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Milan Kundera

The Unbearable Lightness of Being: A Novel (Harper Perennial Modern Classics) Paperback – Deckle Edge, October 27, 2009

by Milan Kundera (Author)

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In The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera tells the story of a young woman in love with a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing and one of his mistresses and her humbly faithful lover. This magnificent novel juxtaposes geographically distant places; brilliant and playful reflections; and a variety of styles to take its place as perhaps the major achievement of one of the world’s truly great writers.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brilliant . . . A work of high modernist playfulness and deep pathos."-- Janet Malcolm, "New York Review of Books""Kundera has raised the novel of ideas to a new level of dreamlike lyricism and emotional intensity." -- Jim Miller, "Newsweek""Kundera is a virtuoso . . . A work of the boldest mastery, originality, and richness."-- Elizabeth Hardwick, "Vanity Fair"

From the Back Cover

A young woman is in love with a successful surgeon, a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing. His mistress, a free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals—while her other lover, earnest, faithful, and good, stands to lose everything because of his noble qualities. In a world where lives are shaped by irrevocable choices and fortuitous events, and everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance, its weight. Hence we feel "the unbearable lightness of being."

A major achievement from one of the world's truly great writers, Milan Kundera's magnificent novel of passion and politics, infidelity and ideas, encompasses the extremes of comedy and tragedy, illuminating all aspects of human existence.

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Product details

Series: Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial Modern Classics; Deluxe edition (October 27, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0061148520
ISBN-13: 978-0061148521
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 443 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #131 in Classic American Literature
- #510 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #303 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction

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DXN-Schuylerville

This is a book you won't ever forget

May 5, 2017

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Fantastic story about a man with unique and complex ideas about the nature of his romantic relationships. Even better than the movie that was made in the late 1980's. Definitely thought-provoking. The author presents a unique way of looking at the world. I can't say the characters are admirable, but they are realistic and are presented from a sympathetic perspective. Highly recommended but keep in mind this is fairly cerebral, meant to be read at slow pace. Many sections stand to be read through more than once before proceeding.

12 people found this helpful

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Random Amazon Buyer

STUNNING, INCOMPARABLE AND DEEPLY MEANINGFUL

November 15, 2016

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Beautiful. The movie was good but this gave a far better feel of the story. And, duh, Milan Kundera is one of the best authors ever. Can't believe it took me 15 years to getting around to reading it. One of those types of books where you mark a page or ten because the phrasing is so personal and relevant to life in general. And yes, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" is explained and .... simply beautiful. You want to read it more than once. Stunning.

8 people found this helpful

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J.W. Avery

A good, thought provoking read.

January 5, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I enjoyed this a bunch and there were some real gem of quotes.

“Anyone whose goal is 'something higher' must expect someday to suffer vertigo. What is vertigo? Fear of falling? No, Vertigo is something other than fear of falling. It is the voice of the emptiness below us which tempts and lures us, it is the desire to fall, against which, terrified, we defend ourselves.”

A good, thought provoking read.

3 people found this helpful

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Shaina H

One of my favorite books, ever

June 20, 2012

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I could not bear to put this down once I started.
This is a story that shouldn't be confused as anything other than the complete story of current and vintage humanity.I didn't want to read the whole thing in one sitting because then the fantastic, sensual, deep masterpiece would be finished. I had to put it down occasionally, only to be regurgitating the sentences in my mind and reviewing the concepts written in the book, in words I could never have come up with for things I have known for a long time. Could that be the sign of a brilliant writer- one who can beautifully and perfectly write things you have known for a long time but couldn't ever articulate?
My friend who recommended it was so in love with the book that she got a tattoo of a bowler hat in it.

14 people found this helpful

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Annie

A philosophical portrait of love.

August 4, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

A beautifully written story of love, based on the two main characters of Tomas and Tereza and the lesser characters of Sabina and Franz during the Russian invasion of Czechslovakia which began in 1968.
Kundera is a genius at getting below the skin of his characters, dissecting close to the bone so that human foibles become at least understandable if not totally acceptable. In this way the characters are real and likeable.Even though Tomas is a serial womanizer his love for Tereza and his other admirable qualities have the reader on his side.
This book will not be enjoyed by those who see the world as plain black and white but for those who love a philosophical discussion against the background of a true historical event you will not be sorry you read this book.
I have no hesitation in awarding five stars for this sensitive and heart warming book.
I absolutely related to the discussion on animals towards the end of the book and felt the grief of Tereza and Tomas at the loss of their beloved dog Kerenin.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy thoughtful and intelligent literature.

9 people found this helpful

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lachap2

My new favorite book!

December 17, 2013

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I love this book! It's set in Czechoslovakia during the Russian occupation. From the beginning, Kundera poses a question, whether living in lightness (free from the burdens associated with committed relationships) is really better than in weight (to be in a relationship despite the tribulations one faces). He employs editorial omniscience throughout the novel, using the characters to provide plausible situations the reader can relate to. It has a great storyline, but also allows the readers to venture into something more meaningful than just the average novel.

10 people found this helpful

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Vivek Sharma

A Pithy Masterpiece

August 19, 2009

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Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of the Being is a pithy masterpiece. The author captures the essence of the 'being' of four or five chief characters. He manages to describe their thoughts and deeds, what weighs upon their souls, what rescues their selves from onerous existence, in an achingly beautiful, yet unobtrusive way. The infidelity & philandering of Tomas, the doubts and dreams of Tereza, the artistic idiosyncrasies of Sabrina and the intellectual myopia and indulgences of Franz are as engaging as the philosophical and historical notes that flow through the story.

The novel is a deep and defining study of humanity in 20th century, of our hopes and failings, of the moral and material needs and our capacity for being tormented by our pasts and passions. There are paragraphs and paragraphs of poetic beauty, and yet everything is written in the most simple, straightforward sentences. The description of Karenin, the dog owned by Tereza, is brilliant, especially in the final chapter of the book. Another favorite chapter was on "words misunderstood", for in the romance between beings belonging to two different pasts and two countries, where seemingly same words assume drastically different connotations.

This is a mature novel, meant for readers who can look beyond the surface. On surface this is novel laced with sexual content and contexts, a novel that describes the gimmicks of communist Russia and their stay in Czech country, a novel that spurns philosophical ramblings interwoven with discussion about the "sh** being a onerous theological problem". On surface the novel is story of infidelity. But deep down this is a novel that strikes chord with the intelligent reader on so many different levels, be it romance, ethics, interpretation, or our own complexities arising from our own unique pathways of life.

The novel weighed on me, confronted me with many issues, ideas and memories, and then at times, it released me from my own suffocating and smothering thoughts and experiences. I highly recommend this novel. If you enjoy Lawrence, Joyce and Gibran, be introduced to Kundera, who carries the torch of modernist writing ahead: and in what style!

7 people found this helpful

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