The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
The novel is a poignant tale of an English butler, Stevens, who reflects on his life and career during a road trip through the English countryside. As he delves into his past, he reveals his unquestioning loyalty to his former employer, Lord Darlington, and his unexpressed love for the housekeeper, Miss Kenton. The narrative explores themes of dignity, duty, and regret, as Stevens comes to terms with his unquestioning devotion to his employer and the missed opportunities in his personal life.
The 204th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1520
This book was first published in 1989
40 Lists
- score: 144 -- The 100 Best Books from 1900 to the Present - 2024 (Weight: 190)
- score: 140 -- The 100 Best Novels Of All Time In English - 2026 (Weight: 160)
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- score: 131 -- The 50 best books of the past 100 years - 2022 (Weight: 167)
- score: 112 -- The 100 Greatest British Novels - 2015 (Weight: 160)
- score: 104 -- 100 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2020 (Weight: 142)
- score: 98 -- The Great Books Podcast from John J. Miller - 2025 (Weight: 120)
- score: 90 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 180)
- score: 77 -- Harenberg Buch der 1000 Bücher - 2005 (Weight: 160)
- score: 77 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 140)
- score: 66 -- TrueLit's Top 100 Favorite Books (2023) - 2023 (Weight: 80)
- score: 56 -- Top 10 British, Irish or Commonwealth Novels from 1980 to 2005 - 2006 (Weight: 120)
- score: 55 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 100)
- score: 40 -- R/ClassicLiterature's Top 100 Favorite Books - 2026 (Weight: 50)
- score: 38 -- 100 Novels That Shaped Our World - 2019 (Weight: 54)
- score: 32 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 89)
- score: 22 -- 50 Memorable Books from 50 Years of Books to Remember - 2005 (Weight: 46)
- score: 16 -- NY Times Editors Choice 1980-1989 - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 79)
- score: 16 -- In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels - 2011 (Weight: 30)
- score: 13 -- Waterstone's Books of the Century - 1997 (Weight: 40)
- score: 10 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 20)
- score: 8 -- Readers’ Top 100 Novels Of All Time - 2026 (Weight: 10)
- score: 7 -- T. C. Boyle's Book Choices from "The Writer's Library" - 2020 (Weight: 10)
- score: 5 -- Nancy Pearl's 100 Good Reads, Decade by Decade - 2009 (Weight: 10)
- score: 1 -- Booker Prize - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 7)
- score: 1 -- 125 Books We Love for Adults - 2020 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Edmonton's Top 100 - 1998 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 500 Must Read Books - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 70 Classic Booker Prize-Nominated Novels, Recommended by our Readers - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The New Classics - 100 Best Reads from 1983 to 2008 - 2008 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The new modern classics — the nation’s favourite 20th century novels - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Entertainment Weekly's Top 100 Novels - 2013 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- Best Books Ever - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- 501 Must-Read Books - 2006 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- PEOPLE Picks the Best Books From the 1980s - 2024 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The Big Jubilee Read - 2022 (Weight: 1)
- score: 1 -- The 100 Best Books in the World - 2021 (Weight: 1)