An Iowa Album - A Photographic History, 1860-1920 (Mary Bennett, 1990)

(319 pages)

I have several books about Iowa that were given to me by my parents - back in the days when I told my mom that was the preferred gift when she inquired about Christmas presents.  This is one of them,

And it was a joy to parse through.  The years 1860-1920, at least the latter half, were years through which my great-grandparents and grandparents passed - and many of the photographs and descriptive text resonate closely to what little I picked up from them about those early years.  Also resonates with the photos and text in the marvelous 1976 St. Joseph Parish history book that my parents did so much to put together.

I was born in 1956, and was struck by how close in time that birth-year was to the events and lifestyle in the latter part of this book. Nearly 70 years later, those events and lifestyle seem very far away indeed.

Early settlers; rapid growth; evolution of agricultural techniques; nicer homes; arrival of railroads; nascent automobile presence; the towns grow up.

The book is focused on photography, and has interesting information about available methods and equipment throughout the period.

Much enjoyed reading, and I will continue to page through this one.   

The Remains of the Day (Kazuo Ishiguro, 1988)

(245 pages)

Written in the voice of a butler (Stevens) who served in an important English hall for decades, serving under the rather famous Lord Darlington.  The service period included the difficult years between the two world wars and continued through and beyond the hall's postwar purchase by a wealthy American (as Britain declined economically).

Remarkable accomplishment by the author - uses, almost exclusively, the carefully restrained voice of a professional butler - and also manages to communicate deep, believable emotions.

At the behest of the new owner (who is leaving the hall to spend some weeks in his native US), Stevens borrows the owner's car and takes a tour by motor car into the English countryside.  The book sets out the butler's description of the trip and various topics about which he muses during it.

Long discussions about professionalism in the early going, what makes a "great" butler. There were demanding positions, especially in the years when a large staff was required.

Stevens muses about his father - also a high-end butler, he came to work under the younger Stevens late in his life.  An example of the protagonist-butler prioritizing his work commitments over his butler-father. Pursuing "greatness" - hmmm.

Mostly protective of Lord Darlington, but notes - and eventually completely admits - some serious chinks.  Efforts to help Germany ameliorate the punitive Versailles peace treaty - a goal shared by many - turn into a period where Lord Darlington is a useful idiot for the rising Nazi regime.

The butler (Stevens) thinks a lot about a housekeeper (Miss Kenton) who he worked closely with at Darlington Hall, often at odds, and who left the hall to get married.  Stevens characterized the relationship as professional until admitting at the end of the book that it was (and could/should have been) quite a lot more.

Concludes somehow on a hopeful note - Stevens hopes to learn how to banter.