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Book of the month

Join Rachel Joyce to talk about January's Book of the Month, THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, on Tuesday 29 Jan, 9-10pm

221 replies

TillyBookClub · 04/12/2012 22:31

January is all about making fresh starts, new plans and wildly unrealistic promises. Most of us fall by the wayside within days. But not Harold Fry. The hero of our Booker-longlisted, January Book of the Month, THE PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, is a retired and unhappily married pensioner living in Devon, who receives a letter from an old friend in Berwick Upon Tweed telling him she has cancer. He writes a reply, but on his way to the postbox, he decides that this is not enough. He must walk to Berwick in person, there and then. Only this, he knows, will keep her alive. And so begins a remarkable journey through the roads, cafes, tourist centres, towns and lanes of Britain. Along the way, a cast of diverse characters support, encourage and empathise with him, eventually turning into a cult following. Meanwhile, Harold's own memories begin to bubble up, and resolve the regret and sadness that have blighted his marriage and his relationship with David, the son who dramatically left home.

An exploration of grief and regret, as well as a celebration of love, faith and hope, this is a charming, moving and peculiarly British book.

Our book of the month page has more details about THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY. You can get a paperback or Kindle edition here.

We are thrilled that Rachel will be joining us to discuss the book and answer any questions about THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY, the Booker longlist and her writing career on Tuesday 29 January, 9-10pm.

Hope you can join us...

OP posts:
GoldMyrrhAndNonsense · 05/12/2012 02:00

I'm here early as I keep missing the book and then the chat. Downloading to my Kindle now!

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 08:35

A book I don't have...hurrah!

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 10:33

It is now 10.33 and not live.

Huh.

ShadeMumsnet · 05/12/2012 10:36

The Book of the Month page is now live. Apply for your free copy of THE PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY now.

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 10:37

dunnit

aristocat · 05/12/2012 14:49

Love, love the sound of this book.

Smile

BeataNoxPotter · 05/12/2012 14:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 15:17

Out of interest, do people who don't much like the books just not post?

I only ever see Ooo Author Person, I loved your book so much it's so great...etc

BeataNoxPotter · 05/12/2012 15:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 15:22

Soz, didn't mean you two above specifically!

lilibet · 05/12/2012 17:01

I love this book. It was a birthday present earlier this year and everyone I lend it to has nothing but praise for it. I shall post a question although I probably can't make the chat.

Hully, I'm guilty of not posting if I dislike a book. The Submission being a case in point. I'm out most Tuesdays and it seems mean to post a criticism and then not even turn up.

HullyEastergully · 05/12/2012 17:15

But it isn't, it's fine if it is honest and constructive. Otherwise it's just get an author on and arselick. Dull.

BeataNoxPotter · 05/12/2012 18:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DuchessofMalfi · 06/12/2012 12:38

Hully, you didn't see my posts on the previous book, The Sisters Brothers, then. No arse-licking there. I hated it, and said so Xmas Grin.

HullyEastergully · 06/12/2012 14:35

No, I'll have to have a look

Although I LIKED that book very much so you are clearly WRONG

VeryMerryOnSherryGerryMumsnet · 06/12/2012 15:36

There are still some copies of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry left, but only a few, so don't dilly-dally, shilly-shally or other things rhyming with ally...

The BBC has a downloadable taster here.

ShadeMumsnet · 06/12/2012 16:01

The giveaway copies of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry have now gone. If you were successful we'll forward your address details to the publisher who will pop a copy of the book in the post for you.

DuchessofMalfi · 06/12/2012 16:39

^No, I'll have to have a look

Although I LIKED that book very much so you are clearly WRONG^

I do love a good debate about books, Hully, but I'm never going to change my mind about THAT book Xmas Grin. It has been the only MN bookclub choice that I loathed, but there have been one or two I wasn't that enthralled with eg the Esther Freud one (Lucky Break) - just didn't do anything for me.

DuchessofMalfi · 06/12/2012 16:39

Aargh italics function fail!

HullyEastergully · 06/12/2012 17:00

Mind you MM ignored my extremely insightful psychological analysis of why her book fell into two halves so frankly I wonder why I bother.

DuchessofMalfi · 06/12/2012 18:06

Ah but I'm sure she did say she would happily answer further questions sent to her via her website, so maybe you could try there? Nice to have an approachable, friendly author willing to discuss their book.

I seem to recall vaguely that Jeffrey Eugenides' webchat didn't go quite so well, which was a shame. I liked that one.

HullyEastergully · 06/12/2012 18:17

They mainly only like discussing it if you rave tho.

I think lovley ol Jeffrey missed his?

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Tw1nkle · 10/12/2012 19:36

The book sounds great - but the kindle price is MORE than the actual paperback - think I'll pass!

TillyBookClub · 11/12/2012 12:15

Jeffrey made his, just at the suitably celebby time of an hour after everyone else - but he still managed to answer a fair few questions, and not all of the arslikan sort...

Some of the best chats have been around books that deeply divided opinion. A D Miller's Snowdrops and Chrisos Tsiolkas The Slap were very busy, lively discussion nights. Both authors took a barrage of criticism, and they answered with thoughtful arguments on what they were trying to achieve, and why that might have failed or succeeded.

I think most bookclubbers have been fair and honest in their opinions, and the authors appreciate that - almost all of them emailed me afterwards to say how much they enjoyed the directness and intelligence of the discussion.

So keep posting, everyone, whatever you think of the book. If you loathe it, and can articulate that in a fair and balanced way, the author might be interested to engage with that. And you never know, you might get a pleasant surprise. I couldn't stand The Slap, but Christos became one of my all-time favourite guest authors...

OP posts:
HullyEastergully · 12/12/2012 15:04

I missed The Slap one, but I liked the book very much. Even tho the sex was ludicrous and clearly written by a man that had never had at it with a woman...

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