Haven't read yet

Thanks to Sarah-Melbourne for sending me this...I'm looking forward to reading it. (If I can take time away from chasing the dogs around the yard!)

A charming novel. This story follows an ageing butler who is taking a motoring trip through England. Occassionally it was a bit too "English" for me but all in all it was touching. I felt great pity for Mr. Stevens who seemed to have given over his life for his post as a bulter in a "distinquished house." This book was first published in 1989 but I had no trouble believing that this was the journal of a man who was in his prime in the 1920-30's. I felt the class system and culture of the times was very well revealed in the attitude of the characters.

Released on Monday, July 07, 2003 at To another BookCrosser in Springfield, Missouri USA.

I gave this to another Bookcrosser who will probably geocache it. Check out
http://www.geocaching.com

This is one of a couple that I recieved from alrescate. I decided to hold on to this one and bring it to Kansas City with me. Hopefully I will have a chance to read this one soon!

Got this from BCer McKenny to pass on as I choose.

Just got this in the mail today from rslicer! Thanks so much, and it has been added to my TBR list....I'll get to it soon I hope.

(Warning, I discuss the ending, and that's really what this book is about! It'd be like finding out the end of "The Sixth Sense" before having seen it. So, if you might want to read it - and you should, since it's a very good book, don't read all of my discussion here first! You can read the first paragraph, but not the second... I mean it!) This book was different from what I expected - knowing nothing about the author beforehand, I didn't quite expect a novel about a British butler. Nonetheless, Ishiguro develops this character tremendously well, and I was impressed how well his butler seemed to fulfill my notions of the great English butlers of the past. It's worth a read, and the ending is definitely worth the pages of wandering recollections on the part of the main character, Mr. Stevens. As this British butler goes on a motoring trip to visit an old colleague and friend, we are told of his memories of the glory days of Darlington Hall, when even he played some small part in the international proceedings that occurred there. But time changes everything, and he realizes that things aren't always as they seem.

This book is deeply moving, and makes one consider his or her own life. Have we done anything worthy of remembering; have we made our own mistakes? I was also utterly struck by Mr. Stevens behavior upon the death of his father, and of the leaving of Miss Kenton. Stevens clearly takes his professionalism into account, and he assumes that means an unwavering trust, and a forfeiture of personal emotions. To him, the household is above all, and I can only imagine how devastating it is to finally realize that it wasn't the bastion of international peace and goodwill he thought it to be. To spend your whole life, forsaking all else, for the good of a house that has misplaced its efforts - it's tragic, and yet all is not lost. Ishiguro ends the book on a more hopeful note; "the evening's the best part of the day," and he is filled with renewed enthusiasm for his life with his new employer.

Really, a good book. Read it.

I mailed this off via PaperBackSwap.com. Time for a new owner!