The Heart of Henry Quantum

by Pepper Harding Narrated by Candace Thaxton, Madeleine Maby, Kirby Heyborne

Overview

In the bestselling tradition of A Man Called Ove and the beloved film Love Actually comes a quirky, “winsome tale of an unexpected love triangle late in life” (Publishers Weekly) between a socially awkward man-as he goes on a quest to find his wife a last-minute Christmas gift-and the girl who got away.

Henry Quantum has several thoughts going through his head at any given time, so it's no surprise when he forgets something very important-specifically, a Christmas gift for his wife, which he realizes two days before Christmas. Henry sets off in search of the perfect present for her: a bottle of Chanel No. 5 perfume. But much like Henry's ever-wandering mind, his quest takes him in different and unexpected directions, including running into the former love of his life, Daisy. His wife, meanwhile, unhappy in her marriage, is hiding a secret of her own. And Daisy, who has made the unsettling choice of leaving her husband to strike out on her own, finds herself questioning whether she and Henry belong together after all.

An “at times funny, at times profound” (Kirkus Reviews) debut from author Pepper Harding shows how the seemingly insignificant events of one single day can change our lives forever-perhaps, if we're lucky, for the better.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

08/15/2016
Harding’s debut novel is a winsome tale of an unexpected love triangle late in life. Set in San Francisco, the book’s titular protagonist is an unhappily married 40-something advertising executive, a day-dreaming philosopher who wants to be a writer. When Henry Quantum sets out to buy a last-minute Christmas gift for his wife, Margaret, a high-powered real estate broker, he runs into a former lover, Daisy. Told from the points of view of Henry, Margaret, and Daisy, all on the same day, December 23, this story is about defining love when you’re spiritually confused and full of self-deception. Henry walks through his day on “an almost pilgrimage,” a “sainte terrer. That’s right, a saunterer! A Holy Lander!” He seeks to experience life “in the moment in which it occurs.” Perhaps Henry’s voice is a bit too stream-of-consciousness, with some sections confirming Margaret’s frequent complaint that his mind wandering can be annoying. Despite this, Henry is a fully formed, emotionally resonant character; Margaret, on the other hand, is one-dimensional: hard, assertive, and unfeeling. As the past is revealed to the reader and Henry must chose his future, the alternating viewpoints add velocity to this fun, fanciful story that will keep readers guessing until the end. Agent: Michael Carlisle, Inkwell Management. (Oct.)

Starred Review Booklist

[Harding] has skillfully created a set of interesting, well-developed characters whose lives readers can relate to and care about... with quick, witty dialogue and an expertly crafted stream-of-consciousness style, The Heart of Henry Quantum is a highly entertaining read that will remind readers of the power of one day to change a life.

New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand

The delightfully neurotic characters in The Heart of Henry Quantum will captivate you with their hapless love triangle set over the course of one frantic day in San Francisco. Read it: you'll thank me!”

Bookreporter

"Defying genres...Harding’s debut novel is a fun romp through the streets of the beautiful Golden Gate city... The ending will probably not surprise you, but you will find yourself thoroughly satisfied when you turn the last page."

Midwest Book Review

"Especially recommended for holiday reading."

Kirkus Reviews

2016-07-20
In Harding’s wry debut fiction, Henry Quantum’s major preoccupation is "the avoidance of pain," no doubt part of the reason he dropped out of a philosophy doctoral program to work in an advertising agency.Perhaps pain avoidance is the reason he clings to his once-passionate 15-year marriage to Margaret even though he often now feels "the dark energy of her contempt." It’s Dec. 23 when Henry remembers he hasn’t purchased a Christmas gift for his wife. He leaves his office seeking Chanel No. 5 perfume. As he walks, Henry encounters Daisy, with whom he once had an affair. Henry’s a perfectly sketched character, his interior monologue—and there’s much of it—at times funny, at times profound. Margaret’s an achiever, but she’s now in the midst of an affair herself, no guilt or introspection evident. She drifted until marriage and then found supersuccess in high-level real estate. Daisy’s a realistic character, married young for security, now sometimes an unfocused ditz, but intelligent and ambitious enough to enroll post-divorce in an advanced neuroscience program. The San Francisco setting is perfectly mapped on the page, detailed from coffee shops to street characters. Covering only one day, the narrative gets rolling with a subtle sendup of Henry’s trendy advertising agency. After that, Henry goes on his perfume-seeking walkabout and ruminates on quantum physics, Heisenberg and mirror images, existentialism, the cosmic void, Zen Buddhism, and the artificiality of hiding behind psycho-buzzwords like guilt, deflection, and projection to analyze rather than resolve emotional conflict. Harding spins his tale in alternating segments from Henry’s, Margaret’s, and Daisy’s points of view, sometimes arch but nearly always empathetic, showing every fondness for his three damaged lovers. Some may find shades of Walter Mitty in Henry Quantum, but this quirky love story is driven by angst, and heroes imagined or real are absent.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171236014
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	10/25/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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