IRA 13, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

                So this weeks blog is a not going to be about Catch 22, cause I just can’t stand it any longer and I will be moving to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close next week (actually I borrowed it from Jerrin quite a while ago so I better start reading it). But this week will be a little break and discussing the Modern work of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. This is by far one of my favorite books I’ve read it at least three times. And each time I appreciate a different aspect, usually one I never noticed before. This is also a slight rebuttal to someone’s comment in class about how the modern literature just doesn’t have the good qualities of the older lit.

                The story line of this book is about the central character Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired). It focuses on how his little village in England is changing and adapting to the new world but also how the same social hierarchy is still reigning. The setting is modern with the Major struggling to adapt to many new technologies such as a cell phone given to him by his son. And another aspect is how after many years being a widower he takes notice in the local Pakistan shop owner a long time widow. This goes against so many decorum rules of this village, they actually kicked a member out of the “golf club” because he married a black actress, while they claimed they didn’t want the publicity it was because of the race difference.  While Major is dealing with his new feelings for Jasmina Ali, she is dealing with her own set of problems, having her sullen nephew coming from studies in Pakistan to take over the shop and finding he has an illegitimate son with a free-spirited girl. 

                So with all this other drama taking place in the book there is a common theme concerning a couple of Church Hill guns, they were given as a gift to their father Colonel Pettigrew who saved a wife of the Indian royalty while stationed in India. The guns were separated to Major and his brother Bertie when their father died and Bertie dies at the beginning of the story and there is some decrepitates about the guns going to Major or should the younger generation sell them.  Major Pettigrew has to overcome many trials concerning the guns, should he get rid of them, how can he enjoy the shoot he is invited to when it is being run by a man who wants to destroy his beloved village. While his desire to keep the guns and not lose them makes him give up Jasmina. But he realizes that his “friends” are merely acquaintances who are cruel and make judgments about his friendship with Jasmina and are superficial. 

                Now even though this is set with people who are well over their 50s so many of these situations are similar to what high schoolers go through and I guess people will continue to go through for the rest of their life. (Yah! not) The dynamics between the “church ladies” and the other women in the story are catty and mean. The men treat each other will cool, slightly jovial respect but they don’t really go beyond that. Major comes to the realization that the only person whom he could talk to and have a meaningful relationships with are his first deceased wife and Jasmina.  But Jasmina has relinquished the store to her nephew and gone to live with her husbands family.  She is essentially trapped there but Major comes and saves her in the most valiant way a man who is 68 can.

The end is something you’ll have to read for yourself but this book is called a modern Jane Austen. The author has a way of making the affairs of one small village seem like the whole world’s problems and it is such a comfort for me to read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a moderately hard book but it is extremely well written, and super enjoyable.