by Kazuo Ishiguro
This is a great, great book about life, told by an english butler at the beginning of the last century. His name is Stevens, and he is highly dedicated to his job, or his calling as a butler. He sees great pride, and dignity in his work - serving other people. It is sometimes scary how he undermines himself, thinking other people, socially above him, deserve his respect. I can imagine that butlers had to act a certain way, and of course be loyal to their Master, but to really believe and support this heirarchy, and to mantain and enforce this ideology? It was really interesting to read a book from this butler's point of view. He talked a great deal about dignity. This is something one cannot describe - it is embedded in all of one's actions.
He lead a lonely life, distancing everyone around him, allways aiming at being a professional. Didn't dare come to close to anyone. He aimed at becoming a first class butler, taking after butlers in stories he heard. Never once realising they were humans capable of making mistakes. His role models were almost fictional, myths, and he strived to be just like them.
The prose is fantastic, the plot too. Stevens has embarked on a road trip whilst his new american employer is out of town. Stevens' life is recaptured through his reminiscences of life past. The trip has a destination, but it becomes all to clear that the road leads not only there, but into the mind of Stevens, and that maybe he'll find some new truths along the way.
This is a great, great book about life, told by an english butler at the beginning of the last century. His name is Stevens, and he is highly dedicated to his job, or his calling as a butler. He sees great pride, and dignity in his work - serving other people. It is sometimes scary how he undermines himself, thinking other people, socially above him, deserve his respect. I can imagine that butlers had to act a certain way, and of course be loyal to their Master, but to really believe and support this heirarchy, and to mantain and enforce this ideology? It was really interesting to read a book from this butler's point of view. He talked a great deal about dignity. This is something one cannot describe - it is embedded in all of one's actions.
He lead a lonely life, distancing everyone around him, allways aiming at being a professional. Didn't dare come to close to anyone. He aimed at becoming a first class butler, taking after butlers in stories he heard. Never once realising they were humans capable of making mistakes. His role models were almost fictional, myths, and he strived to be just like them.
The prose is fantastic, the plot too. Stevens has embarked on a road trip whilst his new american employer is out of town. Stevens' life is recaptured through his reminiscences of life past. The trip has a destination, but it becomes all to clear that the road leads not only there, but into the mind of Stevens, and that maybe he'll find some new truths along the way.
1 comment:
I've always wanted to read this and your review may have pushed me to look a little harder for this one next time I'm at the used bookshop.
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