The Major (Earnest, aptly named) – Retired British Army, military attitude, and strong values, almost stuffy with an air of ostentation.

United by their love of Kipling and their lingering bereavement of their departed spouses, Major Pettigrew (who was born in Lahore), and Mrs. Ali (who was born in Cambridge), begin to form a surprising friendship, only to be thrown off by the subtle prejudices of the townspeople, the pressures asserted by Mrs. Ali’s ultra-religious nephew (who has taken over the shop since her husband’s demise), and the frenetic social-climbing of Major Pettigrew’s son.I listened to the audiobook, and highly recommend it. I am not sure I would have enjoyed reading this book quite as much as listening to it. Peter Altschuler does a marvelous job of supplying different voices and accents (American and British), and switches between them seamlessly. He is a perfect choice to voice the gruff, stoic, (but also kind and accepting) Major Pettigrew. The Major was stirred out of his reverie by Mrs. Ali, whom he had forgotten to meet at the appointed place. Embarrassed and desperate to recall how he was going to ask her to go for a walk, the Major was relieved when Mrs. Ali suggested it herself. As they walk, they discuss literature further; the Major was surprised to find she has an affinity for Kipling. Kipling brought them perilously close to the subject of the Empire, for which the Major’s father had served in the military but which was a painful reminder of the tense relations of the past for Mrs. Ali. Mrs. Ali recalled how she was raised in a house with a massive library, and teared up at the thought of its brusque disassembling after her father’s passing.

I don't believe the greatest views in the world are great because they are vast or exotic," she(Jamina) said. "I think their power comes from the knowledge that they do not change. You look at them and you know they have been the same for a thousand years." This novel is, essentially, a love story between a 68-year old retired Major Ernest Pettigrew and a 58-year old Pakistani shop keeper Mrs. Ali, brought together by their loneliness and love of literature. Yes, it doesn't sound very exciting, and yet it is an absolutely charming story. Set in modern England, it encompasses many facets of British life - clashes and frictions between generations, social classes, religions, and cultures - all portrayed from the POV of an aging, conservative and very proper man who, because of his late love, finds himself compelled to face many issues he preferred to avoid or overlook in the past. Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is a story of grieving, family, love and duty. It is charming, funny, honest story with a strong theme of cultural clash. Mrs. Ali, English, born and bred, an obvious outsider has a lot to deal with in the village. How is she acting, how is she talking, and most importantly, who is she talking to? She's a woman that lives by the values closely aligned to her culture, yet Major and her grow fond of one another in an organic way, worthy of exploring. With courting curmudgeons, wayward sons, religion, race, and real estate in a petty and picturesque English village, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand is surprisingly, wonderfully romantic and fresh . . . the best first novel I’ve read in a long, long time.”—Cathleen Schine, author of The Love LetterIf 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. The Major was out in his yard the next morning when he observed his hippie neighbor, Alice, crouched behind some bushes spying at workers who seemed to be surveying the land. Alice insisted they were surveying for a development project, and when she mentioned a possible American connection, the Major thought of Ferguson and decided to interrogate the workers. By pretending he already knew about the project, the Major found out that Lord Dagenham was indeed having his lands surveyed for a major development project. Disheartened, the Major returned to his yard and declined Alice’s offer to get involved in guerrilla tactics to drive away the surveyors. Alice displayed an unexpected tenderness towards the Major, noting his attachment to the village and his family’s history there. Mrs. Ali left, and the Major wasn’t able to say goodbye to her. Right after the disastrous party, the Major caught a cold that laid him up in bed. Meanwhile, the Christmas holidays were approaching and the village was gearing up for them with lots of decorations. When the Major finally mustered up the courage to stop by the village shop, he was greeted by another one of Abdul Wahid’s aunts, who was surly and unfriendly. When Abdul Wahid himself finally appeared, the Major was surprised and hurt by the level of formality in Abdul Wahid’s voice. The Major could not comprehend why the young man wanted to keep him at such a distance. Although Abdul Wahid expressed gratitude again for the Major’s hospitality, he also made it clear that they would not be friends. 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.