Book Review: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye

Old Time Pottery loves me.  It beckons me to come hither and enjoy really only one section of its massive innards (ok, really, I love it all but I it would be catastrophic not to make this store feel special.  Millions of angry worms would march on my house if I hadn't explained myself so there it is).

The discount book section an be quite the wasted-time spender if one feels the need to just, well, waste an hour or so looking at the picked-over book selection.  You'll weed through Big Books of Crossword puzzles, sappy "oh-my-beating-heart-aches-for-your-manly-man-arms" romances, the "I-have-a-ton-of-answers-for-your-sad-pathetic-life" self-helps and many West Wing type dramas that will keep you enamored for many days trying to weed through all the bad writing and mysterious plots with holes bigger than a massive fart blow-out.

In the midst of the spineless wanna-be bestsellers, you find a gem.  A True Gem.

This gem - The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Frye by Rachel Joyce - will, at first glance, make you toss the book aside, the back page blurb of a unassuming man making an extraordinarily humble journey to visit a friend seem, for lack of a better phrase, a total yawn.   Who really cares if Harold makes the journey?  Who really cares if he finishes the journey?  And who really cares to know why he's on the journey?

I passed over the book 5 or 6 times before I said, "Ok, you win."

Harold reminds me of a lot of old couples I've met in my years.  One person takes in the attitude of another and creates a pseudo world of what turns out to be an uncomplicated life.  His wife slams pots and pans, fusses on Harold for just about everything and has hissy fits when the revolving world of emotions she has going on isn't met with the same fervor of genuine crabbiness she feels they deserve.

She's fighting her own inner demons and insists that Harold go along for the ride with no consideration to his own secret desire to make their life better through genuine interaction.

 He gave up a long time ago.

His journey starts with a simple letter written by a woman he worked with years prior.  She's dying and wanted to reach out to let him know.  He fashions a half-hearted response and decides to post it after several re-writes.  But the mailbox doesn't seem to provide enough of an effort of comfort he's trying to give her so he decides to mail the letter in town.

When he gets to town, he decides that the walk is so good, why not go to the next town to mail the letter?  After all, it will be one town closer to where she is.

The next town passes as does the next until there's a Forrest Gump reaction to sending this letter and makes the trek 500 miles to see this woman and offer her his solution to the cancer eating at her.

What makes this book special is the cast of characters that seemingly unnoticed at times, drift in and out of his journey making their appearances seem almost ghost-like.  Most ask him why he's doing this and some even marvel at his willingness to be something of an extraordinary man wishing they could be that dedicated to a task in their own lives.

Harold becomes a little famous.

Harold has conviction that if he makes this journey, he will have made a difference in at least one person's life and provide a private direction to the relationship, and ultimately a resolution.  His wife, Maureen, takes into account that without anyone to shower her emotional boxing on, she's left with going rounds with her inner demons.  Her journey is just as important as Harold's - just not as famous - but essential to rounding out the whole story to a satisfying conclusion.

Visit the Pottery or any new/used bookstore and pick up a copy.  Share it with your bookclub.  Keep it on your shelf and look at it every now and then.

Make the quiet journey with Harold.  You'll be glad you did.