March / Kundera Book: The Unbearable Lightness of Being

[Scheherazade]

[CENTER]http://www.booksfactory.com/writers/images/kundera.jpg

In March, we are reading The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera, who said:
For a novelist, a given historic situation is an anthropologic laboratory in which he explores his basic question: What is human existence? Summary from amazon.com:
Set first in Czechoslovakia, then in Switzerland, Kundera's story tells the sometimes laborious story of a womanizing Czech surgeon forced to flee the Russian invasion and take on menial roles, giving his passion for the flesh a slighly different perspective, as he is no longer a doctor but just a window-washer. His relationship with this current female-of-choice, the interesting and puzzling Tereza, is at the center of the novel.


Book Club Procedures (http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?p=57103#post57103)

[papayahed]

ok, I read the first chapter. What is this guy trying to say?

[Scheherazade]

Just realised that my library does not have a copy so will have to look around to find a copy. The only bookstore in town closed down last month as well :(

[Idril]

ok, I read the first chapter. What is this guy trying to say?

:lol: :lol:

You know, the philosophy parts are a little sketchy, I find it best to just disregard them. :p No, I'm kidding of course, at least to a certain extent ;) I don't actually completely disregard them but I do put them aside and move on. Sometimes the point of those little tangents doesn't become apparent for awhile. It makes more sense to me now that I've read the whole thing, I can make it fit in with the rest of the story but it's not at all apparent when it's the first thing you read.

[papayahed]

Just realised that my library does not have a copy so will have to look around to find a copy. The only bookstore in town closed down last month as well :(


My library was out as well, I had to buy the damn thing. Oh how I suffer for my book club:p .

[papayahed]

:lol: :lol:

You know, the philosophy parts are a little sketchy, I find it best to just disregard them. :p No, I'm kidding of course, at least to a certain extent ;) I don't actually completely disregard them but I do put them aside and move on. Sometimes the point of those little tangents doesn't become apparent for awhile. It makes more sense to me now that I've read the whole thing, I can make it fit in with the rest of the story but it's not at all apparent when it's the first thing you read.

I've gotten past the philosophy and now I'm not really liking Tomas. (He actually reminds me of someone I know.:( )

[Anthony Furze]

I ve finished the first section "Lightness and Weight" and I ve yet to get to grips with this novel.

Tomas is definitely an unsympathetic character and we only see things through his eyes really. I think I m a liittle sorry for Tereza, but we re not told much about her inner thoughts and feelings.

The philosophy parts come across as "clever" but I ve yet to see their purpose in the novel.

Sabina strikes me as one of the strongest characters so far. Im not that up on Czech history, except for general knowledge. Would it help?

[Asa Adams]

I got my copy today, and I started the first chapter, and I too have had issues with the authors meaning. It is an awkward start, but I do enjoy a book about such things like the eternal return. And so far, though it is slightly skiddish, the book seems promising.

[Idril]

Tomas is definitely an unsympathetic character and we only see things through his eyes really. I think I m a liittle sorry for Tereza, but we re not told much about her inner thoughts and feelings.



I've gotten past the philosophy and now I'm not really liking Tomas. (He actually reminds me of someone I know.:( )

It's Tereza that I have the most problems with. She's so needy and insecure and why she chooses to stay with someone like Tomas who seems to be incapable of fidelity is beyond me. She's your classic martyr in many ways and I've never had much patience with martyrs. I do think Tomas loves her in his way, although whether it's real love or just the need to take care of her is a point worth arguing.

[Anthony Furze]

Well, Im into Section 2 and Im warming to the novel. Love the biography of Tereza s mum! Im glad Tereza is being followed up.

[Taliesin]

We feel Tomas is a very human character. He has got some problems about fidelity, but we think he loves Tereza. He suffers so much about her pain (yeah, compassion, not love, but still) and can sleep besides her.
And we like the philosophical parts. This novel is a bit like a tractate.
Sabina seems to be a very interesting character too, doesn't she? Remember how she said that he loves Tomas, because he is the opposite of kitcsh? That he couldn't be the hero of any american or russian movie, only an antagonist?

[Pensive]

I am not being able to find it anywhere. :(

[Anthony Furze]

I got it from Liberty Bookshop over here in Karachi, Pakistan.;)

Part two is more interesting though I fail to see the relevance of the title except for some rather obvious references.Tereza s background is very nicely put together-I like the parts about her mother!

I ve started "Words Misunderstood"

[Idril]

Tereza s background is very nicely put together-I like the parts about her mother!


Well, it certainly explains why she allows herself to be such a victim and why she was so anxious to attach herself to Tomas.

[Asa Adams]

I must say, Unfortunately, the Unbearable lightness of being is just that...Unbearable. :lol:

[Pensive]

I got it from Liberty Bookshop over here in Karachi, Pakistan.;)

One of the advantages of living in the biggest city of the whole country. :)

[Idril]

Sabina seems to be a very interesting character too, doesn't she?

I love Sabina! She's somewhat morally ambiguous, yes...like Tomas, but that just makes her all the more interesting. In many ways, she's the highlight of the novel for me. She's my idol in some ways, not that I wish to have a series of affairs with married men :rolleyes: :p, but in her emotional independence and her complete lack of attachments. I've always been drawn to aloof characters and she is nothing if not aloof.

[kenikki]

I have this book collecting dust on my shelf as recommended to me by a friend. Maybe this might be the right time to read it...

[Taliesin]

I love Sabina! She's somewhat morally ambiguous, yes...like Tomas, but that just makes her all the more interesting. In many ways, she's the highlight of the novel for me. She's my idol in some ways, not that I wish to have a series of affairs with married men :rolleyes: :p, but in her emotional independence and her complete lack of attachments. I've always been drawn to aloof characters and she is nothing if not aloof.

Oh yes! Sabina seems like a very lovable character, at least in the beginning and in the misunderstandings between Franz and Sabina we found Sabinas views much more interesting. But we have read the book before and we remember that when we understood Franz better and saw how Sabina couldn't break our of the cycle of betrayal, her likeability seems to decrease a bit.

But only a bit. She's still cool.;)

[Asa Adams]

Does the book ever become interesting....I really wish I had not read it.

[Virgil]

Does the book ever become interesting....I really wish I had not read it.

That is how I have felt about every Kundera book I have picked up. ;)

[Taliesin]

Does the book ever become interesting....I really wish I had not read it.

Well, we don't know about how far you are now with the book but we could say that it became interesting, um, after the first sentence, or something like that, at least for us.
Well, we guess it takes all sorts.
But anyway, to those that actually found the book interesting,what's the thing with parents? We mean, every protagonist has problems with them.

There is Tomas, whose parents refused to recognize him as a son when he left his. OK, that seems to be the least of the problemsof the protagonists because that happened when he was a man grown.
There is Sabina, for whom her father was the symbol of kitcsh and because of whom she started her cycle of betrayal et cetera.
There is Franz whose father left his mother who put on her shoes the wrong way and then Franz learned what suffering is - and that is why Franz is so attached to faithfulness.
And there is Tereza.

[Anthony Furze]

I ve just reread the part about Franz, Sabina and Tomas and the bowler hat. The writer can really be cheeky at times. He gives five significannces of that one hat.

The novel appears whimsical yet with an undertone of tragedy.

[Asa Adams]

Well, we guess it takes all sorts.

cheeky :lol:

[Nightshade]

yay both bookclubs doing the same book in the same month:D I migt actually get to read it, provided of course I have time to hunt down a copy....

[Jay]

Haven't started yet, been a tad busy. Hope to start reading on Saturday though (unless I fall asleep on the train that is ;))

[B-Mental]

I definitely like the writing style, albeit I'm still in the middle of the book. He picks up on people very well, I find some observations strike embarassingly close to home.

[papayahed]

Do you think its true, there are Nightime books and Day books? I do.

[Scheherazade]

Do you think its true, there are Nightime books and Day books? I do.Never looked at it this way possibly because I do almost all my reading at nights. If I get the chance to read during the day, I still carry on with the same book.

Still don't have a copy of the book :(

[Nightshade]

Never looked at it this way possibly because I do almost all my reading at nights. If I get the chance to read during the day, I still carry on with the same book.

Still don't have a copy of the book :(

Me either :( Im going round the charity shops today if I see one ILl buy it and if I see 2 Ill buy you one and post it.

[B-Mental]

Do you think its true, there are Nightime books and Day books? I do.

I know I live a different lifestyle than most, but I disagree about the whole concept of it. In fact, I thought that Kundera put the comments in to show that Franz's wife was trying to dominate the conversation...no matter how someone replied they would be wrong...according to her. He then went over to Franz's daughter and she was shallow in her conversation, and he even said that she was just like her mother.

Personally I can read at anytime of the day or night, in just about any location or position. The one thing I would call DAYTIME reading, technical manuals.

[Anthony Furze]

Still struggling with "Words Misunderstood" which I ve had to reread several times. This writer has so many angles-more angles to shoot from than a poolplayer...

[papayahed]

In a loose manner I have nightime and daytime books (much like the french fry classification). But that only comes from the realization that more often then not I will have dreams about the books I'm reading which is only good if I'm reading about cotton candy, puppies, and rainbows.

Actually, I can't remember if it was the same night or not but I just read the part about tereza going up the hill and my last dream was that someone was trying to kill me. (Just because I'm paranoid doesn't make it untrue)


Speaking of Tereza, that chick is really starting to bug me for a while there I thought she had a little spunk - but not really. (Tomas sending her up the hill - that was a dream right?)

And Sabina, I kinda like her but betrayal for the sake of betrayal seems pointless.

[B-Mental]

I think the hill part was a dream, but the dreams pop in like real life. I just finished, and I can say that I didn't know how he would end it. I loved it. Definitely going in my referral list.

[papayahed]

Basically this book is about defecation?


Why are god and **** incompatable?

[Idril]

Basically this book is about defecation?


Why are god and **** incompatable?


I just conveniently ignored that stuff because it didn't make a lot of sense and it didn't impact the plot so I decided it was ok to completely disregard it. :p

[Asa Adams]

I just conveniently ignored that stuff because it didn't make a lot of sense and it didn't impact the plot so I decided it was ok to completely disregard it. :p

:lol: Good idea, Idril!

[Nightshade]

HUmm found it, and read the first part ( will someone rember to remind me that the university library also carrys modern 'literature' I keep forgetting to look there.)

Well first impression was a sort of hummmm intresting then somthing, some turn of phrase maybe me think of Jay, I wonder if that is just coinsdence or what....

I like the idea of etamolgical wieght to a word...so over all not liking the charchter or the plot so much, not my cup of tea exactly but the writing style, the turns of phrase the odd ideas he uses to cobble things together is like abox of choclates....well make that a box of choclates that onl contains variation of my favouirte types:D

[Taliesin]

Basically this book is about defecation?


Why are god and **** incompatable?

Can you imagine God taking a ****?
If you can, can you understand that to many people this kind of image would be sacrilegious although they might consider God similar to man in looks?
It introduces the theme of kitsch - how people block out things that are logically there but are emotionally acceptable.

We have encountered a similar thing in some Tolkien-fans we know (we know a lot of them so there are bound to be some like these) to whom it is hard to imagine elves defecating so they have invented theories that exclude **** from the life of elves which is absolutely stupid in our opinion.

[optimisticnad]

My quote has finally paid off!

[papayahed]

Can you imagine God taking a ****?
If you can, can you understand that to many people this kind of image would be sacrilegious although they might consider God similar to man in looks?
It introduces the theme of kitsch - how people block out things that are logically there but are emotionally acceptable.



That's the part that bugs me, the premise that many people would find that image sacrilegious.

[papayahed]

I finished the book. I think my favorite character was Franz. I think Tomas and Sabina ran away when things started getting tough.

[Nightshade]

IM halfway through words misunderstood, got tosay thopugh the charcters are all annoying I like the writing style.
ut I guess the most annoying is at the moment frantz. I mean seriously what kind of proper grownun up romatisicies occupation? He must be a twit. :nod:
Further questions, is BOheimia a place as well as a state of being/class??
Also when was prostituion legalised in Amsterdam? Or did prostitues always sit in windows?? :S:S.
But somthing in there lead me to reflect on the purpose of reading and what makes a great book....but Im not hiijaking the thread with my philisophisiciiing :D

[Nightshade]

Nearly finished now and still really enjoying it, I even went out and bought a copy its a bit slow going though cant read more than a part a day or my brain fries.
As soon as I finish I think Im going to reread it though Im having trouble trying to sort out a time line I mean one minute they are dead next they are still in prague. There wwas somthing though I think it was at the end of Words misunderrstod although it could have later that reminded me of TS Eliots Preludes.

[Nightshade]

Finally finished it, I enjoyed it butI havent voted great that is recommend it because I dont think I would recommend it , it being a bit of an aquired taste I think.