MY FAVOURITE BOOK | THE REMAINS OF THE DAY | KAZUO ISHIGURO
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- Опубликовано: 15 авг 2022
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In this video your host discusses his favourite book - The Remains of the Day by Sir Kazuo Ishiguro.
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If you have a question to pose The Chap's Guide, please send it to: ash@chapsguide.uk
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The Remains of the Day has been my favourite novel ever since I read it shortly after it came out in 1989. I describe it to people as a “perfect novel”. It never betrays itself with any word or action that the reader might find uncharacteristic. As you mention in your review, the dialogue is an exact representation of how people spoke during that era, a time when radio was the main form of entertainment and society was more literate. Modern conveniences are something to behold but they have come at a cost. I fear society has lost its sense of decorum and refinement. The Remains of the Day is a reminder of this.
Sincerely appreciate the review! Please feel free to recommend more reading material!
I can see a parallel between Stevens' stubbornness to maintain his dignity towards his employer, and Rolex AD staff's way of conduct towards customers who are not dressed up but dare to go near the store.
I have to think Rolex stores must be very different in the UK than here in the US. I have heard a couple of stories on this channel about Rolex dealers in the UK not serving customers who weren’t dressed “well”. I’ve gone into several different Rolex dealers here in the US dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and I’ve never had a problem, and the reps have on some occasions spent a long time allowing me to try on watches and talking to me about them. Maybe it’s my demeanor, or that I am already wearing a half way decent watch and so they know I’m not wasting their time. I’m not in any way doubting the comments of people here. I’m kind of interested to come to the UK and try a Rolex dealer there, to see what happens.
@@c-m2451
I think in America if you have the money to buy a Rolex I don’t think they give a ship about what you are wearing, they’ll happily sell you the watch.
It’s more important to make the sale in the US I think rather than place the importance on what the customer is wearing before they choose to sell you the watch.
They are less snooty/judgemental in America so long as you have the dough. I lived there for years and have found this to be true.
And after all, you can still be a gentlemen with taste and rock up in a T-shirt and jeans and have the bank balance to spend 12K of your disposable income in their shop.
Anyway if Floyd Mayweather (a total d*ck head) shows up in a UK Rolex store with 500k to spend on Rolex watches, are they going to kick him out? 🤣
No they’ll rollover on their values and sell him whatever he wants. Even their precious snobby values have a price 😏
Ash, I highly recommend the movie of the same name and based on the book. Superb performances by Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in the leading roles.
And also great performances from the supporting cast. Especially the late Christopher Reeve.
Oh yes, and this book was also filmed and a lot of it was shot in our neck of the woods in the South-West, wasn't it? Starring Anthony Hopkins, the late Christopher Reeve (just before the tragic accident that paralysed him, I think) James Fox (brother of Edward Fox from "Day of the Jackal" and the father of the heroic Laurence Fox) and then that batty woman Emma Thompson as well.😄
Good fiction contains more capital T truth about what it means to be human than non-fiction. If you're reading Ishiguro, you can safely say "that way I get learning and I get learning." Good fiction is much more than entertainment. The Remains of the Day is one of the finest novels I've read.
A wonderful book. And a wonderful film.
Just finished. Quick, easy read. Very clear, well-written. Thought-provoking. Thanks for your comments.
Sir, you are a great speaker. No umhs and pauses. Wish I am like that.
Thanks for sharing your favourite book with us. I'm always looking for great books, this one will definitely be added to my wishlist.
I love these ‘chap’s reading list’ videos, keep it up!
I’ve recently taken to smoking a cigar occasionally. I always try to educate myself on things that I enjoy and I can highly recommend a book called ‘Cigars:A Guide’ by Nicholas Foulkes for anybody interested in the topic. A very informative book.
Sounds like a good and powerful book. I'll be checking it out. Thanks for another great video.
Loved this one. Sounds like a great read.
Have never read the book but I really enjoyed the film and didn't know it was a Japanese author, but I have to say the Japanese character is similar to the British character so can understand how he can write such a British book. Must visit the local library and see what books they have by this author. Thanks Ash.
Good review. Ordering a copy now! Thanks for you do!
Thank you so much! It actually matches my question to you! I saw the movie. A very sad story.
Ahhh! One of my favorites aswell
Thanks just purchased. Was never on my radar before
If you want to relax in your oak lodge and have a good hearty laught I suggest the Jeeves books from P. G. Wodehouse. A real gentleman's humour.
Must confess that I haven’t read the novel, but I did see the film for the first time last year (I know, I know - where have I been?), and thoroughly enjoyed it, although I did find the back story with Stevens’ father heartbreaking……….
excellent .
I was fascinated by this review video. The reason I watch this video repeatedly is to learn English. Your conversations are full of high-level words and sentences with clear pronunciation. I wish there were more review videos about books and movies, or videos that reflect on our lives. As a learner of English as a second language, I have one question. What country's accent is your English pronunciation?
Wales sir. I am Welsh.
@TheChapsGuide Thank you for kind reply and nice video.
Please do more. Wonderful book review.
Great book, Ishiguro's masterpiece for sure, though he's written some duds like The Buried Giant. The movie goes beyond the book in many ways, and contains a wonderful performance by Christopher Reeve as Stevens' American employer as a young man. He really gives life to Ishiguro's dialogue. Hugh Grant is also hilarious in it.
I read the Buried Giant a few years ago - not one of his best and a real grind to get to the end. I fear that Ishiguro's work suffers in comparison to his masterpiece in The Remains of the Day. It must be really frustrating for him to try and achieve anything like that level again. Still, at least he hit the highs once in his career - the Nobel Prize and the knighthood must offer some solace to his woes.
Just finished Klara and the Sun. Overall I enjoyed it and feel he redeemed himself after Buried Giant with such a hopeful and generally accessible novel. Not in the same league as Remains of course, but Ishiguro proves he has some tricks up his sleeve to offer us still, hopefully.
If I could make a recommendation to Ishiguro himself I'd say stick with extremely reliable narrators like Stevens instead of the unreliable ones he's subjected audiences to for too long. Maybe he could write a sequel to Remains of the Day from Miss Kenton's point of view, or possibly Mr Benn's?
@@karlmatsumoto9281 I did enjoy Klara and the Sun, it was far better than some of his post-Remains work. The concept of AI and how we treat it as it becomes obsolete was very though provoking. It left me feeling I wanted to explore the theme further - which is all a good book should ever hope to achieve. He does jump wildly between his topics, which is his major challenge - history, future, he never seems to truly get in a groove.
This book reminds me of a line from the play/movie "The Madness of George III", when the King is asked if he regrets not having other women before marriage. He replies, "Life is not without its regrets, but also not without its consolations."
Lovely. And a good and full life experiences both.
I read this book some years ago and its excellent. Sometimes, and this is a good example, you can learn more about the past (in this case social history) than you can from text books. Just ordered a kindle copy to read again!
I’ve started reading this as my first book of 2023 and to stay true to my New Year’s resolution to read more this year. Thank you
Hope you enjoy it as much as I always have. Let me know what you think when you have finished it.
Hi Ash, I’ve just completed the book and I had a lump in my throat. So much of this resonates in a way I was not expecting it to. A fine book, and one I will always recommend. Thank you
It was (of course) made into a movie as well which grossed millions at the box office
Outstanding analysis. Thank you from Mauritius.
Glad you liked it!
This is the only book of his I have yet to read. Love his work.
Jealous of the order you did this in.
Loved the book , loved the movie. Fiction but very realistic. All men deserve to be free . To serve is great but not to these extremes.I have met butlers in my life and soms of them did not have a life of their own. Like the song by Matt Monro ~ Born free says Born free
And life is worth living
But only worth living
'Cause you're born free.
Another flawless video 🥃 thank you sir
It’s now next on my Audible list. Your observation of the descriptive dialogue and the fact Stevens is an English butler make me think of PG Woodhouse’ character Jeeves. Obviously the subject matter is a bit more lighthearted! Thanks!
His other books are also well worth reading and re-reading.
This is a great summary and I'll have to put the book on my 'To Read' list. Actually, I always applaud people who read the books behind movies. Since my name is Roger, I often introduce myself as "Roger, like the rabbit" because, well, everyone knows the movie 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. People get it and I always smile when I tell them that they get bonus points if they've read the book. (And nobody knows that there is a book behind the movie.)
Unfortunately he's not well known in Japan, although I'm glad to get to know the book. Thank you for introducing his book. I'll definitely read one of his works later on. I'll recommend Haruki Murakami, in return.
just read it after watching the movie, i don’t read very often at all but i was hooked. and it was so sad. it’s interesting to see how the book differs from the movie, for example he doesn’t break down in the movie. just a lovely story
I haven’t read the book but have seen the film several times, and as you say I have always ended up shouting at him on the TV to tell her he loves her.
What a great tale, Ash. I see some of Mr. Carson from Downton Abbey in your telling. Thankfully he had a sweeter ending than Mr. Steven's.
Ishiguro is one of my favorite authorial discoveries this year. I loved "Remains of the Day" and "Never Let Me Go" and now I just recently picked up "Artist of the Floating World". Ive yet to be let down by him so Ive high hopes.
Definitely do more videos like this if possible. Would love more book reviews!
The movie of this book was excellent.
Thank you Ash. Drove straight to my book store, purchased and read cover to cover. I am a expat Brit in New York for 45 years. Loved the book and I am a Chap! If you or your many viewers don’t mind I wanted to address to the word ‘integrity’ which is predominant in the book. Does this mean:
Loyalty
Honesty
Careful listening
Measured response
Careful interpretation
Being precise in everything
Pride
Fastidious in appearance
Sense of style
Immaculate manners
I think that most of these attributes are hard wired in most Brit’s that I know. I am a senior citizen now and I find myself disappointed to see how some of these rather important standards have evaporated. Thanks again Ash for a great read and I shall be looking for the movie version.
Peter
The movie is an exceptionally good adaptation of the book and allows an even greater understanding of the written work.
I have to agree with your thoughts - integrity is a quality fast disappearing in this modern world. It has been replaced with selfishness and a lower level of morality than seen in previous generations.
The book really brings this into focus. I am so very pleased you enjoyed it. I was returning from London on a train last week and noted a teenage girl was reading a copy in my carriage - I actually envied her journey of discovery with Stevens and Ms Kenton.
Good video, and a good novel. It’s so hard to have a favourite book - so many stand out for different reasons. Have been thinking about what my choice would be since I saw the video title and have already changed my mind half a dozen times!
What would be your choice?
@@TheChapsGuide right now, maybe Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Shirley’, or ‘The Diary of a Nobody’. Or ‘East of Eden’. Or something by Wodehouse - maybe ‘Leave it to Psmith’. Or even one of the brilliant Dorothy Sayers Wimsey novels - ‘the Nine Tailors’ probably.
It’s really tough!
A thought-provoking vid. One of the books that made my childhood was Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” in which his hero, Marlowe, famously recommends work and restraint as antidotes to barbarism - it’s clear that he thinks of the colonizers as nearly as barbarous as the colonized, and even more blameworthy because they should know better. If Marlowe had been in Stevens’ position, how would he have reacted? He possibly would have resigned reluctantly and joined the RAF.
And it sounds like there’s a bit of Henry James’ sensibility in this novel as well.
Would love to see/hear you interviewing authors and anybody else you like as a podcast. Is that something you'd be interested in, Ash?
Been thinking about a podcast for a while. Hard to fit it in at the moment though - time is tight, but it’s on the long-term planner.
@@TheChapsGuide Too busy writing that memoir I hope. 🙂
Ash they made a movie of this book and Sir Anthony Hopkins played Stevens. One of my favorite books is Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. If you haven't read this you should it's very good and it's not a very long read. One of my favorite authors is Bernard Cornwell he has a very descriptive writing technique and you do not want to put the book down. He's best known for the sharp series but one of my favorites by him is Gallows Thief. I also like to read all all types of poetry and ancient philosophers. And history. Cheers Ron
Noted under "to be read" and ordered.😁
I generally read a lot while commuting home (when I'm going *to* work I watch something, cue me watching this video) and before going to sleep... well if it's good rather more "instead of sleep"...
I tend to fluctuate between history (I got my version of *Iron Kingdom* by Sir Christopher Clark signed when he was doing a reading in Frankfurt, I mean when does one get to be in the presence of a knighted Pour le Merite holder🤩) mostly 19th and 20th century, Massie, Clark, Pyta, a ton of others, sometimes original sources (*Mein Kampf* should truly be regarded as badly written absurist parody if it where not what it *is* ...).
Genre-wise I tend to horror, or more properly "weird fiction" short stories, though I'm currently about to finish "A Memory of Light" by Jordan/Sanderson in my first return to long form genre fiction in a decade.
"The Remains of the Day" sound *very* interesting, especially in light of me always being suspicious of "historical fiction" because I have encountered some abysmally researched works that have been lazily transplanting modern morality onto an entirely different world and system of morality and norms, something that spoils historical fiction like rot spoils a fruit in summer and something that Ishiguro clearly seems to be avoiding as, as you state, this seems to be at the very core of the narrative.
So once more you pointed me to something interesting and potentially rewarding.
Thank you!
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Definitely going read this. Was the adaptation starring Sir Anthony any good?
Would love for you to share your favourite non-fiction book of all time.
Now that is a good idea.
The movie was an excellent adaption
Nice read Ash, What other books ate on your list and have you read the Alchemist?
Chris
Ever read All Creatures Great and Small, it's nice easy and humorous read.
15:52 IMHO the story breathes (both service & aristocratic) "Britishness", people devoted to a code of values including stoicism, service, discipline, duty and honour.
Also not unknown to other cultures, Japan for instance.
One of the most melancholic and depressing books and films I have ever read and seen! A grey window into a bygone British era of ascribed status and blind obedience to King and country but exceptionally well written. Not to be read when you're feeling down ! Mr. Stevens should have seized the day if only he had read Horace ! Life's too short for 'someday' .
Japanese is pronounded like it looks: KA-ZU-O I-SHI-GU-RO. Equal emphasis on all syllables.
His first name is pronounced ka-zu-oh. Please pronounce that last “o”.
A great book but a very depressing story.
A kazoo is a cheap musical instrument. KAZUO is a name. One you clearly cannot pronounce.
okay, I'm impressed you gave me love after that criticism.
Quite interesting. This video got me interested in reading the book. I think more videos like this could be enjoyable.