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The Remains of the Day

by Kazuo Ishiguro

4.1 · Rating details · 122,750 Ratings · 7,555 Reviews

A contemporary classic, The Remains of the Day is Kazuo Ishiguro's beautiful and haunting evocation of life between the wars in a Great English House.

In the summer of 1956, Stevens, the ageing butler of Darlington Hall, embarks on a leisurely holiday that will take him deep into the countryside and into his past.

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Paperback, 258 pages

Published April 1st 2010 by Faber and Faber (first published 1989)

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Apr 07, 2010 Esteban del Mal rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novel, fiction

Kazuo Ishiguro writes the anti-haiku: instead of consciousness awakening to the immediacy of the immutable natural world, subjective memory is peeled back layer by layer to expose consciousness; instead of the joyous eruption of awareness, the tension of the gradual decompression of ignorance; instead of a humility that acknowledges the unknowable on its own terms, rambling that tries to fill the chasm of existential angst that has suddenly opened up like a sinkhole in being. Yet what his writin ...more

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Jun 05, 2007 Siria rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-century, historical-fiction, british-fiction, by-poc

This is one of the most beautifully mannered, subtle books I've read in a long, long time. Ishiguro's command of prose is perfect; there was never a point where I felt that this book wasn't written by a consummate English gentleman's gentleman. Remains of the Day is also one of the best examples of first person POV that I've read. Stevens' voice is always clear and distinct, and always used to frame the narrative in such a way that the reader is able to see things and guess things which the prot ...more

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Aug 21, 2007 Kecia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: readers who appreciate subtly

Shelves: topshelf, booker-prize, 1001-books, england

It's not what happens in this story that's important, it's what doesn't happen. It's not what is said, but what is not said.

I almost feel like Stevens in a real person and not a fictional character. He may well be the most tragic figure I've had the honor to meet/read. He tried so hard to do what he thought to be the right thing and in the end it all turned out to the wrong thing...I cried for at least a half hour after I finished the final page. It was a bittersweet moment when he admitted to h ...more

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Aug 02, 2017 Adina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: booker, british

Every day, for the past week I've encouraged myself to start writing this review. It feelt impossible to find my words to discuss such a literary masterpiece. Who gives me the right to even try?
After staring blankly at the screen for some time, I finally remembered a beautiful passage that can perfectly describe what I felt about this novel. So, I will let the author describe his work. Although the quote depicts the magnificent English countryside It can be applied to the novel as well.

“What i Every day, for the past week I've encouraged myself to start writing this review. It feelt impossible to find my words to discuss such a literary masterpiece. Who gives me the right to even try?
After staring blankly at the screen for some time, I finally remembered a beautiful passage that can perfectly describe what I felt about this novel. So, I will let the author describe his work. Although the quote depicts the magnificent English countryside It can be applied to the novel as well.

“What is pertinent is the calmness of beauty, its sense of restraint. It is as though the land knows of its own beauty, its own greatness, and feels no need to shout it.”

I believe that a restrained beauty is what characterizes The Remains of the Day and the voice of its main character, Stevens. As it was also the case in Never let me Go, the message is hidden in the beautiful pages, only suggested, it comes to the reader in the form of a knot in the stomach or throat and the feelings linger for many days while one ponders on the meaning of his/her life.

“What can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished? The hard reality is, surely, that for the likes of you and I, there is little choice other than to leave our fate, ultimately, in the hands of those great gentlemen at the hub of this world who employ our services. What is the point in worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one’s life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that is in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment.”

Williams Stevens is a one of the few remaining “great”, devoted butlers, employed most of his life at Darlington Hall in the service of Lord Darlington. After the war and the death of its owner the manor changes its ownership but the reduced staff remains with the new employer, an American known as Mr. Farraday. When the new owner returns to the States for a few weeks he proposes to Stevens to borrow his car and enjoy a drive in the countryside. Although reluctant at first, the butler decides to take on the offer after he receives a letter from a former housekeeper of the Hall, Miss Kenton to who it seems that he holds some affection. He decides to visit her in order to suggest to return to work at the Hall. The trip becomes the perfect occasion for revisiting the most important moments of Stevens past and to meditate on how his loyalty to his master and his decisions/or lack of, made him lose certain opportunities to have a fulfilled emotional life.

“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably drive oneself to distraction in this way. In any case, while it is all very well to talk of 'turning points', one can surely only recognize such moments in retrospect. Naturally, when one looks back to such instances today, they may indeed take the appearance of being crucial, precious moments in one's life; but of course, at the time, this was not the impression one had. Rather, it was as though one had available a never-ending number of days, months, years in which to sort out the vagaries of one's relationship with Miss Kenton; an infinite number of further opportunities in which to remedy the effect of this or that misunderstanding. There was surely nothing to indicate at the time that such evidently small incidents would render whole dreams forever irredeemable.”

The language used by the author is beautiful, exquisite. It is the voice of the butler who writes in the restrained, formal manner suitable for his job. The effect is mesmerizing, sometimes comical and other times heartbreaking in Steven’s incapacity to shed his role even for a second and live for himself.

“I can't even say I made my own mistakes. Really - one has to ask oneself - what dignity is there in that?”

Beautiful, emotional book that I warmly recommend to everyone.
...more

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Jan 29, 2015 Nataliya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, excellent-reads, 2015-reads

“The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.”

I suppose what one really needs at the end of it all, in the twilight of life, is to know that it was worth something, that there was some meaning, some purpose to it. Because if it was all in vain, why even try?

With The Remains of the Day Kazuo Ishiguro created a masterpiece, mesmerizing, evocative, subtle, elegant and perfectly crafted, with precise mastery of language, setting and characters. At its heart, it's a story of searching for something irrevocably lost in life, a story of memory and its elusive unreliability. It's beautiful and haunting, with initial rose-tinged glow of nostalgia slowly and subtly morphing into quiet gentle regret, managing to coexist with dry humor and bits of satire. It's a book of uncommon quality, one that's impossible to forget, one that deserves every ounce of praise that's it's been showered with.

What is dignity? What is greatness? How do you define your purpose? These are questions Stevens - a quintessential English butler at the twilight of his life not surprisingly coinciding with the twilight of the British Empire - ponders during his drive through the countryside in the search of an old friend, a former housekeeper who, Stevens thinks, would make a great addition to the dwindled staff of a once-great manor now owned by a rich American after the death of its former aristocratic owner, the Lord in whose employ Stevens had faithfully spent several decades. To Stevens, the answers are initially clear - the purpose and satisfaction, the all-elusive dignity itself lies in the unquestionable loyalty and devotion to the great ones of this world, by association with whom you matter, too. But as the miles roll by, the pull of Darlington Hall seems to lessen and bit by bit, flashback by flashback in a surprisingly formal stream of consciousness the glimpses of the truth begin to appear, and how unsettling they are! Bit by bit, mostly not through what he tells us but instead precisely through what he does not tell we come to see that poor Stevens is perhaps the most unreliable narrator there ever was.

Starting from a formal, stiff but still confident narration at the beginning of Stevens' journey, we end up eventually on a bench on a pier, glimpsing into his very private pain and heartbreak as he contemplates the remains of his life at the titular remains of the day. Bit by bit, through at times reluctant, limited and yet unfailingly honest narration we get to experience the story of a man who put loyalty and faithful service above all, pursuing the coveted dignity, clinging to the well-defined class roles and rigid expectations, denying his own self in attempts to live up to the duty, the quintessential Englishness that already in his time is becoming obsolete.

“However, if a butler is to be of any worth to anything or anybody in life, there must surely come a time when he ceases his searching; a time when he must say to himself: 'This employer embodies all that I find noble and admirable. I will hereafter devote myself to serving him.”

Stevens, the most unreliable narrator, manages to show us so much more precisely through the things that he fails to tell the reader. It's what's left unsaid that paints the real picture - the disappointments, the loss, the lonely empty existence intentionally devoid of love and warmth.

“It is hardly my fault if his lordship's life and work have turned out today to look, at best, a sad waste - and it is quite illogical that I should feel any regret or shame on my own account.”

Stevens in his earnest devotion remains loyal to the memory of Lord Darlington, never fully admitting that the man he had spent his life serving and admiring was in fact not so great. And how can he? After all, he has based his entire self-worth, his entire sense of being on devotedly serving a supposedly great and noble man, feeling that in some little way he, Stevens, had something to do with shaping the fate of the world. Openly admitting that Lord Darlington's made huge mistakes would shatter Stevens' entire self, making everything useless - missing his father's death, going along with bigotry and prejudice, and giving up a chance at love, warmth and human companionship.

And yet, at the end, just for a moment or so the impeccable facade of quintessential English butler cracks and a pained confused man faces the realizations that are too unsettling to avoid:

“The fact is, of course," I said after a while, "I gave my best to Lord Darlington. I gave him the very best I had to give, and now - well - I find I do not have a great deal more left to give.”
---------
“Lord Darlington wasn't a bad man. He wasn't a bad man at all. And at least he had the privilege of being able to say at the end of his life that he made his own mistakes. His lordship was a courageous man. He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at least. As for myself, I cannot even claim that. You see, I trusted. I trusted in his lordship's wisdom. All those years I served him, I trusted I was doing something worthwhile. I can't even say I made my own mistakes. Really - one has to ask oneself - what dignity is there in that?”

The Remains of the Day is a book of loss and love and regret, of things that define us and shape us, about trust and loyalty misplaced and hopes and dreams crushed, of selective memory and carefully constructed in self-defense universes that let us try to be what we aspire to be, and the cold brush with reality that inevitably comes. To borrow Stevens' pained unexpected revelation, “Indeed — why should I not admit it? — in that moment, my heart was breaking.”

“After all, what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished?”

Wonderful. 5 stars. ...more

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Jan 12, 2016 Bookdragon Sean rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-reads, contemporary-lit, man-booker-prize-winners

This was phenomenal. Ishiguro has such a developed way of exploring consciousness, the power of repression, self-serving denial and the destructive consequences of regret.

The narrator of this is a stiffly rigid and rather dry old butler. He has given everything over to his profession; he has left little room for his own personality to develop. The character(s) he emulates are a mere representation of his employer’s needs; he behaves in a way that he thinks they wish him to: he creates a persona This was phenomenal. Ishiguro has such a developed way of exploring consciousness, the power of repression, self-serving denial and the destructive consequences of regret.

The narrator of this is a stiffly rigid and rather dry old butler. He has given everything over to his profession; he has left little room for his own personality to develop. The character(s) he emulates are a mere representation of his employer’s needs; he behaves in a way that he thinks they wish him to: he creates a persona to suit each one. So, there is very little left of the individual left on the surface. He is simply is professional butler modelled round his current employers own characteristics. What he so desperately needed was an awakening: he so desperately needed to come out of himself and remember exactly who he is under the false layers of pomp and sophisticated etiquette. But, that would be impossible in its entirety.

It takes Stevenson a long time even remember who he is. He goes on a journey of remembrances, and through this he eventually sees the parallels between his own fate and that of his father’s; he realises that he, too, is getting too old for his job. But, he must delve even deeper into the past to fully remember himself. He must see deeper into the regretful decisions he has made, though he can never fully acknowledge such regret because to do so would be to destroy himself, rendering an entire life meaningless, worthless and wasted. He has spent his entire professional life behind a mask. He has no real friends, and his relationship with his farther is strained, to say the least. There are a few moments when the veil slips; however, they are not really visible to other characters. I think at times, this has gone so far that, Stevenson actually forgets who he is. The mask takes over and controls his behaviour; there is little room for sentiment or friendship: it pushes people away with its austere act of singular professionalism.

“Do you realize, Mr Stevens, how much it would have meant to me if you had though to share your feeling last year? You knew how upset I was when the girls were dismissed. Do you realize how much it would have helped me? Why, Mr Stevens, why, why, why do you always have to pretend?”

description

Unfortunately for Stevens he continues to wear this mask. It’s led to all of these bad feelings, and a life of servitude. Indeed, he becomes like his farther. He is stuck in this perpetual state. His brief holiday sends all his memories crashing back; he sees the different paths he could have taken had he been more open to his own desires. There are degrees of regret within his story, but he cannot full let go; he cannot fully admit that he wishes he had lived his own life. He has gone too far to simply change his ways. If he changed now, his life would have been a waste. He must continue on this road, one that will not allow him to enjoy the remains of his days.

This is a sad novel; it depicts a character that is so unbelievably stubborn that he prevents himself from receiving any regeneration or redemption. He cannot change, and this is his doom. He is frustrating and stoic. He is a nonchalant man who simply refuses to acknowledge his own feelings. As a character he is superbly written, but on an individual level I found him somewhat pitiable. This is part of the wonder of the story, though. Stevens is his role; he will never transgress it. I just felt so sorry for him because he really has had a wasted life; yes, he has had a successful career; yes, he has met some prestigious political figures and foreign dignitaries; yes, he believes he is accomplished and successful, but, at the route of things, he is undeniably woeful and lonely. These are simply the excuses he tells himself. He has missed out on friendship and love: he has only experienced solitude and isolation.

In this, Ishiguro delivers an awe inspiringly powerful statement in regards to the dangers of a life of pretending. This was moving, compelling and excellent. This won’t be the last Ishiguro novel I read. I’m literally amazed at how good this book was. ...more

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Dec 21, 2015 Perry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: amados-libros

Regret came shivering through my veins,
And bound my tongue in iron chains;
My soul in prison seem'd to be,
And ever must if torn from thee
"The Recall to Affection," Susanna Blamire

There's a shadow hanging over me. Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
"Yesterday," Lennon-McCartney, 1965

It is nearly impossible to describe this novel without at least alluding (as I do above) to one of the very most heartbreaking scenes in all of literature.

Ishiguro's novel whisks the human memory - its capacity, reliability, ...more

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Jul 03, 2012 Fabian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Mood, atmosphere, character. Encapsulation of the zeitgeist, social commentary; "The Remains of the Day" delves into the dark side of humanity. So much is held within the pages of this marvelous book, the account of one of the last butlers to work at a large manor in England. What is dignity? seems to be the major thread that unites all of his different experiences of becoming a largely marginalized person, of becoming someone with a worth different from others. The love story is heart wrenching ...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Samadrita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cherished, man-booker-prize, tear-jerkers, humour-of-the-dignified-kind, slice-of-life, bygones-are-never-bygones, philosophy-philosophical, melancholia, human-drama, european-literature, modern-classics, 1001-and-more, re-readable, britain, adoration, amazing-characterization

When I had merely read about 30 or so pages of this book, I must confess I was debating whether or not to continue with it, given the unbearably slow pacing of the plot.
And then when I had finally reached the end, I couldn't help but feel immensely thankful to my own better judgement against giving it up. Since by that time I had been reduced to a pathetic, blubbering mass of emotions and tears, teetering on the verge of a major breakdown and marvelling at the writer's remarkable achievement at When I had merely read about 30 or so pages of this book, I must confess I was debating whether or not to continue with it, given the unbearably slow pacing of the plot.
And then when I had finally reached the end, I couldn't help but feel immensely thankful to my own better judgement against giving it up. Since by that time I had been reduced to a pathetic, blubbering mass of emotions and tears, teetering on the verge of a major breakdown and marvelling at the writer's remarkable achievement at the same time.

The Remains of the Day is Kazuo Ishiguro's ode to England - its bygone glories, numerous idiosyncrasies and fallacies.
Through the life of Stevens, the protagonist and a quintessentially uptight English butler to a distinguished Lord, Ishiguro takes us on a journey of a nation through two wars which crippled it financially and relegated it to the sidelines of international politics as another nation slowly rose to take its place. However, it is not merely the tale of a tottering Britain but also a human drama centering around themes such as self-discovery, lasting regret, nostalgia, unfulfilled love and the enduring desire to start over anew.
Stevens is not just a symbol of the inimitable sophistication that defines English culture but also an emblem of the undeniable hollowness of it. Of the unalterable mistakes committed in the course of a long and eventful journey - be it the journey of life of a man or one nation.
Even though the verbosity of Ishiguro's prose may tend to make the narrative monotonous from time to time, it is never too big an impediment to navigate around.
In fact it is the elegant language which catapults this novel into the league of classic English literature, in my opinion. Besides the unhurried, tender nuances of Ishiguro's story-telling do not deserve any less.

Oh yes he most certainly deserved the Man Booker for this. And I think I will now commence the operation of procuring all of Ishiguro's published works.

(Review originally posted on:- November 24, 2012) ...more

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Aug 25, 2016 Maggie Stiefvater added it · review of another edition

Shelves: adult

this book is full of butlers

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Sep 30, 2007 Paul Bryant rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: novels

As far as I could see this was like a maid and a butler in one of those British mansions that lords live in and they didn't shag each other. End of. This for more than 200 pages. It's like I could organise more interesting snail races. Even if the snails fell asleep it would be more eventful than this book. I would say that this book is supposed to be good and they made a film but this is a very good example of why literature is being replaced by computer games. You will not see a computer game ...more

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Jun 19, 2017 Michael Finocchiaro rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, english-20th-c, novels

Beautiful, heartbreaking book of understatement and about the price for following convention amd one's sense of duty over the desires (expressed or not) of one's heart. I have not seen the movie yet, but I have heard it captured the subdued tone and deeper philosophical questions posed by Isihiguro's choices in narration and subjects.

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Jun 13, 2012 Louize rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Louize by: The Filipino Group

Shelves: tfg-f2f

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY – AN OPEN LETTER

Dearest James,

I know that introduction is a must, polite even, but on this one I do suggest that we skip that. It is you who matters, and no one else.

Foremost, how was the end of your motoring trip? Was it pleasant on your return? I do hope that none of the inconveniences you encountered on leaving crossed your path on the way home. It was a good thing Mr. Farraday suggested this motoring trip. You’ve been cooked up in that hall for a very long time. Differ ...more

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Nov 01, 2008 Will Byrnes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is a compelling portrait of the perfect English butler and of his fading, insular world in postwar England – At the end of his three decades of service in Darlington Hall, Stevens embarks on a vacation, driving in the country, hoping to reconnect with a woman with whom he had once worked, and with whom he felt some stifled form of intimacy.

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Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins in the film - from The Guardian

Over these few days, he looks back over his career to reassure himself that he has serv ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Diane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Diane by: Samadrita

Shelves: favorites, british-charm, modern-fiction, movie-adaptation

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Why did I wait so many years to read this book? It's beautiful. I loved it so much that I finished it in almost one sitting. I feel a bit like Mr. Stevens, sitting on the pier at the end of the story, wondering how his life could have been different. While Mr. Stevens is thinking of a lost love; I'm thinking of the bad books that could have been avoided if I had picked up Ishiguro instead.

I'll keep the synopsis brief, since most of my GR friends have already read this. The story is told by Mr. S Why did I wait so many years to read this book? It's beautiful. I loved it so much that I finished it in almost one sitting. I feel a bit like Mr. Stevens, sitting on the pier at the end of the story, wondering how his life could have been different. While Mr. Stevens is thinking of a lost love; I'm thinking of the bad books that could have been avoided if I had picked up Ishiguro instead.

I'll keep the synopsis brief, since most of my GR friends have already read this. The story is told by Mr. Stevens, a traditional English butler, who served under Lord Darlington for several decades. The narrative begins in 1956 with Stevens adjusting to a new master, who is an American gentleman. Stevens sets out on a car journey across England to meet with a former housekeeper, Miss Kenton. During the journey, Stevens reminisces about his pre-war experiences at Darlington Hall and his relationship with Miss Kenton. There are themes of dignity, the purpose of life, how time is spent, choosing work over love (or love over work), and what constitutes greatness. Everything is shared from Mr. Stevens' perspective, who relates his thoughts in a stream of consciousness, occasionally recounting conversations with others.

Let me pause here to discuss a theory I have, which is that there are two kinds of readers: those who like stream-of-consciousness narrative and those who don't. I am firmly in the former camp, but I've heard several readers say they loathe SOC. The structure of "Remains of the Day" reminded me of another book that I loved: Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse." Both involved SOC narration, both stories take place over only a few days, and both had themes of lost time.

I liked the movie version of "Remains of the Day," but the text moved me even more. I desperately wanted to shake Mr. Stevens and try to get him to wake up to his present life, instead of being so consumed by his profession. Of course, Miss Kenton tries to do this several times -- she brings him flowers, she teases him about a romance book he's reading, she tries to comfort him when his father dies -- but Stevens is so obsessed with being dignified and restraining his emotions that he can't break free.

Because this story is so well-known, I think I can get away with sharing a favorite passage toward the end of the book. Stevens is in a reflective mood after saying goodbye to Miss Kenton; he's sitting on the pier and is chatting with a stranger:

"Lord Darlington wasn't a bad man. He wasn't a bad man at all. And at least he had the privilege of being able to say at the end of his life that he made his own mistakes. His lordship was a courageous man. He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at least. As for myself, I cannot even claim that. You see, I trusted. I trusted in his lordship's wisdom. All those years I served him, I trusted I was doing something worthwhile. I can't even say I made my own mistakes. Really -- one has to ask oneself -- what dignity is there in that?"

My dear Mr. Stevens, I shall remember your story and will keep it on my bookshelf. I'm sure our paths will cross again. ...more

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Jul 23, 2015 Nishat rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: heart-touching, delicate-as-poetry, joyous, best-books-i-ve-ever-read, favorites, modern-classic

Mr James Stevens, an English butler setting out towards the west country, is the most wondrous creature, one could possibly have an encounter with. His loyalty to the perished, service to the prominent and sense of dignity that elevates others' as well, command of utmost awe and regards.

Ageing as one has to, Mr Stevens, during a well earned motoring trip reflects upon several scattered events that forming a pattern, trace back to the past of his honorable service in House Darlington which stood ...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Nandakishore Varma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction

This is not a review of the book as such - but a blog post I wrote in March 2015, when I suddenly felt the onset of age. I feel it can be an appropriate tribute to this wonderful novel.

This year in August, I will turn fifty-two.

For the past few years, thoughts of my eventual demise have been persistent at the back of my brain. It is not actually fear of death – it is more like the certainty of an unpleasant fact of life which cannot be avoided; something you would like to put off as much as po ...more

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Jan 02, 2016 Glenn Sumi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, booker-winners, contemp-classics, guardian-1000

An exquisite novel featuring one of the most fascinating unreliable narrators in all of fiction.

In post-war England, Stevens, an aging, old-school English butler who’s worked for decades at Darlington Hall, plans a car trip to visit the estate’s former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, in the west country. During the journey, he reflects on his long career, and we get a good sense of his life – inextricably linked to his long-time employer, Lord Darlington – and that of his country.

Thanks to Downton Abb An exquisite novel featuring one of the most fascinating unreliable narrators in all of fiction.

In post-war England, Stevens, an aging, old-school English butler who’s worked for decades at Darlington Hall, plans a car trip to visit the estate’s former housekeeper, Miss Kenton, in the west country. During the journey, he reflects on his long career, and we get a good sense of his life – inextricably linked to his long-time employer, Lord Darlington – and that of his country.

Thanks to Downton Abbey, I now know the difference between butlers, footmen and valets, so that came in handy. Unfortunately, I kept seeing Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, who played Stevens and Miss Kenton in the acclaimed film adaptation, in my head. That’s not writer Kazuo Ishiguro’s fault, though.

The book stands on its own merits. Above all, it’s a triumph of first-person narration. Stevens’s voice is proper, stuffy and impeccably formal, with lots of “indeeds” and “Be that as it mays” and “In any events.”

It’s also extremely funny. As the book opens in the mid-50s, Darlington Hall is owned by Mr. Farraday, an American businessman, and Stevens is stymied by the man’s habit of bantering. Ever the hard worker, Stevens attempts to improve his banter skills, resulting in at least one hilarious passage later on.

In another section, a pompous upper-class guest of Lord Darlington asks Stevens to explain the birds and the bees to the man’s own son. Classic.

The between-the-wars setting gives the book added heft, especially in Stevens’s devotion to Darlington, despite the employer’s questionable politics. The way Ishiguro shows Stevens defending the man is highly effective; Stevens tells us (and the world) one thing while we intuit something else.

There are also a couple of scenes in which we feel genuine pity for Stevens. Both, tellingly, involve class.

What gives the book its heart, though, is the changing relationship between Stevens and Miss Kenton. I don’t want to give anything away, but this is the kind of book that makes you think about what’s important in life: love and family or work.

Sometimes providing consolation or showing affection – even though it might not be the most “professional” behaviour – can be life-altering.

Not a bad takeaway – among other things – from this remarkable book.
...more

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Feb 15, 2017 Joe Valdez rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-general

Love is in the air--or maybe anxiously repressed--in February and my romantic literature jag continues with The Remains of the Day, the 1989 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and winner of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction the same year. This is a magnificent novel, artfully focused in its portraiture of William Stevens, butler of the fictitious Darlington Hall near Oxford. On one level, Stevens' first person account of his service is rendered in beautifully crafted language, full of one Englishman's stoic ...more

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Jun 22, 2009 Agnieszka rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own, favorites, ishiguro, 2014, reviewed, i-saw-a-movie-too

In the middle of the journey of our life I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost.

Does that ring any bells with you? There are such moments in our life when with rare lucidity we realize that our life is getting out of control, that we get sidetracked into minor issues, when we think if I had a second chance …. But one can’t turn the clock and what’s done is done.

Ishiguro with elegance depicts subtle and nuanced portrait of Stevens, an aging butler at English mansion ...more

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Aug 05, 2007 Kelly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: those who love character studies and don't mind a slow pace

Shelves: fiction, brit-lit, worlds-lost-dead-and-dying, owned, 20th-century-postwar-to-late, its-the-quiet-ones, melancholia

This is a work of high skill. Done in the first person, it conveys exactly the tone, workings, and errors of the mind that it lives in. Though it's clear that the narrator is unreliable- and he calls himself out on that a few times by what the reader may be thinking of his train of thought- he uses that unreliable format to his advantage. It is used to make Mr. Stevens more sympathetic and relatable to the reader, who otherwise might have some difficulty finding much in common with a postwar but ...more

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Apr 16, 2017 Frona rated it really liked it · review of another edition

In a noble English household, where the banquets are prepared by loyal servants and consumed by mighty statesmen, a butler with his reminiscences of the war period serves us the essence of servitude and its quiet assistance to history. In a nice, neat world that he inhabits, the schedule is set and its boundaries established; his freedom ends where his master's expectations begin. The unpredictable is for others to handle and the fog surrounding decisions is dispersed without his helping hand. W ...more

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Apr 26, 2016 Sanjay Gautam rated it it was amazing

Recommended to Sanjay by: Nandakishore Varma

Phenomenal!

I'm at a loss for words, but I know this would be going to my all time favourites. A masterpiece.

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Oct 04, 2010 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, classic, fiction, literature, 1001-book, 20th-century

190. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
عنوان: بازمانده روز؛ نوشته: کازوئو ایشیگورو؛ مترجم: نجف دریابندری؛ تهران، کارنامه، 1375، شابک: 9644310020؛ موضوع: ادبیات ژاپن؛ قرن 20 م
نخستین خوانش: بیست و سوم ژوئن سال 1997 م، اخطار: اگر هنوز این رمان را نخوانده اید، و میخواهید آن را بخوانید، لطفا توجه داشته باشید که احتمال لو رفتن داستان در نوشتار این فراموشکار هست
جایی دیده بودم: رمان بازمانده روز، کلاس شخصیت پردازی مدرن است، شخصیت پردازی هوشمندانه، که همچو پازل هزار تکه، پس از کنار هم گذاشتن تکه ها، 190. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro
عنوان: بازمانده روز؛ نوشته: کازوئو ایشیگورو؛ مترجم: نجف دریابندری؛ تهران، کارنامه، 1375، شابک: 9644310020؛ موضوع: ادبیات ژاپن؛ قرن 20 م
نخستین خوانش: بیست و سوم ژوئن سال 1997 م، اخطار: اگر هنوز این رمان را نخوانده اید، و میخواهید آن را بخوانید، لطفا توجه داشته باشید که احتمال لو رفتن داستان در نوشتار این فراموشکار هست
جایی دیده بودم: رمان بازمانده روز، کلاس شخصیت پردازی مدرن است، شخصیت پردازی هوشمندانه، که همچو پازل هزار تکه، پس از کنار هم گذاشتن تکه ها، همین تابلوی زیبا شده است. بازمانده ی روز داستان آقای استیونز، سرپیشخدمتی انگلیسی است، که زندگی خود را وقف خدمت وفادارانه به لرد دارلینگتون کرده است. داستان با رسیدن نامه‌ ای از یک همکار قدیمی شروع می‌شود. در آن نامه، خانم کنتن از زندگی زناشویی خود می‌گوید، که استیونز آن را حمل بر نارضایتی او از ازدواجش می‌کند. همزمان با رسیدن نامه، موقعیتی برای استیونز پیش می‌آید؛ که بتواند به بهانه ی تحقیق، درباره ی استخدام مجدد خانم کنتن، دوباره برگردد سراغ رابطه‌ ای، که زمانی آن را بسیار دوست می‌داشت. ارباب جدید خانه، آمریکایی ثروتمندی به نام فارادی، او را تشویق میکند، که ماشین را بردارد، و برود به مرخصی‌ ای که بی‌شک استحقاقش را دارد. این سفر، فرصتی می‌شود برای استیونز، که وفاداری تزلزل‌ ناپذیرش به لرد دالینگتون، معنی و مفهوم «تشخص»، و حتی رابطه خودش با پدرش را مورد بازاندیشی قرار دهد. دست آخر، استیونز مجبور می‌شود که به مفهوم واقعی رابطه‌ ی خود با خانم کنتن بیندیشد. هرچه داستان به پیش می‌رود، نشانه‌ های عشق خانم کنتن به آقای استیونز، و تمایل متقابل او، آشکار می‌شود. در سال‌های پیش از جنگ جهانگیر دوم، زمانی که این دو، دوشادوش هم کار می‌کنند، از اعتراف به عشقشان نسبت به یکدیگر طفره می‌روند. تمام مکالمه‌ هایی که یاد میآورد، نشان از رابطه‌ ای حرفه‌ ای دارند، که گاهی به مرز عشق و علاقه نزدیک می‌شوند، اما هرگز از آن عبور نمی‌کنند. بعدها مشخص می‌شود، که خانم کنتن، بیست سالی ست که ازدواج کرده است، و حالا دیگر نه خانم کنتن، بلکه خانم بن خوانده می‌شود. خانم بن، اعتراف می‌کند که گاهی به این فکر می‌کند، که زندگی با آقای استیونز، چگونه می‌توانست باشد؛ اما حالا دیگر شوهرش را دوست میدارد، و در انتظار تولد نخستین نوه‌ ی خویش است. استیونز به فرصت‌های از دست‌ رفته می‌اندیشد، هم در رابطه با خانم کنتن، و نیز با اربابش لرد دارلینگتون. در پایان داستان، استیونز به آنچه از روز بازمانده می‌پردازد، که اشاره‌ ای ست به آینده ی او در خدمت به آقای فارادی. ایشی‌ گورو، همانند دیگر رمان‌های خویش، در طول داستان از ساختارهای حافظه و دورنما سود برده است. ا. شربیانی ...more

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Aug 13, 2016 Kevin Ansbro rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Kevin by: Glenn Sumi

Shelves: human-emotions, morality, quintessentially-english, social-awkwardness

"When work is a pleasure, life is a joy! When work is a duty, life is slavery."
-Maxim Gorky.

I bought this novel in tandem with Never Let Me Go, a book that proved to be so tedious I abandoned it, preferring to watch paint dry instead.
Nevertheless, I was prepared to give Ishiguro the benefit of the doubt, wipe the slate clean and start afresh.

The story is told from the POV of Mr Stevens, English butler to Mr Farraday, his nouveau riche American master: I invite you to imagine Mr Stevens to be a ...more

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Apr 17, 2011 Sue rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites, library-book, kindle, britain, read-2015

I realize that there are thousands of reviews of this book on this site alone and it is unlikely that I can offer anything truly new. However I do want to review what, for me, is the high point of this novel...the amazing consistency of tone that Ishiguro maintains from beginning to the very last line. Stevens is perhaps the most internally consistent character I have ever read, which does not mean that he does not appear damaged on some level.

Without the author presenting any neutral back stor ...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Annet rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: literature-pure, history, very-british

Beautiful, beautiful book, wonderful writing, great story. I am now officially a fan of Ishiguro, a book so different from Never let me go, which was also an incredible story to me. This story however is very different but equally high quality, which in my opinion indicates the quality of the writer, able to put down totally different stories, both intriguing in their own way. It is beautiful in language, heartbreaking in storyline, gives a view of life in England in between wars and how politic ...more

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Dec 19, 2016 Robin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Robin by: Perry

Shelves: fiction, 2016, booker-prize-winner

A story of dignity, duty and missed opportunities. A portrait of a man's understated, confined, repressed heartbreak.

Stevens is an old fashioned English butler who takes his role so very seriously that the life of his master (Lord Darlington) comes first and foremost, and his own life passes by at a distant and distinct second. At the twilight of his career, he takes an unprecedented trip through the countryside to visit with Miss Kenton, the former housekeeper at Darlington Hall. During his jou ...more

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Oct 26, 2016 Edward rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, man-booker-winners, literary-fiction, 2016

The Remains of the Day examines the question of what it means to have led a good life. The protagonist, Mr Stevens, seeks for himself only to carry out his profession with the utmost dedication and care. But at the end of a career the products must be examined, as must the costs. Can a life lived so earnestly and so well, also be a wasted life?

In this book, Ishiguro has found a charming and compelling voice in Mr Stephens. Through the facade of his professional manner, the reader is allowed glim ...more

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Apr 12, 2017 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books, 2017-reads

“What is the point of worrying oneself too much about what one could or could not have done to control the course one's life took? Surely it is enough that the likes of you and I at least try to make our small contribution count for something true and worthy. And if some of us are prepared to sacrifice much in life in order to pursue such aspirations, surely that in itself, whatever the outcome, cause for pride and contentment.”

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About Kazuo Ishiguro

Kazuo Ishiguro (カズオ・イシグロ or 石黒一雄) is a British novelist of Japanese origin. His family moved to England in 1960. Ishiguro obtained his Bachelor's degree from the University of Kent in 1978 and his Master's from the University of East Anglia's creative writing course in 1980. He became a British citizen in 1982. He now lives in London.

His first novel, A Pale View of Hills, won the 1982 Winifred Ho ...more

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