The Remains of the Day Audiobook By Kazuo Ishiguro cover art

The Remains of the Day

Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

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The Remains of the Day

By: Kazuo Ishiguro
Narrated by: Nicholas Guy Smith
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BOOKER PRIZE WINNER • From the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, here is “an intricate and dazzling novel” (The New York Times) about the perfect butler and his fading, insular world in post-World War II England.

This is Kazuo Ishiguro's profoundly compelling portrait of a butler named Stevens. Stevens, at the end of three decades of service at Darlington Hall, spending a day on a country drive, embarks as well on a journey through the past in an effort to reassure himself that he has served humanity by serving the "great gentleman," Lord Darlington. But lurking in his memory are doubts about the true nature of Lord Darlington's "greatness," and much graver doubts about the nature of his own life. Literary Fiction Unreliable Narrator Classics Thought-Provoking Historical Fiction Fiction Tearjerking Genre Fiction Heartfelt Funny Witty Suspenseful Inspiring

Critic reviews

WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE • WINNER OF THE BOOKER PRIZE • A PARADE BEST BOOK OF ALL TIME

“An intricate and dazzling novel.” —The New York Times

“Brilliant and quietly devastating.” —Newsweek

“A virtuoso performance ... put on with dazzling daring and aplomb.” —The New York Review of Books

“A perfect novel. I couldn’t put it down.” —Ann Beattie

“The novel rests firmly on the narrative sophistication and flawless control of tone ... of a most impressive novelist.” —Julian Barnes

Featured Article: It Was the Best of Scribes—The Best British Authors


With its esteemed history and bold contemporary scene, Britain lays claim to some of the most exciting literature in audio. With the hundreds of incredible British writers throughout the centuries, a person could devote their whole literary life solely to British authors and still never run out of amazing things to listen to. Whether you're an avid Anglophile or just want to discover the best English novelists for yourself, here’s a list of the best for you to choose from!

Featured Article It Was the Best of Scribes The Best British Authors
Poignant Storytelling • Layered Narrative • Thought-provoking Themes • Beautiful Prose • Excellent Accent Delivery

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A master of storytelling through memory, Ishiguro delivers the unique story of, "the art of butlering".
Worthy of multiple reads.

Amazing!!

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This story has been a favorite for years in it’s various interpretations - including Anthony Hopkins in the starring role in an excellent performance years ago. It’s been ages since I first read the book. However, Nicholas Guy Smith’s performance was superb in every way. Beautiful words spoken through a masterful performance.

Beautifully Done

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I had seen the movie adaptation when it first came out and liked it. That was decades ago. Of course, the two leads, Emma Thompson and Anthony Hopkins had a great deal to do with my enjoyment of the film. I never read the book and had forgotten about it. I was discussing memorable films and looking for a book to listen to as I went about my chores and in my dog walks when this came to mind. I was determined to stick with it because I found the opening chapter "slow to get out of the gate." I began to see the nuanced way in which the author set the stage for the story and the revelations to follow. I appreciated that. Of course, the pent ultimate scene in the tea room was evocative. In essence, the book is a late in life self-discovery by a man who was very set in his ways. if you love the English language when it is used in an apt manner and without artifice, you will enjoy this book. The writing is superb and well deserving of the awards the project received. The reader was excellent. One of the best I have heard on Audible. I really saw the characters as I listened to him voice their words. I fear this book is not for an American or a modern day audience or those who are attuned to the abrupt scenes of modern day visual entertainment as well as the current crop of what passes as "artistic contemplation of navel" books. Many readers, including professional readers, i.e. literary agents, give up on a book after the first few pages. In this case that would have been an egregious error. Well crafted book, that paints a full picture of the characters and the circumstances that shaped their lives.

Worth Sticking with After A Slow Opening

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The narration for this story is dead-on perfect and I can't imagine a better experience for an audible book. This narration was perfectly paced for this rather slow story. I tend to read too fast, and can honestly say this audible book improved my experience. The story itself is somehow covers a lot of ground and is very thoughtful. Highly recommend.

Thoughtful story, perfectly narrated

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I chose to listen to The Remains if the Day after seeing it recommended on Mark Manson’s blog. Nicholas Guy Smith was a wonderful narrator. His portrayal of the butler, Stevens, really brought this book to a

Couldn’t put it down

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