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The Heart of Henry Quantum
In the bestselling tradition of A Man Called Ove and the beloved film Love Actually , a quirky, socially awkward man goes on a quest to find his wife a last-minute Christmas gift and encounters several distractions—including bumping into his ex-girlfriend who was the one 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 on the morning of December 23. Henry sets off that day in search of the perfect present for 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.
A sweet, funny, and touching 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.
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 on the morning of December 23. Henry sets off that day in search of the perfect present for 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.
A sweet, funny, and touching 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.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
April 28, 2017
An Advance Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes pulled from the ARC may be incorrect and may be subject to change.
At first the narration seemed interesting, but then I guess the whole point was for Henry Quantum to buy his wife a Christmas present which very well didn't happen because this character has the mind of a goldfish. He forgets what he's doing all the time because he's constantly thinking about well everything. The most random thoughts too like how did his plate of trout come to his plate, or how he wandered into a strip club (by accident right..). One might say he's philosophical but I just say it's downright dull and boring. There's no rhyme or reason.
I kept reading, hoping a story will emerge and it did. With cheating spouses. Nope. That's not all.. because there were just some racist remarks that I couldn't let go of. And to top it all off mental health remarks that deemed inappropriate in our day and age. I know people believe in this like this character did, but with books I don't even want to be a part of it. Even if it's fiction. I don't care to put myself through torture, reading about cheating characters and frankly unlikeable ones at that.
Disgusting thoughts perpetuating stigma against mental health.
"If the person is going to jump they should just get on with it." (116)
"Half their day gone because some stupid asshole decided it was okay to tie up the entire bridge with her angst." (121)
"The bitch wouldn't jump. She was just plain chicken shit, wasted everyone's time. Now she'll have to spend twenty years in a loony bin." (155)
Nope. I draw the line somewhere, and I'm sorry to say I'm DNFing at page 155. The story wasn't even wholly there. I need a plot and this one just felt like incessant ramblings of two characters I have no interest in reading.
RATING 1/5
QUOTES
"Why don't we just do what we say we are going to do?" (11)
At first the narration seemed interesting, but then I guess the whole point was for Henry Quantum to buy his wife a Christmas present which very well didn't happen because this character has the mind of a goldfish. He forgets what he's doing all the time because he's constantly thinking about well everything. The most random thoughts too like how did his plate of trout come to his plate, or how he wandered into a strip club (by accident right..). One might say he's philosophical but I just say it's downright dull and boring. There's no rhyme or reason.
I kept reading, hoping a story will emerge and it did. With cheating spouses. Nope. That's not all.. because there were just some racist remarks that I couldn't let go of. And to top it all off mental health remarks that deemed inappropriate in our day and age. I know people believe in this like this character did, but with books I don't even want to be a part of it. Even if it's fiction. I don't care to put myself through torture, reading about cheating characters and frankly unlikeable ones at that.
Disgusting thoughts perpetuating stigma against mental health.
"If the person is going to jump they should just get on with it." (116)
"Half their day gone because some stupid asshole decided it was okay to tie up the entire bridge with her angst." (121)
"The bitch wouldn't jump. She was just plain chicken shit, wasted everyone's time. Now she'll have to spend twenty years in a loony bin." (155)
Nope. I draw the line somewhere, and I'm sorry to say I'm DNFing at page 155. The story wasn't even wholly there. I need a plot and this one just felt like incessant ramblings of two characters I have no interest in reading.
RATING 1/5
QUOTES
"Why don't we just do what we say we are going to do?" (11)
September 23, 2016
*3.5 stars. Henry Quantum is a 40-year-old middle-management advertising executive who has lost his way in life. He is at a standstill in his job and his marriage is in the duldrums as well. He awakens on December 23 to the realization that he has forgotten to buy his wife, Margaret, a gift and decides a bottle of Chanel No. 5 would be perfect. But later, when he slips away from his office to make the purchase and saunters the streets of San Francisco, he keeps getting distracted by his thoughts which run the gamut from physics to philosophy to environmental concerns. These thoughts are revealed in a stream-of-consciousness style.
By chance, Henry runs into Daisy, a woman with whom he had an affair four years ago...an affair she broke off on moral issues. But it seems she has had a change of heart since divorcing her husband and hopes Henry might still be interested.
We next hear from Margaret in part two. She is on her way to meet her lover for a romantic tryst. Does she still love her husband or are her disappointments in her marriage too huge to rise above?
In part three, we learn more about Daisy and her hopes and dreams. And finally, the story returns to Henry and the sudden realization he comes to while purchasing that damn bottle of perfume. And all this takes place in the course of one day!
According to the Simon and Schuster web page for the book, 'Pepper Harding is the pen name of a San Francisco writer known for an entirely different kind of literature.' And San Francisco is a costar in the story as Henry, Margaret and Daisy sort through their messy affairs. I enjoyed the humor and insightfulness Harding brings to her story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel.
#2o16-aty-reading-challenge-week-29: a book by an author who writes under more than one name.
By chance, Henry runs into Daisy, a woman with whom he had an affair four years ago...an affair she broke off on moral issues. But it seems she has had a change of heart since divorcing her husband and hopes Henry might still be interested.
We next hear from Margaret in part two. She is on her way to meet her lover for a romantic tryst. Does she still love her husband or are her disappointments in her marriage too huge to rise above?
In part three, we learn more about Daisy and her hopes and dreams. And finally, the story returns to Henry and the sudden realization he comes to while purchasing that damn bottle of perfume. And all this takes place in the course of one day!
According to the Simon and Schuster web page for the book, 'Pepper Harding is the pen name of a San Francisco writer known for an entirely different kind of literature.' And San Francisco is a costar in the story as Henry, Margaret and Daisy sort through their messy affairs. I enjoyed the humor and insightfulness Harding brings to her story.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel.
#2o16-aty-reading-challenge-week-29: a book by an author who writes under more than one name.
October 11, 2016
I wasn't going to finish this book after starting and finding yet another quirky older male character bound to fumble through life. The quantum part made me wonder if there would be more. I shouldn't have bothered, there wasn't. Henry muses on quantum theory without really getting it and it has nothing to do with the story. Characters are drawn strangely, as if they are all written by a person who is old-fashioned and trying to remember what it was like to be 40. People make dramatic moves that don't help anyone but still nothing happens.
November 17, 2016
The Heart of Henry Quantum. The blurb indicates that it’s a sweet, funny and touching debut. Unfortunately I couldn’t find any of these characteristics here. Found it to be rather tedious and a little depressing. The plot is set out on a single day, divided in parts where we hear from Henry and Margaret reflecting on their loveless marriage. We also hear from Daisy, Henry’s ex lover, and the impression he left on her from their chance encounter.
Henry frustrated me to no end. He had a simple quest to carry out, which was to buy Margaret the perfume Chanel No.5 but he had difficulty focusing on the task at hand. He’s mind would wander in all directions. They were issues/topics that were going around in Henry's head that weren’t inspiring, and I found myself zoning out quite a lot. Margaret was the dislikable of them all; selfish and shallow minded and it was her thoughts that depressed me the most (won’t say too much about her. I will let whoever is reading the book to find out for themselves). Daisy is the only character I enjoyed reading about. And I can see why Henry was attracted to her. I admired her courage and independence as I got to know her, and what she’s been through. There were some charming and slightly awkward scenes that involved her interaction with a few side characters - the police and her gardener. For Daisy and the gorgeous city of San Francisco I give it 2 stars.
Henry frustrated me to no end. He had a simple quest to carry out, which was to buy Margaret the perfume Chanel No.5 but he had difficulty focusing on the task at hand. He’s mind would wander in all directions. They were issues/topics that were going around in Henry's head that weren’t inspiring, and I found myself zoning out quite a lot. Margaret was the dislikable of them all; selfish and shallow minded and it was her thoughts that depressed me the most (won’t say too much about her. I will let whoever is reading the book to find out for themselves). Daisy is the only character I enjoyed reading about. And I can see why Henry was attracted to her. I admired her courage and independence as I got to know her, and what she’s been through. There were some charming and slightly awkward scenes that involved her interaction with a few side characters - the police and her gardener. For Daisy and the gorgeous city of San Francisco I give it 2 stars.
November 27, 2016
3.5 stars
The Heart of Henry Quantum is the first book by an American author who writes under the pseudonym, Pepper Harding. Four years ago, Henry Quantum’s brief but intense extra-marital affair with (wife and mother of two) Daisy Hillman, ended. Now, two days before Christmas, Henry sets out to buy a Christmas gift for Margaret, his wife of almost fourteen years, something that has become imperative as the proximity of the holiday dawns on him.
As Henry walks down San Francisco’s city streets in the direction of Macy’s with plans to purchase a bottle of Chanel No 5, he is regularly distracted. Then he runs into Daisy. It’s a meeting that turns his day upside down, especially when she reveals what has happened since they last met. Meanwhile, Margaret has set off to meet her lover out at Marin….
This novel is beautifully written and should have been a delightful read. Unfortunately, rather than being instantly endearing, Henry comes across as flakey and rather frustrating. It soon becomes apparent how and why his marriage with Margaret has stalled and staled. There is plenty of philosophising from Henry, to be expected given his philosophy/creative writing double major in college, as well as a good deal of rationalisation from Margaret.
The travelogue of San Francisco, the mention of streets and landmarks, which will certainly appeal to readers familiar with the city, is likely to fall flat with readers who have never been there. That, and the sweet ending fail to redeem what could have been a great novel.
The Heart of Henry Quantum is the first book by an American author who writes under the pseudonym, Pepper Harding. Four years ago, Henry Quantum’s brief but intense extra-marital affair with (wife and mother of two) Daisy Hillman, ended. Now, two days before Christmas, Henry sets out to buy a Christmas gift for Margaret, his wife of almost fourteen years, something that has become imperative as the proximity of the holiday dawns on him.
As Henry walks down San Francisco’s city streets in the direction of Macy’s with plans to purchase a bottle of Chanel No 5, he is regularly distracted. Then he runs into Daisy. It’s a meeting that turns his day upside down, especially when she reveals what has happened since they last met. Meanwhile, Margaret has set off to meet her lover out at Marin….
This novel is beautifully written and should have been a delightful read. Unfortunately, rather than being instantly endearing, Henry comes across as flakey and rather frustrating. It soon becomes apparent how and why his marriage with Margaret has stalled and staled. There is plenty of philosophising from Henry, to be expected given his philosophy/creative writing double major in college, as well as a good deal of rationalisation from Margaret.
The travelogue of San Francisco, the mention of streets and landmarks, which will certainly appeal to readers familiar with the city, is likely to fall flat with readers who have never been there. That, and the sweet ending fail to redeem what could have been a great novel.
October 20, 2016
Set over the course of one day, this comical, quirky novel delves into the minds of three interwoven characters. First up we hear from Henry, an easily distracted advertising man who is on a quest to buy a bottle of Chanel No. 5 for his wife, Margaret, for Christmas. Next we hear from Margaret, a passionate real estate agent who has taken the day off work to visit her secret lover, only to find that her path is blocked by a family mishap, hitchhikers and a stranger's attempted suicide. And lastly, we hear from Daisy after she bumps into Henry and they discover the feelings they have for one another since their affair ended are bubbling back up to the surface of their psychr. One day, three lives. A marvellous look into the vulnerabilities, fragility and transient nature of the human existance
January 18, 2018
** 0.5 / 1 stars **
OPENING LINE
When The Heart of Henry Quantum was first brought to my attention I was excited for it. While I haven’t read A Man Called Ove I know this book has received a lot of praise. The film Love Actually is a film I really enjoyed.
I normally break down my reviews with things I liked, loved, and disliked but I had a hard time trying to figure out what is was I liked about The Heart of Henry Quantum.
This book is broken down into four parts. We start off in part one from Henry who has realized he hasn’t bought his wife a Christmas gift yet and sets out to do so. Yet such a simple task turns into something not so simple as his own thoughts keep distracting him from this task. At first I thought of him as someone who’s probably philosophical, I kept trying to understand Henry but his scattered brain was hard, if not annoying at times to follow.
In part two we meet my least favourite character ever, Margaret. Margaret is Henry’s wife and is on her way to meet her secret lover. THIS WOMAN IS HEARTLESS and no it’s not because she’s having an affair. There are events that take place during her chapter while she’s on her way to meet her lover and I couldn’t help but wonder if this woman even had a heart.
In part three we finally get to know more about Daisy. Probably the only character I came to somewhat enjoy. Although, the more I think about it, I think what I actually enjoyed was the insightfulness that came during her part.
Lastly, we come full circle to ending part four with Henry. Who has literally wasted the whole day and still has bought the perfume. At this point Henry is trying to figure out his life, and the events that took place throughout the day and what it all means. Has he been wasting his life? And at the last possible moment (literally, 5 pages left) he has an epiphany.
I was constantly on the fence of if I should mark this as read or DNF. I read part one, skimmed part two, read part three, and skimmed part four. I got to the end and all I could think was “that’s it?” I felt like readers weren’t really given full answers and things were more so left to the reader’s interruption as to what happens next. I’m not sure if it’s intentional with the author showing readers that there is no certainty when it comes to love.
According to Simon & Schuster’s website, Pepper Harding is apparently a pen name for an author that writes from a different genre/literature. I’m really curious to know what this author writes. Because one of the main things that made it hard for me to enjoy The Heart of Henry Quantum was the writing style.
SERIOUSLY.
Could you not have just simplified it? I felt like the author was trying to do too much, trying to make the writing so different that it took awhile from the plot and more so had me questions what the point of it all was.
Would I recommend The Heart of Henry Quantum? While this did not work for me I could see how some may come to enjoy this. There are insightful moments and some might even find this as humours as it’s suppose to be.
------------------------------------------
This review can also be found on my blog Bookish Wanderlove
OPENING LINE
“My friend Henry Quantum, who everyone called Bones because he was so tall and thin, and because Dr. McCoy was his favourite character from Star Trek, had a single task that day, and that was to buy a Christmas present for his wife.”
When The Heart of Henry Quantum was first brought to my attention I was excited for it. While I haven’t read A Man Called Ove I know this book has received a lot of praise. The film Love Actually is a film I really enjoyed.
I normally break down my reviews with things I liked, loved, and disliked but I had a hard time trying to figure out what is was I liked about The Heart of Henry Quantum.
This book is broken down into four parts. We start off in part one from Henry who has realized he hasn’t bought his wife a Christmas gift yet and sets out to do so. Yet such a simple task turns into something not so simple as his own thoughts keep distracting him from this task. At first I thought of him as someone who’s probably philosophical, I kept trying to understand Henry but his scattered brain was hard, if not annoying at times to follow.
In part two we meet my least favourite character ever, Margaret. Margaret is Henry’s wife and is on her way to meet her secret lover. THIS WOMAN IS HEARTLESS and no it’s not because she’s having an affair. There are events that take place during her chapter while she’s on her way to meet her lover and I couldn’t help but wonder if this woman even had a heart.
“…and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Let the fucking bitch jump!”
Her words echoed off the sea and bounced off the towers and cables, and from the crowd there rose such a roar of approval, such a loud round of applause, that the Golden Gate Bridge itself shook with laughter.”
In part three we finally get to know more about Daisy. Probably the only character I came to somewhat enjoy. Although, the more I think about it, I think what I actually enjoyed was the insightfulness that came during her part.
Lastly, we come full circle to ending part four with Henry. Who has literally wasted the whole day and still has bought the perfume. At this point Henry is trying to figure out his life, and the events that took place throughout the day and what it all means. Has he been wasting his life? And at the last possible moment (literally, 5 pages left) he has an epiphany.
I was constantly on the fence of if I should mark this as read or DNF. I read part one, skimmed part two, read part three, and skimmed part four. I got to the end and all I could think was “that’s it?” I felt like readers weren’t really given full answers and things were more so left to the reader’s interruption as to what happens next. I’m not sure if it’s intentional with the author showing readers that there is no certainty when it comes to love.
According to Simon & Schuster’s website, Pepper Harding is apparently a pen name for an author that writes from a different genre/literature. I’m really curious to know what this author writes. Because one of the main things that made it hard for me to enjoy The Heart of Henry Quantum was the writing style.
“Then she showered, carefully chose her underwear, skirt, blouse, jacket, and shoes, returned to the bathroom to put on her makeup and brush her hair, examined herself in the mirror, and changed out of her skirt, jacket, and blouse into a little dress, changed the shoes, put on different jewelry, checked herself again in the mirror, took of the dress, put on a different skirt and this time a tight-fitting sweater and a third paid of shows, went back to the original earrings and bracelets, added some pears removed the pearls, attached a pin to the sweater, looked again in the mirror, took off the sweater and put on a second blouse, repined the pin, adjusted her hair, and went back down to the kitchen.”
SERIOUSLY.
Could you not have just simplified it? I felt like the author was trying to do too much, trying to make the writing so different that it took awhile from the plot and more so had me questions what the point of it all was.
Would I recommend The Heart of Henry Quantum? While this did not work for me I could see how some may come to enjoy this. There are insightful moments and some might even find this as humours as it’s suppose to be.
------------------------------------------
This review can also be found on my blog Bookish Wanderlove
October 30, 2017
I am not sure what to say about this book. The other reviewers and ratings are all over the place and I understand why. This book takes place over one day, however a lot of the story is made up of remembrances so it seems like there was a lot of time and a lot more happening than there really was. The story is told by three narrators, Henry Quantum, his wife Margaret and his ex-lover Daisy. It is about relationships, life in general and making decisions. It was not very exciting and there were a few times I almost put it down. I enjoyed parts of the story, especially Daisy. She was really the only character I liked. I found Margaret selfish and self-centered and Henry was way too much of a pushover who got into the position he was in because he was afraid to let anyone down and make the decisions necessary. It was an okay read and the ending did bring everything together in a satisfactory way, which is the only reason I rated it 3 stars. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
November 21, 2016
I used to have a sign on my fridge that read - "Life's too short to stuff a mushroom". I feel that life's too short to keep reading this book. I gave up after 44 pages of listening to the mindless ramblings of a shallow forty-year-old man, who enjoys perving on the office girls and two days before Christmas still hasn't bought a gift for his wife. The marriage is so loveless that as he heads out for his lunch break he thinks he will - ".... trek to Union Square .......and go to f'ing Macy's to buy f'ing perfume for his f'ing wife." It was supposed to be humorous, I'm still not laughing.
September 9, 2016
More of a stream of consciousness than a novel, I thought this book was just okay. Compared to A Man Called Ove in the ad blurb, I don't see any similarities at all. Henry, aka Bones, leaves work to buy his wife a Christmas present, when his stream of thoughts starts weaving in and out. The next section of the book shows his wife's thoughts and feelings, the last part an ex mistress named Daisy. Too much meandering with unlikable characters.
October 23, 2016
Ten things to love about The Heart of Henry Quantum
#1 Henry – What a wonderful character. A mashup of Jimmy Stewart, Leopold Bloom, and Walter Mitty, Henry is a person who cannot keep his mind on the task at hand, much as he tries. His mind has a mind of its own. It cycles from the present moment, to memories, to stray facts drawn from popular science, a topic of which Henry is particularly fond, to overdue obligations, and back to the present moment in an endless journey that never quite arrives anywhere on schedule. But at the center of this maelstrom is a person who truly means well, wants the best for everyone, couldn’t hurt a fly, except by accident. And for Henry, accidents do happen. You want him to do well, to be rescued, because he deserves to have life turn out better than it has. But above all, you just want him to keep being Henry, because it is so entertaining to ride through San Francisco inside his meandering mind.
#2 San Francisco - To a person who came to San Francisco as an adult (which covers a lot of the people actually living here, I think) Henry’s city by the bay is deeply recognizable. It’s a comfortable place, where the worst thing about it is that sometimes you don’t get enough bad weather to keep the sprinklers running. Pepper so captures how this city still manages to feel small even as it keeps growing more packed and cosmopolitan. The locations ticked off by the characters as they go about their rounds may sound too minor or odd to be mentioned, and yet they are in fact the true landmarks of life as a local, or at least a north side, white, middle-aged, Marin-loving local. Café de la presse, the Prada on Maiden Lane (to pass by, not to go in), Tam Junction, Lake Lagunitas, Stinson Beach and on and on. Bravo, Pepper, you nailed it.
#3 The Advertising Business - So dead on, at least to my ear. An amazing collection of misfits, engaged in turning products of dubious value into objects of desire, or sources of comfort and reassurance. The most creative people in the population, struggling to draw attention to these mundane objects by endowing them with qualities they do not in any objective way possess. The endless series of meetings, the sense of always being on the edge of disaster, the kicking of the creative can down the road. It’s all there for you.
#4 Bright moments of comedy – Folks, I should have mentioned. This is a love story. And a comedy. Bad things threaten to happen, and some do. But you just know you are not headed for any Dostevsky-esque ending here. And along the way there are some wonderful interactions among the humans that just might make you laugh out loud. My favorite is the piece where a cop surprises one of our two heroines as she has stopped the car to re-examine her life, and unfortunately chosen a no-parking zone. Wait for it, I won’t spoil it any further. And there were several other contenders for best laugh out loud moment. A lot of those are just conversations Henry is having with himself.
#5 Its short, with large type and lots of space – I remember reading books as a kid, I could start one after school, and turn the last page before turning out the light that night to go to sleep, if I really loved the book. H of HQ is like that. You could consume it all in one go, like on the plane visiting relatives for the holidays, or when you get a free afternoon/evening some weekend. Or traveling out to San Francisco. Or, as I did, grab a chapter or five every few days over the course of a couple weeks. It’s a book that makes you want to keep reading.
#6 The role of ‘science’ – A lot of times science is absent from current fiction, or shows up as a heavy-handed metaphor of some sort, or just takes over the book, like some of David Mitchell’s stuff (no offense, I like some of that). Henry is an enthusiast when it comes to science, so here science is entertainment. It’s just fun crazy stuff that works as a lens through which Henry considers life, from moment to moment. But its all grounded in the real thing. I think.
#7 Inside Henry’s head – the creation of a wandering stream of consciousness. I really love the way Pepper created the feeling of being inside Henry’s head. It’s not first person, there is distance. And yet you are very close to the experience Henry is having as his mind moves. It’s familiar, since we can all be space cadets from time to time, but raised up by a couple of powers without losing plausibility.
#8 Redemption – That’s all I’ll say, for fear of spoiling anything.
#9 Sex from a surprising source - Ditto
#10 Henry Quantum - I’m not sure how s/he did it, but Pepper has created a voice I hope to hear again. Hopefully, whatever good comes between where we leave him and Henry’s next adventure will not change his fundamental, loopy self, and I’ll once again get to ride along.
#1 Henry – What a wonderful character. A mashup of Jimmy Stewart, Leopold Bloom, and Walter Mitty, Henry is a person who cannot keep his mind on the task at hand, much as he tries. His mind has a mind of its own. It cycles from the present moment, to memories, to stray facts drawn from popular science, a topic of which Henry is particularly fond, to overdue obligations, and back to the present moment in an endless journey that never quite arrives anywhere on schedule. But at the center of this maelstrom is a person who truly means well, wants the best for everyone, couldn’t hurt a fly, except by accident. And for Henry, accidents do happen. You want him to do well, to be rescued, because he deserves to have life turn out better than it has. But above all, you just want him to keep being Henry, because it is so entertaining to ride through San Francisco inside his meandering mind.
#2 San Francisco - To a person who came to San Francisco as an adult (which covers a lot of the people actually living here, I think) Henry’s city by the bay is deeply recognizable. It’s a comfortable place, where the worst thing about it is that sometimes you don’t get enough bad weather to keep the sprinklers running. Pepper so captures how this city still manages to feel small even as it keeps growing more packed and cosmopolitan. The locations ticked off by the characters as they go about their rounds may sound too minor or odd to be mentioned, and yet they are in fact the true landmarks of life as a local, or at least a north side, white, middle-aged, Marin-loving local. Café de la presse, the Prada on Maiden Lane (to pass by, not to go in), Tam Junction, Lake Lagunitas, Stinson Beach and on and on. Bravo, Pepper, you nailed it.
#3 The Advertising Business - So dead on, at least to my ear. An amazing collection of misfits, engaged in turning products of dubious value into objects of desire, or sources of comfort and reassurance. The most creative people in the population, struggling to draw attention to these mundane objects by endowing them with qualities they do not in any objective way possess. The endless series of meetings, the sense of always being on the edge of disaster, the kicking of the creative can down the road. It’s all there for you.
#4 Bright moments of comedy – Folks, I should have mentioned. This is a love story. And a comedy. Bad things threaten to happen, and some do. But you just know you are not headed for any Dostevsky-esque ending here. And along the way there are some wonderful interactions among the humans that just might make you laugh out loud. My favorite is the piece where a cop surprises one of our two heroines as she has stopped the car to re-examine her life, and unfortunately chosen a no-parking zone. Wait for it, I won’t spoil it any further. And there were several other contenders for best laugh out loud moment. A lot of those are just conversations Henry is having with himself.
#5 Its short, with large type and lots of space – I remember reading books as a kid, I could start one after school, and turn the last page before turning out the light that night to go to sleep, if I really loved the book. H of HQ is like that. You could consume it all in one go, like on the plane visiting relatives for the holidays, or when you get a free afternoon/evening some weekend. Or traveling out to San Francisco. Or, as I did, grab a chapter or five every few days over the course of a couple weeks. It’s a book that makes you want to keep reading.
#6 The role of ‘science’ – A lot of times science is absent from current fiction, or shows up as a heavy-handed metaphor of some sort, or just takes over the book, like some of David Mitchell’s stuff (no offense, I like some of that). Henry is an enthusiast when it comes to science, so here science is entertainment. It’s just fun crazy stuff that works as a lens through which Henry considers life, from moment to moment. But its all grounded in the real thing. I think.
#7 Inside Henry’s head – the creation of a wandering stream of consciousness. I really love the way Pepper created the feeling of being inside Henry’s head. It’s not first person, there is distance. And yet you are very close to the experience Henry is having as his mind moves. It’s familiar, since we can all be space cadets from time to time, but raised up by a couple of powers without losing plausibility.
#8 Redemption – That’s all I’ll say, for fear of spoiling anything.
#9 Sex from a surprising source - Ditto
#10 Henry Quantum - I’m not sure how s/he did it, but Pepper has created a voice I hope to hear again. Hopefully, whatever good comes between where we leave him and Henry’s next adventure will not change his fundamental, loopy self, and I’ll once again get to ride along.
November 30, 2016
I read this because it was being compared to "A Man Called Ove".
Wrong. Don't read this if that's the kind of book you want to read.
Henry, Margaret and Daisy take us through this story - a day in the life - and it's difficult to feel empathy for their lives because Henry and Margaret aren't very likeable characters. I found Henry to be too distracted, too off point to find a connection with him. Margaret is a bitch. Even when she takes over the narration she isn't likeable. Daisy is fine but too little too late.
Henry is a less likeable version of Don from "The Rosie Project". This book felt too forced and like it was trying to be something it wasn't.
Very forgettable and not recommended.
Wrong. Don't read this if that's the kind of book you want to read.
Henry, Margaret and Daisy take us through this story - a day in the life - and it's difficult to feel empathy for their lives because Henry and Margaret aren't very likeable characters. I found Henry to be too distracted, too off point to find a connection with him. Margaret is a bitch. Even when she takes over the narration she isn't likeable. Daisy is fine but too little too late.
Henry is a less likeable version of Don from "The Rosie Project". This book felt too forced and like it was trying to be something it wasn't.
Very forgettable and not recommended.
August 15, 2016
I don't even want to write a review - so annoyed by the theme of this book that I would dissuade anyone who asks from reading it.
October 9, 2016
Really struggled with this one, ended up not finishing. Extremely unlikeable characters and the stream of consciousness style was interesting at first, but got old quickly. Not for me
August 16, 2019
Henry Quantum works in advertising in a nondescript office that looks into an apartment about be a strip joint. It’s December 23rd and he realizes he has yet to buy his wife a gift. Opting to buy her a bottle of Channel 5, he sets it as his goal for the day.
Henry has a mind that wanders more than Grandma Gatewood did and tends to miss a lot of stops along his way.
Reminding me of Ignatius J Reilly, he’s a man of his own mind. Analytical, subjective, goofy, and endearing.
His latest promotional campaign is for “Protox” .. a purported skin enhancer that, in truth, is no more than a laxative for which “The reason your skin glows is that you are totally dehydrated and feverish.”
The revelations he encounters as he tries to tout virtues are hilarious! His fear of becoming a sophist slave to the firm more so. I like Henry. We think so alike. (An ongoing train, dazzled with graffiti, with cars from every whichwhere.)
Henry happens onto Daisy, an affair he had some 5 years ago. She is not so freshly divorced, while he remained wed. He was on his way to get the Channel. She tells him she still desires him. He tells her he loves his wife, Margaret. She flees. He ponders.
The voice of Margaret follows as she heads out for a nooner with her lover. She no longer loves Henry and contemplates life with Peter, as the two unite for the day.
The voice of Daisy makes the next chapter glow. Vibrant, loving, needed. She survives the day, reminiscing and surrendering. She yearns as it rains.
Henry has not bought the perfume yet. There are too many distractions, mentally and physically, for him. We follow their leads. We all end up at the same place.
Thank you BookReporter for the joy of the read
Henry has a mind that wanders more than Grandma Gatewood did and tends to miss a lot of stops along his way.
Reminding me of Ignatius J Reilly, he’s a man of his own mind. Analytical, subjective, goofy, and endearing.
His latest promotional campaign is for “Protox” .. a purported skin enhancer that, in truth, is no more than a laxative for which “The reason your skin glows is that you are totally dehydrated and feverish.”
The revelations he encounters as he tries to tout virtues are hilarious! His fear of becoming a sophist slave to the firm more so. I like Henry. We think so alike. (An ongoing train, dazzled with graffiti, with cars from every whichwhere.)
Henry happens onto Daisy, an affair he had some 5 years ago. She is not so freshly divorced, while he remained wed. He was on his way to get the Channel. She tells him she still desires him. He tells her he loves his wife, Margaret. She flees. He ponders.
The voice of Margaret follows as she heads out for a nooner with her lover. She no longer loves Henry and contemplates life with Peter, as the two unite for the day.
The voice of Daisy makes the next chapter glow. Vibrant, loving, needed. She survives the day, reminiscing and surrendering. She yearns as it rains.
Henry has not bought the perfume yet. There are too many distractions, mentally and physically, for him. We follow their leads. We all end up at the same place.
Thank you BookReporter for the joy of the read
September 15, 2016
“The Heart of Henry Quantum” by Pepper Harding, published by Gallery Books.
Category – Fiction/Literature Publication Date – October 04, 2016.
Henry Quantum will find his way into the hearts of many readers. He is awkward, forgetful, has too many things to think about, and is a very confused individual.
Henry’s first problem, and we have all been there, has forgotten a Christmas present for his wife, and its December 23rd. It seems an easy enough solution in that the only thing he has to do is buy a bottle of Chanel No.5, a gift he has given her in past years. He plans to do this during his lunch break at work.
Well work doesn’t go that well but Henry, in the pouring rain, heads to Macys. If he knew what was going to happen to him Henry may well have chosen to stay at work. Life becomes complicated when he runs into his former girl friend, the one he should have married, and realizes that he has been in a loveless marriage.
On the other side of the coin his wife, already aware of their failing marriage, is having a love affair.
What course of action will Henry take, an action that will affect many lives.
A really nice read that will have the reader taking sides both for Henry and his wife.
Category – Fiction/Literature Publication Date – October 04, 2016.
Henry Quantum will find his way into the hearts of many readers. He is awkward, forgetful, has too many things to think about, and is a very confused individual.
Henry’s first problem, and we have all been there, has forgotten a Christmas present for his wife, and its December 23rd. It seems an easy enough solution in that the only thing he has to do is buy a bottle of Chanel No.5, a gift he has given her in past years. He plans to do this during his lunch break at work.
Well work doesn’t go that well but Henry, in the pouring rain, heads to Macys. If he knew what was going to happen to him Henry may well have chosen to stay at work. Life becomes complicated when he runs into his former girl friend, the one he should have married, and realizes that he has been in a loveless marriage.
On the other side of the coin his wife, already aware of their failing marriage, is having a love affair.
What course of action will Henry take, an action that will affect many lives.
A really nice read that will have the reader taking sides both for Henry and his wife.
March 5, 2017
I have no idea how to rate this book. Pepper Harding is obviously a competent writer, things move along, characters are established, things are quirky, philosophy is expounded. But I basically skimmed the whole thing. The questions it raised for me are not the questions about love or beauty or God that the book expresses. My questions are things like: do people really live their lives like this? Is adultery really that common? Is everyone really this self-absorbed?
One of the problems I had was getting through some of the interminably long sentences in the first few pages. I just couldn't face an entire book like this, so I started skimming. And it was a very skimmable book. Unfortunately, I'm glad I didn't allow more of it into my brain.
I think one of the reasons I picked it up to begin with was the use of the main character's name in the title. It reminded me of the book The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which was one of my favorite books last year. Note to self: don't get fooled by the title!
I'm pretty sure a lot of people will like this book, but it wasn't for me.
One of the problems I had was getting through some of the interminably long sentences in the first few pages. I just couldn't face an entire book like this, so I started skimming. And it was a very skimmable book. Unfortunately, I'm glad I didn't allow more of it into my brain.
I think one of the reasons I picked it up to begin with was the use of the main character's name in the title. It reminded me of the book The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which was one of my favorite books last year. Note to self: don't get fooled by the title!
I'm pretty sure a lot of people will like this book, but it wasn't for me.
February 19, 2017
Henry plans to buy his wife perfume for Christmas. And he plans to do it today. This book is about all the things that happen as he tries to get this simple errand done.
This was such an enjoyable, sweet book. I loved the characters--well except for that b**** Margaret but she was still fun to read about. This is the perfect choice If you want just a simple pleasant, engrossing story in which to escape for a few hours and that'll leave you smiling.
This was such an enjoyable, sweet book. I loved the characters--well except for that b**** Margaret but she was still fun to read about. This is the perfect choice If you want just a simple pleasant, engrossing story in which to escape for a few hours and that'll leave you smiling.
October 7, 2016
I was excited to read this book, and was, unfortunately, disappointed. Henry is an annoying, confused man with the attention span similar to today's youth. Racing thoughts, I understand, but reading someone else's was just too much for me.
March 4, 2017
Very mild spoiler, doesn't give away the ending. This is one of the rare stream-of-conscience stories I've liked. I found it a witty, entertaining (in a literary way) and compassionate glimpse inside the minds of people with whom I have next-to-nothing in common. One of the reasons I read is to "live" other lives.
This is essentially a tragedy (of a marriage gone drastically wrong--both spouses are cheating on each other!) with the possibility of comic ending (2nd chance at love), which is absurd. A failed marriage isn't funny.
You might like this book if you are a fan of George Saunders-style satire, or if you're a liberal arts geek, or a lover of poetry who enjoys the mystification of juxtaposed words and ideas, or if you're the kind of mystic, who, like Henry Quantum, tends to see "the world as if streaming in the electrolysis of love" (quote from Kenneth Rexroth's poem, "signature of all things.")
I predict you will dislike this book if you would rather spend time with at least one character you can admire, who will inspire you toward nobility. Henry, Martha, and Daisy are all deeply flawed humans. And this is definitely not your read if you don't want a novel that's more about ideas than about plot.
I can relate to the readers who found this trio of sometimes pathetic characters too irritating to live with. On another day, if I needed inspiration, if I was in a less indulgent mood, I might have put this book down.
The implied playful references to James Joyce's Ulysses (which I detested when I attempted to read it in my 30's) are apparent even to me (who only got through the first 1/4 of that book). I suspect that after reading Henry Quantum, I could finally "get" Leopold Bloom now, and might just have to revisit that classic.
The author is clearly a brainiac and this is, in my opinion, a skillfully-written, sarcastic-yet-empathetic story exploring the tragic results of marrying the wrong person.
This is essentially a tragedy (of a marriage gone drastically wrong--both spouses are cheating on each other!) with the possibility of comic ending (2nd chance at love), which is absurd. A failed marriage isn't funny.
You might like this book if you are a fan of George Saunders-style satire, or if you're a liberal arts geek, or a lover of poetry who enjoys the mystification of juxtaposed words and ideas, or if you're the kind of mystic, who, like Henry Quantum, tends to see "the world as if streaming in the electrolysis of love" (quote from Kenneth Rexroth's poem, "signature of all things.")
I predict you will dislike this book if you would rather spend time with at least one character you can admire, who will inspire you toward nobility. Henry, Martha, and Daisy are all deeply flawed humans. And this is definitely not your read if you don't want a novel that's more about ideas than about plot.
I can relate to the readers who found this trio of sometimes pathetic characters too irritating to live with. On another day, if I needed inspiration, if I was in a less indulgent mood, I might have put this book down.
The implied playful references to James Joyce's Ulysses (which I detested when I attempted to read it in my 30's) are apparent even to me (who only got through the first 1/4 of that book). I suspect that after reading Henry Quantum, I could finally "get" Leopold Bloom now, and might just have to revisit that classic.
The author is clearly a brainiac and this is, in my opinion, a skillfully-written, sarcastic-yet-empathetic story exploring the tragic results of marrying the wrong person.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2018
This is a the story of a man, his wife and his ex, their perspective on life and each other and all the other relationships they tell us about to try to make themselves seem more likable. There is an attempt to connect lots of cool science references but not an albeit successful one. Most of the book is stream of consciousness musings with not much activity since the entire book takes place in a day where the same events are being interpreted from different angles.
My favorite quote was on p. 65: It was like in quantum physics; observing the object alters it. At this point, I still expected some great plot but alas, it was not to be.
My favorite quote was on p. 65: It was like in quantum physics; observing the object alters it. At this point, I still expected some great plot but alas, it was not to be.
February 28, 2018
I loved that this book took place in San Francisco and would have enjoyed a map so that I could recreate Henry's walk.
The challenging part for me was to read the thoughts of a man who is very unhappy and cannot see his way out of his mess.
The two women in his life are slightly take charge girls that Henry like him are draw to. His wife is tired of him and, instead of fighting for her marriage, has chosen to commit adultery with a man who is not all that nice. (Just saying.) Daisy had broken his heart and now changed her mind and wants him. I kind of wonder what Daisy would be thinking in ten years. (Or five years if she changes her mind again.)
The challenging part for me was to read the thoughts of a man who is very unhappy and cannot see his way out of his mess.
The two women in his life are slightly take charge girls that Henry like him are draw to. His wife is tired of him and, instead of fighting for her marriage, has chosen to commit adultery with a man who is not all that nice. (Just saying.) Daisy had broken his heart and now changed her mind and wants him. I kind of wonder what Daisy would be thinking in ten years. (Or five years if she changes her mind again.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 24, 2018Harding is a great writer who really gets under the skin of her very different protagonists, providing a fascinating portrait of two halves whose jagged edges can’t seem to fit together to make up a whole.
Daily Mail
A fascinating trip into the mind of a very intriguing man, a modern-day Walter Mitty whose thoughts and dreams are in a never-ending battle with reality. [Harding] has skilfully created a set of interesting, well-developed characters whose lives readers can relate to … The Heart of Henry Quantum is a highly entertaining read.
Booklist
Daily Mail
A fascinating trip into the mind of a very intriguing man, a modern-day Walter Mitty whose thoughts and dreams are in a never-ending battle with reality. [Harding] has skilfully created a set of interesting, well-developed characters whose lives readers can relate to … The Heart of Henry Quantum is a highly entertaining read.
Booklist
June 26, 2025
Truly just terrible. Not one character was well-developed, dynamic, or likable. Everyone was randomly racist so you could tell they were meant to be white. I skipped over so many pages of pseudo intellectual ramblings that did not add to the story at all. Also, the writer thinking a pen name would help him escape preconceived notions abt a male writer writing a boring, annoying, middle-aged male character. We can tell a man wrote it, babygirl. On the bright side, this will be my first book burning 😁
Read
May 1, 2024While Henry may have been curmudgeonly like "Man called Ove" he had none of the charm and there was no winsome cat. This book was just strange and random.
July 28, 2023
1,5 (pétition pour qu’on puisse mettre des demi étoiles sur goodreads !!)
le résumé avait l’air sympa mais euh … je ne le finirais pas
vraiment chiant à lire, ils parlent de trop de choses qui n’ont pas de rapport avec l’intrigue principal, on s’éloigne un peu trop
le résumé avait l’air sympa mais euh … je ne le finirais pas
vraiment chiant à lire, ils parlent de trop de choses qui n’ont pas de rapport avec l’intrigue principal, on s’éloigne un peu trop
September 21, 2017
I got tired of Henry's thoughts pretty quickly, but it was more interesting when the book turned to another person's perspective. At some point in this book, I thought "maybe it will be a four," but it slowed down again, so I gave it a three.
September 1, 2016
“So Henry had to ask himself, what is the truth of this perfume?”
Henry “Bones” Quantum is in a last minute search for a Christmas present for his wife, Margaret. Everything seems to flutter away from him, like remembering to buy a gift! Who can blame him with a mind that never ceases to wander? His entire existence seems to be a distraction. He is sweetly endearing, but sometimes his quirky kindness is his downfall. How much can happen in a day? A lot. Regrets are revealed, a run in with the one who got away, confessions as we hear both Henry and his wife’s side of things. Henry is all over the place, and as adorable as it can seem from afar, I can imagine it could be annoying too at times. As Margaret reveals her guilty frustration with Henry, what tickled me most is as she meets with Peter, her own thoughts are just as disjointed as she feels Henry’s are. Henry isn’t the only one rushing in all directions, and it really isn’t about the perfume!
Each character wants to either discard something or return to it. It takes dear “Bones” time to figure out what he really wants. Unfaithful more to themselves than each other, until it dawns on each where they should be. Not ideal, but should people remain rooted to mistakes of the heart? Light, a bit funny, and at times immoral. But hey, that’s human beings for you. Oh the complexities of love, all the pitfalls, the comings and goings of lovers, all the confusion… What do any of us know what is contained in the hearts of our loved ones, or even our own?
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books
Gallery Books General Fiction
https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/ feel free to visit my blog
Henry “Bones” Quantum is in a last minute search for a Christmas present for his wife, Margaret. Everything seems to flutter away from him, like remembering to buy a gift! Who can blame him with a mind that never ceases to wander? His entire existence seems to be a distraction. He is sweetly endearing, but sometimes his quirky kindness is his downfall. How much can happen in a day? A lot. Regrets are revealed, a run in with the one who got away, confessions as we hear both Henry and his wife’s side of things. Henry is all over the place, and as adorable as it can seem from afar, I can imagine it could be annoying too at times. As Margaret reveals her guilty frustration with Henry, what tickled me most is as she meets with Peter, her own thoughts are just as disjointed as she feels Henry’s are. Henry isn’t the only one rushing in all directions, and it really isn’t about the perfume!
Each character wants to either discard something or return to it. It takes dear “Bones” time to figure out what he really wants. Unfaithful more to themselves than each other, until it dawns on each where they should be. Not ideal, but should people remain rooted to mistakes of the heart? Light, a bit funny, and at times immoral. But hey, that’s human beings for you. Oh the complexities of love, all the pitfalls, the comings and goings of lovers, all the confusion… What do any of us know what is contained in the hearts of our loved ones, or even our own?
Publication Date: October 4, 2016
Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books
Gallery Books General Fiction
https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/ feel free to visit my blog
November 17, 2016
Some have compared Harding’s Henry Quantum character to Walter Mitty, while I on the other hand felt that Henry more resembled Ian McEwan’s character (also named Henry) in his novel SATURDAY. Harding’s Henry Quantum is an ad exec while McEwan’s Henry Perowne is a London neurosurgeon. Quantum’s wife Margaret is a shrew of sorts and his quasi-lover Daisy is a scatterbrained mother of two. (McEwan’s Henry also had a Daisy in his life, but she was his poet daughter) Both authors examine the minute workings of conscience and personality.
SATURDAY was a boring read, bogged down by McEwan's political musings and obvious medical research." So too is Harding’s Henry with his musings about the force of quarks, protons and gluons (quarks, according to the laws of quantum physics, are always stuck to their partners and can never get away - - yadda, yadda, yadda - - he would have been better off alluding to the song “Something’s Gotta Give - - - that I could have related to.)
Henry’s narrative is built around his unsuccessful search for a bottle of Chanel No.5 (a Christmas gift for his wife) and his internal discourse concerning the past while Margaret ruminates about her inauspicious affair and Daisy vacillates between being an educated and informed woman and an utter airhead.
Set in San Francisco and told from the point of view of each of its three main characters THE HEART OF HENRY QUANTUM presents an in depth look into “one day in the lives of” as it explores the mental anguish suffered by members of the “me” generation and the seemingly trivial events that will shape the future of these three flawed individuals who are not “quirky or touching” as described in the books blurb but veer more into the realm of self -absorbed and tedious.
SATURDAY was a boring read, bogged down by McEwan's political musings and obvious medical research." So too is Harding’s Henry with his musings about the force of quarks, protons and gluons (quarks, according to the laws of quantum physics, are always stuck to their partners and can never get away - - yadda, yadda, yadda - - he would have been better off alluding to the song “Something’s Gotta Give - - - that I could have related to.)
Henry’s narrative is built around his unsuccessful search for a bottle of Chanel No.5 (a Christmas gift for his wife) and his internal discourse concerning the past while Margaret ruminates about her inauspicious affair and Daisy vacillates between being an educated and informed woman and an utter airhead.
Set in San Francisco and told from the point of view of each of its three main characters THE HEART OF HENRY QUANTUM presents an in depth look into “one day in the lives of” as it explores the mental anguish suffered by members of the “me” generation and the seemingly trivial events that will shape the future of these three flawed individuals who are not “quirky or touching” as described in the books blurb but veer more into the realm of self -absorbed and tedious.
July 15, 2017
This book is an anomaly. Nothing really happens throughout the entire book except for the last couple pages, but at the same time, so much happens. The journey through the minds of Henry, Margaret, and Daisy provide interesting insight into the different perspectives of three people who are all in similar situations. The characters all claim to be "good" people, but they have done a bad thing. Throughout the book, Henry thinks about paradoxes of philosophy, physics, and other subjects and in the same vein, the book itself is a paradox.
I could see why other people didn't like the book, but for me it was a nice change from what I have been reading lately.
I could see why other people didn't like the book, but for me it was a nice change from what I have been reading lately.
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