This book was not at all what I expected. I was expecting a tale of the Orient and instead got a tale of England. Though it was well written, I just couldn't really get into it. I liked it well enough, but the story line was a little too stodgy for me. Ishiguro captures the tone of an English butler perfectly, however. Stevens was exactly how I pictured a butler would be; right down to his lecture on dignity and his inability to allow his heart to override his own dignity. I felt sad at the end for both Stevens and Miss Kenton. Anyway, it was a fairly good read and I will probably read more of Ishiguro if I happen upon it.

ANNOTATION
A profoundly compelling portrait of the 'perfect' English butler and of his fading, insular world. In the summer of 1956, Stevens, the aging butler of Darlington Hall, sets out on a motoring trip to England's West Country. En route through the radiant landscape he thinks back to the heyday of Darlington Hall -- now owned by a wealthy American -- when the house had a full staff of servants and Lord Darlington's influential guests discussed the great matters of the day in the rooms and grounds. For Stevens, Darlington represented the perfect gentleman, anxious to heal the wounds of WWI and using his power to improve relations with a ravaged Germany. Gradually Stevens lets slip how this idealism became tainted by history, how Darlington's meetings with Hitler's foreign minister, made him an unwitting pawn in the Nazis' rise to power.
Additionally, he has a strained relationship with the housekeeper, Miss Kenton.

RELEASE NOTES:

Gave this one to my father-in-law to pass on to my dear cousin by marriage whom I just found out was an avid reader and has a whole network of readers who all share books. Happy reading!

This one is back in my possession. My father-in-law never passed it on and my cousin still hasn't read all the books that I gave her four years ago. So I rescued it from the cupboard and will pass it on (again) shortly.

Reserved for the 1001 Books VBB at www.bookobsessed.com.

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing to sudokugirl as part of the 1001 books VBB hosted at www.bookobsessed.com<A/.

This was delivered to my doorstep a few minutes ago :) Thank you, arugh48187, I'm looking forward to reading this.

Absolutely wonderful. Took it on a trip with me and was completely taken in by the story, like every time I read one of Ishiguro's books.

Making this available now, hopefully its next reader will appreciate it as much as I did.