The Remains of the Day

The Remains Of The Day is fabulous. Kazuo Ishiguro expressed himself in unparalleled terms the complexities of human behaviour and the richness, dynamics and interdependence of society. His words have a rhythm, and sentences form certainty and power. Once you start reading you are elevated into a world of meanings and purposes of human life through diverse emotions and actions. I compare it with the Iliad, Odessey or the Bible. An everlasting fiction of human culture and living. Prof Varghese V Devasia.

A hilarious novel on the surface, delving deep into some of life's serious issues. The entire book is a flashback of the life of the main character Mr Stevens, his relationship with his previous employer and colleagues and his father. Embarking on a journey to meet one of his former colleagues, who held a special place in his heart though he had suppressed his feelings and loses the opportunity, Mr Stevens reflects on several incidents ,some trivial and a few quite significant that were the 'turning points' in his life. The best thing about the book is that grave, serious and important matters like professional ethics, commitment, dedication and dignity are dealt in an interesting manner. This book is a perfect mood elevator providing many a situations of full throttled laughter and yet profound in giving us an insight into our own lives. The main attraction of this book is its language and its message. A message that is true for everyone of us when we regret on hindsight for lack of foresight.

The short description of the book says the story is about a motoring journey by the butler, as he reminisces and journeys into his past. It's probably the worst, most bland description of the book and does no justice to the actual story. The book is a person's journey of denial to actions borne out of baseless principles. So many of us often develop some strong point of view on certain matters, and rationalize our actions to that end, even when we *know* they are wrong. The author brings that out beautifully. The butler is shown to have a strong degree of perception on the environment around him, and cannot bring himself to "do the right thing". The book is an ode to the struggle that each of us face in breaking off the shackles of misguided yet deep rooted principles. The book ends well, with a glimmer of optimism, stressing that it's never too late to let go, and be hopeful that whatever remains of the day, will be good

great meditation on dignity, missed chances in life and regret. Great read if you are transitioning back from reading too much non fiction to starting fiction again.

रस निष्पत्ति - शृंगार🥰, शांत😇 (in readers) भाव निर्मिति - शोक😔, रति🥰( in characters) They are absolutely right when they say Work is worship. Or for someone like me whose work encompasses a tradition which is worship of Lord in real sense, thru art, as my art is commanded by devotion But then where does the problem begin. Well when you unknowingly cross the line from Respect to blind Obedience or when devotion is underlined with subservience Yes then the problem starts In the summer of 1956, Mr Stevens, chief of staff at Darlington Hall, is set for a motoring trip. On this trip he also plans to visit Miss Kenton, a housekeeper who left the house 20 years ago to get married. Miss Kenton whose marriage is falling apart, writes letter to inform the same to Steven. Restrained feelings of last four decades are flickering with renewed hopes Stevens commitment towards his house, challenges him at every step. The idea of submission has been minutely ingrained in him, thru' his father. Both of them who cudn’t separate professional life from personal. His notion to prove that his commitment towards his Lord & his desire to be the best Butler, even leads to abstention of feelings towards his father & Miss Kenton This chance solo trip gives him an opportunity to reassess his life "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 lorship's wisdom......what dignity is there in that" This book is a great yet subtle study into the class difference of England of that era, with humor slaying the old age traditions of servitude Author's writing comes across as very simple but the deeper you go you would be amazed by the layering & complexity. He uses his tools of story telling perfectly creating a narrative out of a place where you would actually think no story exists Open ended plots, beginning & ending entices & challenges the reader in you

“Indeed — why should I not admit it? — in that moment, my heart was breaking.” The Remains of the Day is a story of a butler Stevens who takes a few days off to travel the countryside and meet an old friend and how this journey takes him into the past. Ishiguro weaves a tale, that is beautiful and subtle. What initially is rose tinted nostalgia turns into life that is filled with regret, things that are left unsaid and hearts that are broken. Stevens felt too real, his character reminded me of Carson from Downton Abbey with all his stoic charm. Funny in places and sad in others, the book is a delight, it's a story where nothing really happens, but somehow, a lot does. Truly moving and wonderfully written.

"𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲" tells the story of an English butler named Stevens, who spent his whole life hiding his emotions and choosing duty over love and life. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘀’ 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻; 𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁, 𝘀𝗼 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵. It is a heart-touching story about a man who realizes the pain of his missed opportunities and lost love only in the "evening of his life." 𝐀 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥…🔥🔥🔥 The book uses a formal, Victorian-style English, which can be a bit difficult to read. Ishiguro uses this style not just to show the discipline of a butler, but also to bring out the dignity and elegance of that era. While the story is excellent, the paper quality could have been better. After reading, you must watch the 1993 movie, "The Remains of the Day." Anthony Hopkins gives a brilliant performance that does complete justice to the character of Stevens.

Such an easy read, but so deep and sometimes thought provoking. Instantly an vividly brings forth the images of the words he writes. Truly a Nobel Prize worthy author.

But I was surprised to find a thought provoking, heartwarming tale about the ins and outs of a butler’s duties, circumstances and misfortunes. I say the latter not implying a sad story, but rather a real one, one that showcases the consequences of a person’s choices, albeit not all of them consciously made.

Questo libro, secondo me, da ragione almeno in parte del Nobel dato a Kazuo Ishiguro. Il libro è un affresco dei tempi della decadenza della nobiltà inglese e conseguentemente del relativo personale di servizio. Al contempo, però, è la storia di un amore mancato e immolato sull'altare della "dignità" professionale. L'autore scrive in un inglese semplicemente perfetto e che si gode dalla prima all'ultima pagina, anzi si impara parecchio da lui. Ovviamente il testo è scritto da un autore inglese, ma di origine giapponese e la base culturale orientale fa capolino qua e là. Bisogna essere interessati alla scrittura e all'alta letteratura per apprezzare appieno questo libro, ma si è ricompensati con una storia molto particolare e con caratteri delineati alla perfezione. Naturalmente, non è una storia di pronta fruizione e occorre pazienza e interesse per apprezzare le sottilissime nuance della scrittura di Ishiguro.

The book was delivered very fast! Got here in 1 day and in perfect condition.

Among Ishiguro's best-known novels are: A Pale View of Hills (1982), An Artist of the Floating World (1986), The Remains of the Day (1989), The Unconsoled (1995), When We Were Orphans (2000), Never Let Me Go (2005), The Buried Giant (2015), and Klara and the Sun (2021). His most popular book is The Remains of the Day. It won the Booker Prize in 1989 and is widely regarded as one of the greatest English-language novels of the twentieth century. Kazuo Ishiguro received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017. The Swedish Academy awarded Ishiguro the Nobel Prize: "Who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world." The Academy also observed that his novels blend realism with fantasy; his narrators often conceal truths even from themselves; memory is unreliable; people construct comforting stories to survive emotionally; and beneath ordinary lives lie profound moral and emotional questions. The committee also praised his remarkable ability to reveal hidden emotional worlds through restrained, elegant prose.

A classic!