In the interest of full disclosure I must admit that the main character of the novel is a man about the same age as me which is very unusual for a romance novel. So maybe that fact tainted my judgment. But there’s almost nothing else in the story I can identify with. Plans are, or at least were, afoot for a television production of the novel, but at present, it listed in IMDB.COM only as "in development." But as of now (March 2021) it is still a nogo, which is terribly sad. I had been very much looking forward to seeing Bill Nighy in the title role.

Both The Major & Mrs. Ali have recently lost spouses and are finding their way through grief. The book opens with another loss for The Major, his only brother Bernie. To complicate this sense of loss, the brothers held separately a pair of valuable guns inherited from their father. The Major thought these were willed to him, Bernie’s family wants the cash Bernie’s gun would bring. This is almost more unbearable a loss to The Major than that of his brother. It is a story of finding love at any age, and the importance of discovering common ground and seeing beyond our petty differences. This book touches on so many aspects of life that there seems to be something for just about anyone – obligation, loyalty, integrity, grief, loss, jealousy, and love. Parent-child relationships and differences in the generations are explored in a humorous, and sometimes poignant, manner. It gently skewers British small-town social conventions and American cultural insensitivities. My only complaint is that the ending is unexpectedly quite different in tone and pace than the rest of the book. Unexpectedly entertaining, with a stiff-upper-lip hero who transcends stereotype, this good-hearted debut doesn’t shy away from modern cultural and religious issues, even though they ultimately prove immaterial. It's Christmas Day and it's already past eight thirty," said the Major. "You must get up and put on the turkey, Roger." No one understood this better than the late, great E.F. Benson, author of the “Lucia” series published in the 1920s and 1930s. These delightful novels were set, like Helen Simonson’s “Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand,” in a village in Sussex. There are only six, and they have been mined for television and radio and collected between covers and read and reread. It is safe to say that Simonson has inherited the mantle.

Much of the novel focuses on the notion of “otherness.” Who is considered an outsider in Edgecombe St. Mary? How are the various village outsiders treated differently? A wise comedy . . . about the unexpected miracle of later-life love . . . The beauty of this engaging book is in the characters.”— O: The Oprah Magazine Gradually, he comes to realize that there is indeed something very special about her, and maybe, just maybe...well, you get the picture. For Major Pettigrew, the Churchills represent societal standing and achievement, as well as an important part of his family’s history. However, as events unfold, the Major begins to question whether loyalty and honor are more important than material objects and social status. Discuss the evolving importance of the guns to the Major, as well as the challenge of passing down important objects, and values, to younger generations. Jasmina is an independent spirit, a reader, a Pakistani woman before her time. Her nephew, Abdul Wahli is working in the shop but Jasmina feels more than capable of running her husband’s business. Tradition dictates her place and she must consider allowing Abdul to take over but she won’t go out without a fight.

The Major mulled over the increasingly public nature of his connection to Mrs. Ali as he headed to the club to meet Alec for a round of golf. Just inside, he saw Amina, the young mother of George, attempting to teach the female kitchen staff some traditional dances.

If you are looking for something to read that is delightful, charming, with many layers of depth, this is a book you will love. Although it takes place in England, this novel is not specifically about the geography of the land or the people of that geography. It is much more universal than that. Mrs. Ali (Jasmina) – A Pakistani shopkeeper, a bit of an oddity in the small village of Edgecombe St. Mary, smart, kind, Major Pettigrew, a retired British Army officer, is a man who is used to being in control of his routine and social life. What little there is. He is a widower of 5 years and has recently buried his brother Bertie. He has a son who is mostly interested in himself and often refers to his 68 year old father as "elderly". The Major is also lonely. He has his Golf Club where he plays with a few close friends. His other activities include shooting events where he uses 1 of a matched pair of Churchill shotguns which together in a sale can bring huge sums of money. You see the weapons are perfect workmanship and are rare. The pair was passed to Ernest and brother, one to each, from their father as part of the will. They were awarded by an Indian Prince to Col. Pettigrew, Ernest and Bertie's father, when India was awarded their independence.

There were many funny moments in Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, but it also had its share of poignancy as well. A comforting and intelligent debut, a modern-day story of love that takes everyone—grown children, villagers, and the main participants—by surprise, as real love stories tend to do.”—Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Olive Kitteridge I think I threw the turkey out the window,"said Roger. "Or maybe I threw it throught the window. There's a big draft in here." The author does a great job of highlighting the importance of family ties throughout the novel, without being overly sentimental.

Major Pettigrew had been happily married to his wife, Nancy, who died six years earlier. The couple has one son, Roger, who came to them late in life. Nancy sought to spoil Roger while the Major preferred discipline. Roger has grown up to be self-important, self-indulgent, often thoughtless and disrespectful, particularly when it comes to the Major. At the end of the tea, the Major noticed George sitting nearby dejectedly. In the distance, a mother berated her son, and George told Mrs. Ali and the Major that the mother had warned her son not to play with George. The Major and Mrs. Ali tried to make George feel better, but he had been in this situation many times before; he told them that kids without fathers were often shunned by the parents of other children. With George asleep on the ride home, the Major took a scenic route to entertain Mrs. Ali. He stopped at a mailbox and Mrs. Ali reluctantly mailed her letter.