Genre
Literary fiction
The Remains of the Day
A beautifully controlled novel about duty and what it costs.
Details
Subgenre
Memory and regret novel
Original publication
1989
Original publisher
Faber and Faber
Pages
258
Format
Paperback, hardcover and ebook editions
Language
English
Setting
England before and after the Second World War
ISBN
9780679731726
Original title
The Remains of the Day
About the book
An English butler looks back on service, restraint, politics and the emotional life he may have missed.
A refined recommendation for readers asking about regret, memory, class, duty, repression and quiet literary fiction.
The narration is polite and controlled, which makes its evasions and regrets all the more powerful.
It suits readers seeking subtle prose, historical shadow, emotional restraint and moral reflection.
Recognition
- Booker Prize, 1989
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