The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.25 You Save: $8.75 (58%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of The Remains of the Day
Book Review: Takes you to the open spaces of the soul
Summary: 5 Stars
When I was a kid, I read a children's author talking about writing, and he was up to the usual "it's not what you say but how you say it" thing that many people bring up when talking about great writing. What he said was the blunt truth - that in many of the world's greates novels, almost nothing happens. Reading this book made me remember this, as it exemplifies good writing as being about the presentation not just plot. And very little happens in terms of storyline.
The story is about an old British butler, at the twilight of his career. After having worked for a very distinguished lord who was disgraced after his death, the estate has been taken over by an American, who represents a newer, less formal, less butler-y world. The book is essentially the buttle-narrator reminiscing about his life while he takes a short road-trip for several reasons, one of which being to visit a woman who he used to work with when his original employer was still around.
The book lovingly mocks the classed and rigid stereotype of "proper" British society. This is the pre-WWII world that the narrator has lived in and reminisces about. However, during this trip he comes to realise that his life, employer, ethos, calling, professional sense of duty and outlook on life have not been completely fabulous - actually, they have left him a lonely old man who has missed many opportunities to be much happier than he currently is. Obviously, this has much to do with the woman he intends to visit in his trip.
The narration is what makes this such a great read (you can easily read it in a day) - Ishiguro really gets you inside the butler, thinking like him and appreciating and yet being infuriated at his sense of his own place as a butler and person. Unlike many other books which discuss the notion of sacrifice and professional duty and cultures where some are almost expected to give up on the personal, this one does it not in an angry way but in a subtle one, which will truly shake you to the bone if you can relate to the man who was (at least partially) blinded to truth and happiness by professional duty. This makes it an important book. But it's also funny and a great read all round!
Book Review: Hyacinth Buckets (Bouquet) Perfect Butler
Summary: 5 Stars
What does it mean when he denies himself to strangers and tries to pretend to be better than he is? Stevens is quite spineless, preferring external appearances (Giffen wax, being at the hub) to actual substance (being honest and honorable). He doesn't protest his employer's dismissal of the Jewish servants. He pretends that he is of the upper class at the Taylor's. The father stood up for the General, whom he didn't even like; while his son, Stevens (who liked his employer) denied that he had ever worked for Lord Darlington.What does it mean when he forsakes all emotionality? His reaction to the death of his father, to the tears of Miss Kenton, and the inability "to banter" betray an inner misanthropic self devoid of compassion. He prefers ideas of perfection (honor, dignity and greatness) to gentleness and compassion. He prefers serving a great man (in outward appearances), rather than being a great man (in his own small way - he could be more compassionate and forgiving, thus becoming a great man himself). This is reflected in the metaphor of the fake pillar. A pillar supports (like a butler supports a great man), but this pillar was fake, created for outward appearance only to imitate a way of life that is no more. He has chosen to live vicariously through his employer and has contented himself with the fantasy that he has actually had a positive impact on the course of human events.
How many times in our lives do we act like Stevens? How many times do we try to act better than we are? What kind of illusions do we carry around with ourselves about honor, dignity and greatness? How many times on our jobs do we rationalize behaviors that "may be trivial in themselves" and turn a blind eye to "their larger significance"? How many times do we discount the feelings of other people? This is a heartbreaking story about making your own mistakes in life (and learning from them), rather than leaving the responsibility for your life to someone else. As Mr. Stevens learns, trying to correct the mistakes of the past or trying to make up for lost time is impossible. So many regrets, I cried too.
Book Review: The Remains of the Day
Summary: 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed Ishiguro's more recent novel, Never Let Me Go, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize (The Remains of the Day won it in 1989). It was one of the few audiobooks I've ever listened to, and I think it was one of the few books I could really enjoy in that format. It has very simple prose and was easy to follow along with in the car.
The Remains of the Day is written in simple, deceptively straightforward prose. Ishiguro packs a punch into this short, easy to read narrative (much like Hilary Mantel did in Fludd- if you liked that book, I think you'll enjoy this one). Stevens, the narrator, is every bit the "stiff upper lipped" English butler that one would expect. His evolution, from the first page of the book to the last one, is so subtle, and yet so transformative, that one can only marvel that it happened at all and try to pinpoint when his thinking changed.
Stevens is not a very likable character. Most of the characters in the book are not. He is so repressed and so emotionally unavailable that it is almost funny. There are priceless moments when he tries to make a witticism, fails, and then spends a great deal of time analyzing why his joke went flat, and then commenting on the difficulties of "bantering" with another person. Sad and painful for him, I'm sure, but so fascinating. What would it be like to go through life so completely unable to connect with anyone? One of the saddest passages of the book to me took place in Stevens' butler's pantry, when the housekeeper comes inside to see what sort of book he is reading and he is very upset that she sees him reading a romance. The man's loneliness tears through every page.
Ishiguro's writing style is neat and unsentimental. He brilliantly writes from the point of view of a repressed old man. And the simple, unassuming redemption that occurs at the end... wonderful.
The Remains of the Day reminds me of Fludd in the starkness of its prose and its sense of satisfaction one gets at the end. I would highly recommend both books to anyone with an interest in 1950s England.
Book Review: A reminder of the dangers of rationalizing away one's feelings
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this book. I read one of Ishiguro's other novels, Never Let me Go, and I liked it. But I don't know if I loved it. The story was compelling, and very original, but I don't know how much I identified with the main character.
The Remains of the Day is a different story. The protagonist Mr. Stevens is the epitome of the professional butler- always prepared, composed, diligent, loyal. And he possesses the combination of dedication to and pride of his profession that he fondly refers to as dignity. The book places you as the reader of about a week's worth of entries in his journal which follow him on a sort of professional-errand-turned-cathartic-journey through the country. At first, I formed a deep respect for Mr. Stevens, and was completely taken by his deep expertise, superhuman work ethic, and rational mindset. Not to mention his charming manners.
However, there are subtle hints that he is not being wholly honest in conveying his thoughts and feelings. Not that he intends to deceive the reader; his dishonesty is completely internal, rooted in his tendency to rationalize and suppress all traces of emotions and doubts which would be detrimental to his profession. This becomes evident only because he recounts faithfully his dialogues with others. They are charged with emotions and intentions which go completely ignored by his explanations. At some points, he had me cringing with sympathy. But we must at least give him credit for not altering the dialogue in any conscious way.
As the journey progresses, the fresh air, kind strangers, and beautiful landscapes allow him to become more honest with himself-- to, for once in too long a while, put aside his profession to remember his humanity. It's a somewhat relieving development. However, it reveals the somewhat tragic reality of a life spent in total, blind dedication to one's work. He finally allows this reality to come crashing down on him at the end of his trip. Fortunately though, the book ends with some hope as he regains his composure and a renewed motivation for his profession.
Book Review: Do not try to hide from yourself: Carpe diem
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the very best books I have read and as many good books it can be read on many levels. I find it to be the easiest book he have written. It is also made into a very good movie, with fabulous actors and brilliant acting, a great achievement that has its own value and own identity as one interpretation of the book. One of Ishiguros main messages is that if you will you can change your life. But sometimes it is already to late, you had a chance and you didn't grasp it, and you are stuck with the consequences. He also tries to get us to see that if you choose to be a loyal part of something bigger, a corporation, a business, even a household, you will still be responsible for whatever is done in the name of that entity. You can of course pretend you do not know that your boss is cooperating with people who are bigots and nazis. You can pretend it does not concern you, because you are just doing your job. Like some people in Germany closed their eyes to the concentration camps and some Japanese closed their eyes to the atrocities done in the name of a god (their emperor) and like other people later have done towards the treatment of indians in south America etc. etc. If you choose to get close to the center of history you may well be burned. Ishiguro once said in a interview that "one uses memory for ones own purpose, one's own ends" and that is why he writes in the first person form, to be able to follow somebody's thoughts around," as they trip themself up or try to hide from themself".
The remains of the day is Ishiguros way of telling us to live to day and to grasp love when and if you find it and not to wait until you are old. Carpe diem is one of his obvious messages in the book. The remains of the day won the Booker price and it deserved it and he also (to use soccer terminology) made a hat trick with it. Both his two first books won prices, with A Pale View of the Hills he won The Royal Societies of Literature's Winifred prize and An Artist of the Floating World he won the Whitbread prize.