What I’ve Been Reading: The Remains of the Day

I just finished up listening to The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.

When I checked this out at the on line library, I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting a lot. I just figured it would be boring. It’s the story of a butler and his life of service…but I was kind of intrigued too. I love Downton Abbey and thought it would be worth a try-after all, I could always just quit listening.

I’m going to tell you right up front that I loved the book. I didn’t expect to so that makes me love it even more. It wasn’t boring. It was interesting. For those historical fiction lovers out there this is a good one.

As I was listening I vaguely remembered that there was a movie by the same title and sure enough-I was right. I just went over and put it on my Netflix listing.

Anyway..back to the book…WONDERFUL.

Here’s what Amazon had to say about it, “The Remains of the Day is a profoundly compelling portrait of the perfect English butler and of his fading, insular world postwar England. At the end of his three decades of service at Darlington Hall, Stevens embarks on a country drive, during which he looks back over his career to reassure himself that he has served humanity by serving “a great gentleman.” But lurking in his memory are doubts about the true nature of Lord Darlington’s “greatness” and graver doubts about his own faith in the man he served.

A tragic, spiritual portrait of a perfect English butler and his reaction to his fading insular world in post-war England. A wonderful, wonderful book.”

Amazon readers say 4.5 stars…I am saying they are spot on. This is one of those books that I am sad to see it come to an end.