Soon after his retirement from a brewery in a quiet English village, Harold Fry receives a surprising letter. It's from beloved friend and colleague Queenie Hennessy, whom he hasn't heard from in 20 years, writing from a distant terminal cancer ward to say good-bye. This letter returns Harold to a horrifically painful part of his past, threatens his already troubled marriage, and ultimately leads to a crisis that casts into doubt everything he thinks he knows about himself.
He decides to embark on a 600-mile walk to say goodbye to Queenie in person. During this entire time Harold spends his time reflecting upon his past and wishing he had done things differently. Halfway through his travels he meets a reporter who writes about Harold's unlikely pilgrimage and suddenly Harold is an overnight sensation. He starts having fellow walkers and even a dog following him. But the big question is will he make it. And will his wife be there waiting for him when he's done.
I had read about this book as it is on the longlist for the Booker prize. I was intrigued by the title and the cover. During a visit to see my friend Stanley he had the book on his reading table and he later told me how much he enjoyed it. So I knew I was in for something special. This book does not disappoint. It is moving and lovely to read. The descriptions are just amazing. I can see this being a book I go back and re-read periodically as I think I will get different impressions every time I read it.