text: When one begins to despair about the quality (or lack thereof) of the modern novel you come across a gem which dispels that despair for the time being. Not only is this one a gem but also it is something much more and being just over 240 pages one that I finished all too quickly. I could not get enough of it. The narrator and main character of the novel is a Mr. Stevens who is the butler of a mansion where he heads a considerable compliment of staff to keep it running smoothly. His employer, a Lord Darlington, is doing what he can to alleviate some of the supposed harsher terms of the Versailles treaty and realizes too late that he was being used as a pawn by the Germans. And what did Mr. Stevens think of this? He didn't, he maintains that wondering about what was happening would have interfered with his running of the estate. There is also the head housekeeper that he buts heads with a few times and also a few other instances which makes one wonder if she has something other that a professional interest in Mr. Stevens. You'll have to read the book if you want to know more. I read mainly Victorian literature simply because they are well written and what passes for a novel nowadays usually is not. If you get this book you will not be sorry.
  