The Remains of the Day : (Movie Tie-In Edition)

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Summary: Read this before you watch the movie
Review: 'The remains of the day' is the booker prize winner in 1989 and was made into movie in 1993 which was mominated for Academy Award. I recomend the reader read the novel before watch the movie since literature and movie are two different media. The novel is more in sight to Steven's life and the narration is beautifully written. I think it is a good material for practising English reading and writting (English is not my first language). The charactor of Steven is a reflect of an obstinate servant that is one of the charactors of Japanese in the past. It is partly because Ishiguro is a Japanese British, in his works we can find both British and Japanese style, the remains of the day is the Britsh one. This story is migically expressed the chemistry between Mr. Steven and Miss Kenton. They never say 'I llove you' to each other, but they know it in their hearts. I am impressed in the passage Kenton told Steven she is going to get marry, Steven did not say anything except blessing to Kenton's wedding. I think if Ishiguro made Steven told Kenton how he love her or he did not want her go, it would ruin the whole story, all the tension is lost. Of course Ishiguro did not do so, instead he let the string extend and grasp the hearts of the readers. One more thing, reading once is not enough, read it quickly first, then read it slowly after. You will find the fansinating part.

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Summary: local character
Review: The most surprising thing about this book may well be how easily it reads. The 245 pages (or so) seem to fly by and only when you've finished do you (or did I) realize what had passed. The book is somewhat subtle like its main character, but never hides its intentions. While the title character struggles through what he believes to be questions of his occupation, he indeeds, in my opinion, touches on many subjects that are more universal. What is dignity? What is honor? What is that intrinsic quality to which we refer to as character? Through these engaging questions the reader is revealed a quickly changing world and the casualties it takes in its realm. Without giving away much more, I entreat any readers pleased by local "character" and interested in the qualities that not only make us human, but make us good, to read The Remains of the Day for further enjoyment

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Summary: Are we slaves to our professions?
Review: _The Remains of the Day_ by Kazuo Ishiguro raises an interseting qustion regarding the nature of our professional lives. The main character is the perfect English butler. He has dedicated himself to his life's work, but he does not take time to enjoy life himself. He comes across more as a slave than a master of his profession. The book is very well written and more fascinating than the movie despite Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. It reads fairly quickly

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Summary: A BOOK THAT'S WORTH A SLOW (?) READ
Review: I'm glad that I took a review at the back of the book "If you have only one book to read this year, make it this one." seriously. This wonderfully written book has to be savoured slowly. Please do not rush through it as it should never be treated as a bestseller. The poetic prose makes it a hauntingly beautiful read. Not to be missed. Try Ishiguro's other books such as A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World. You will not be disappointed

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Summary: The Remains of the Day is a splendid, old-fashioned book.
Review: If you haven't read Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, I think you should seriously think about picking it up. Kazuo Ishiguro takes you into the mind of his hero, Stevens, who is the butler of Darlington Hall. The movie adaptation of this book is good but not nearly as good as the book. Ishiguro's style of writing is reminiscent of such great writers as Leo Tolstoy and Guy DeMaupassant.

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Summary: Prisoners of our own personality
Review: Most writers are taught to tell stories about characters who change. This book is the most beautiful and heartbreaking story of a character who cannot change. Ishigura brings us deep into the heart of a man, a butler, who is tragically set in his ways to the point that he forsakes both family and true love. It leaves us begging the question about ourselves: What faults in our characters cause us to overlook happiness and responsibility in our lives

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Summary: A Perfect English Butler lacks a true sense of pathos.
Review: After reading the reviews here and seeing the movie, I bought the book with a great sense of anticipation. The plot: a review of the life of a perfect English butler who has the twilight of his years to look forward to. Perhaps the movie gave too much away, but I did not find the book amongst the more engrossing that I have read. The last five pages are the only ones where I got a sense of the pathos of the character. Read "The Postman" instead and see what I mean.

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Summary: An English butler's story, unexpectedly beautiful.
Review: The Remains of the Day is perhaps the most finely crafted novels I've read. Ishiguro's unwavering control of tone makes his characters so real that the heartbreaking lonliness you feel when reading the book is your own. Subtle, understated, and brilliant - the movie, while good, can't do justice to the excellent prose.

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Summary: A monologue, highly professional by an English butler.
Review: A very experienced and proud butler sets out for holiday in British West country. He has a hidden purpose for it, that is, to see a woman, now married and once worked with him at a country house where he still works. During the days of drive to see her he appreciates English beauty, cherishes English humor which he has some difficulty to catch up with, and recalls the days that he worked with her even in some very crucial moment for the world politics. He meets her at last only to know that she lives in reality, while he has had a dream for the past several days. And he recognizes what he, as well as she, has now is some years to come at the last stage of life, namely the remains of the day.

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Summary: The best, yet most painful novel I've ever read......
Review: "Remains of the Day" is the bittersweet tale of a man who placed perfectionist professionalism above his personal desires, living to regret it.... a bittersweet and painful love story. Ishiguro takes the reader into the narrator's conscious thoughts, leaving the unmentioned unconscious emotions as a subtle, yet powerful aftertaste....although love, desire, and loss are never mentioned outright, the final product leaves the reader feeling the lonely emptyness Steven's feels, but never admits, even to himself.