IntroductionWhat happens when being needed becomes the reason you never live your own life?For thirty-eight years, Daniel Mercer has served billionaire businessman Richard Vale as his executive assistant, fixer, confidant, and most dependable employee.Daniel misses dinners, relationships, vacations, and eventually his father’s final hours. Yet he never considers … [Read more...] about The Man Who Never Took the Day Off: A Modern Ishiguro Story
regret
The Remains of the Day Explained by Leading Ishiguro Scholars
IntroductionWhy does Stevens remember so much of his life accurately, yet seem unable to recognize what those memories mean?That question lies at the heart of Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day.In this second imaginary conversation, five leading Ishiguro scholars — Cynthia F. Wong, Brian W. Shaffer, Kathleen Wall, Steven Connor, and Barry Lewis — examine the … [Read more...] about The Remains of the Day Explained by Leading Ishiguro Scholars
The Remains of the Day Explained Through Its Characters
IntroductionWhat happens when you reach the later years of your life and realize that the qualities you were proudest of may have kept you from truly living?Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the Day follows Stevens, an English butler who has devoted his life to dignity, loyalty, and service. He rarely questions his employer, rarely expresses emotion, and almost … [Read more...] about The Remains of the Day Explained Through Its Characters
The Last Good Sentence: A Story About Fame and Loneliness
There comes a point in many lives when the greatest question is no longer, "Can I succeed?"It becomes, "Who have I become while succeeding?"Thomas Hale has spent a lifetime answering the first question.His novels shaped generations. His name filled bookstores, lecture halls, and newspaper headlines. Readers admired his courage. Critics praised his discipline. … [Read more...] about The Last Good Sentence: A Story About Fame and Loneliness
Be Kind to Your Mother Before It’s Too Late
What if the greatest gift your mother wants is not money, but one unhurried afternoon with you? There are few relationships as profound, complex, and enduring as the bond between a mother and her child.Long before we could walk, speak, or remember, someone was already staying awake through sleepless nights, worrying over fevers, celebrating tiny victories, … [Read more...] about Be Kind to Your Mother Before It’s Too Late
Tim Urban on Procrastination, Fear, Attention, and Change
What if procrastination is not laziness, but self-protection? We usually talk about procrastination in a light way. We joke about it, make memes about it, laugh at how strangely talented human beings can be at avoiding the one thing they most need to do. That laughter is honest. There is something funny about the mind’s ability to know exactly what matters … [Read more...] about Tim Urban on Procrastination, Fear, Attention, and Change