The Remains of the Day

Written By Dale Mahfood

Listening to The New York Times Book Review podcast, I became intrigued with Kazuo Ishiguro's novel, The Remains of the Day. After reading it, I'm impressed with Ishiguro's ability to infer mountains while telling a seemingly mundane story--the life of an English butler. In the most respectful, backhanded way, he shows the absurdity of the English upper class while at the same time revealing the inner thoughts of a man who is deceived about the importance of his life's work.

If you enjoy subtle, lingering literary pieces, this one's for you. I look forward to rereading it in the future, and I plan on checking out some of Ishiguro's other novels.

Dale Mahfood

Dale Mahfood was born in Kingston, Jamaica, to parents whose roots run deep into the island’s past. He has lived in London, England, and up and down the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, from New England to Florida, where he earned a master’s degree in English Education from Florida International University. All these experiences, together with a career in education, have developed his passion for writing about diverse peoples and places. Dale is a co-founder of the Jamaica Brew Festival, a literary and film festival in South Florida, where he also served as the Literary Program Coordinator for 2024 and 2025. He is currently working on Up From Mountains, Book Two of the Wood and Water Saga series. Dale lives in South Florida with his wife, Janet.

https://www.dalemahfood.com/
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