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The Remains of the Day,
by Kazuo Ishiguro.
The Booker prize winning novel by the Japanese born British novelist was published in 1989 and is a contemporary masterpiece.
The story is narrated by Stevens, an English butler who has dedicated his life to serving at Darlington Hall, a fictional stately home. The novel is set in 1956, a time when Stevens reflects on his past while embarking on a road trip to visit a former colleague, Miss Kenton.
As Stevens travels, he reminisces about his years of service, particularly under Lord Darlington, whose controversial political decisions during the interwar period weigh heavily on Stevens’s conscience. The narrative delves into themes of duty, dignity, and the complexities of personal sacrifice. Stevens’s unwavering commitment to professionalism often leads him to suppress his emotions and desires, raising questions about the nature of loyalty and the cost of a life devoted to service.
The novel is notable for its exploration of memory and regret, as Stevens grapples with missed opportunities and the realization that his dedication to duty may have come at the expense of personal happiness. Ishiguro’s writing is characterized by its subtlety and depth, allowing readers to engage with Stevens’s internal struggles and the broader social changes occurring in post-World War II England.
The novel has been made into a film featuring Sir Anthony Hopkins as Stevens.
Kazuo Ishiguro was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2017.
