The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

This book has earned a spot on the shelf as one of the most unexpected hits I have read recently. I thought that story about a retired gentleman walking 500 miles to “save” an old friend couldn’t have much in the way of plot, but I was pleasantly surprised by the heart and story that surrounded Harold Fry’s long journey. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry centers around the title character, an elderly man who is stuck in a life over which he doesn’t feel he has control. His marriage to Maureen is strained, his relationship with his son David is non-existent, and his life has little in it to distinguish one day from the next. At breakfast one morning, though, Harold receives a letter from Queenie Hennessy, a former co-worker from his days at the brewery. She explains that she has cancer and is dying, and wanted to say a last goodbye. After years of not seeing her or hearing from her, Harold tries to write a letter to send his condolences, but he can’t seem to get the words right. Determined to send it off, he drafts a quick note and hurries out to the postbox. Upon arriving at the first postbox, however, Harold can’t send the letter off yet – it just doesn’t seem right. So, he walks to the next postbox, and the next, until, realizing that he is hungry, he stops at a gas station for a snack. He explains that he just heard of Queenie’s cancer, and isn’t sure what to do about it. The young cashier explains that her aunt had cancer and the thing that helped her the most was having faith. In a moment of insight, Harold comes to believe that if he has faith that Queenie will survive, she will, and he decides to set off for Burwick-upon-Tweed (over 500 miles north) on foot, confident that Queenie will survive until he arrives. With nothing more than a light jacket, his wallet and a pair of deck shoes, Harold sets off to see Queenie. Phoning home, he announces his mission to Maureen (who in response to his plan declares, “I think not”) and to the nursing home where Queenie is staying. Along his journey, he makes unexpected friends, learns about himself, and comes to better understand his marriage. Although it is a solitary journey, and Harold doesn’t have companions to speak of, I never felt that additional characters were needed. This story is powerful and I enjoyed reflecting upon what is really important in life as Harold overcomes obstacles and tests relationships. Additionally, Harold’s determination was incredibly inspiring (even though he is a fictional character, the power and voice with which he was crafted makes him so real and life-like that I was genuinely concerned for him at times and was unabashedly cheering for him at others). The ending is completely unexpected and, like the rest of the book, is pitch perfect. This is a wonderful story – the kind of book that you want to share with all of your friends because it is that good – and I am certain that Harold Fry will stick with me for quite some time.