Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Loved this book!!! It tells the story of a British major, a widow, who is stuffy and "English" and does all of the traditional English things - drink tea, shoot geese, play golf, etc. but is at heart, different from his cronies.  Oh, he is rigid and staunch when it comes to certain things, especially his pair of Churchill pistols, handed down by his father. These pistols play an important part in the story and end up being very symbolic and crucial at the end of the tale.
Anyway, the Major develops an attraction to Mrs. Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper where he buys tea and other items in his town in Sussex.  They develop a beautiful friendship built on mutual interests and love of literature. She is not, however, accepted in his world and conflicts develop that will challenge their relationship.
I really enjoyed the way the author developed their mutual attraction and friendship. It is done in an elegant and quiet manner. The other women in town who are interested in the widowed Major are appalled that he could take up with a woman "of color."
The Major's son, Roger, is a true fop; you really want to smack him in the head many times, and so does his father.
There's much comedy, social commentary, pathos, sentimentality, sensitivity and delicacy in this tale. I loved the characters above all and love the way the author wove the story, even to the point of having a true climactic ending. I was almost willing to let myself be disappointed by the ending, believing it to be a "sell out," - the true happy ending, which doesn't usually happen in real life. But so much of this story was about real life and real people and real issues that prevail in our society today. I was relieved and delighted by the happy ending.