miracles are still possible.”—Ron Charles, The Washington Post
 
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.”—Janet Maslin, The New York Times

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Editorial Review

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Excerpt

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Discussion Questions

Suggested by Members

Ask why it's called a Pilgrwmage
by [email protected] (see profile) 04/28/16

I first ask each member if they liked the book, 75% said thay liked it very much. I asked them to tell us something about the book.
A question that I asked was what was the difference between a journey and a pilgrimage.
Why did the husband put up with the treatment of his wife. That was an interesting question as some women had different opinions of why.
by ruckus (see profile) 05/27/15

Discuss first exactly what their definition of a pilgrimage is, as opposed to just a journey
by Jforster (see profile) 04/14/15

How did each characters' silence affect the story?
by mopsickmom (see profile) 09/04/14

What journey have you taken in your life?
Can a marriage overcome anything?
Why was Rex your favorite character?
by crystalbooks (see profile) 05/05/14

How did magical thinking play into the book?
Why did Harold accept Maureen's treatment of him?
by mcomai (see profile) 03/11/14

We found the questions in the guide to be very helpful in facilitating our discussion
by debbie1962 (see profile) 07/16/13

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

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