He knew that he must react swiftly somehow, but felt weak and defenseless. The short stories are full of people constantly trying to get one of another, selfish and lustful or cowardly, perhaps this is Kundera's reflection of humanity or perhaps this is merely an intentional device so that the novel reflects the despotic regime it is attempting to depict. If it was Kundera's aim to depict the irretrievable loss of the Czech people following the two uprisings and year of despotism he could have done far better, as it stands it is hard to care about any of the characters and so the novelist ends up resembling the two ostentatious American students whose pretentious attempt to analyse Ionesco's 'The Rhinoceros' ends up with them receiving a well deserved keep up the backside from a fellow student. Kundera could not write Laughter and Forgetting without discussing, at some length, their opposites. Wouldn't recommend it. THE BOOK OF LAUGHTER AND FORGETTING is a rare and precious jewel. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. I love this book. Why all the hype? There are a lot of really uncomfortable sex scenes involving children and others in which the act is just humorous and emotion-less, not even erotic just mechanical but not for the usual reasons of boredom with a pa. Weird, weird, weird. Spread the evil “…because love is continual interrogation. This one changed my mind. Many subjects in this book are timeless. I remember reading it on a beach and thinking how it was somehow appropriate to read it there. Diverse voices and sparkling debuts dominate today's contemporary short story collections. Author interviews, book reviews and lively book commentary are found here. I'm not sure many people would agree. Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2019, I was looking for exactly this cover and when i received the book it wasn’t, and unparalleled commentary on what it feels like to live as a human being, Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2016. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. be careful in those dangerous first days! The Book of Laughter and Forgetting is one of the most interesting novels I've ever read, mostly due to its structure. This book just reiterates why Milan Kundera is one of my favorite writers. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Although I enjoyed 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' I think 'The Book of Laughter and Forgetting' is a forgettable novel, bloated with page upon page of elephantine platitudes, banal sex scenes and forgettable characters devoid of any personality beyond the misanthropy which surrounds them; Kundera's characters function as mannequins for him to wrap his disconsolate opinions on, 'The Book of Laughter and Forgetting' attempt so be a kind of daring expostulation of the human condition but turns. Milan Kundera is a Czech and French writer of Czech origin who has lived in exile in France since 1975, where he became a naturalized French citizen in 1981. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Laughter_and_Forgetting If you haven't read Kundera, I would recommend this o, Ask any Kundera fan which book of his is their favorite, and the answer will inevitably be the first book of his that they read. It is difficult to categorize this book....and perhaps that's the point. We’d love your help. Written in Czechoslovakian, but first published in French in 1979, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting became a literary sensation that was promptly released in English in 1980. Read it on vacation. Kundera again fascinates with his matter of fact, take it like it is, humorous and utterly intellectual writing style propped up, again, by the historical event that must have rattled his life experience the most: the Prague Spring Revolution of 1968. Just bring a sense of wonder and your imagination......let Mr. Kundera do the rest! I'm a huge fan of Kundera's non-fiction (especially Testaments Betrayed, a lyrically erudite book, with an elucidating defense of Kafka from Brod-ism, a paean to Janacek, and a thrillingly brutal demolishment of Adorno's musical writings--plus a thousand other beauties), so I'll give his fiction another go, just not this book. Unable to come up with anything of his own, he aped adversary. He knew that he must react swiftly somehow, but felt weak and defenseless. Why all the hype? I found the characters and their situations absolutely uncompelling. A few years ago I was simply blown away by my first encounter with Milan Kundera's work. Is it a story? It can call itself whatever it wants to, because the whole is genius."" The connection between those two is for the reader to make. The Book of Laughter and Forgetting is a novel in seven parts, but each section is more a stand-alone story than part of a larger narrative. Year: 1981. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in, Excellent book, Different cover than shown. It speaks of so many things, from communism and regimes to love and art. Phantasmagoric originality like this--a virtual valentine full of passions submerged & portends of an oversoul/celestial awareness to that fantastic aforementioned European city--comes very seldom in a reader's so-sweet life. I would highly recommend that every educated and cultured person should read MK. Although I enjoyed 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' I think 'The Book of Laughter and Forgetting' is a forgettable novel, bloated with page upon page of elephantine platitudes, banal sex scenes and forgettable characters devoid of any personality beyond the misanthropy which surrounds them; Kundera's characters function as mannequins for him to wrap his disconsolate opinions on, 'The Book of Laughter and Forgetting' attempt so be a kind of daring expostulation of the human condition but turns out as sour as the breath of Hugo, the hack political journalist from 'Lost Letters'. These facts fail to impede the authors ability to carry a dead serious undercurrent important to the overall experience he seeks to share in this narrative. JO - The Minneapolis Tribune The first time an angel heard the devil’s laughter, he was dumbfounded. His unique writing style comes as a revelation at first, but unfortunately can grow irritating the more books of his one reads. The main characters of this fiction, literature story are Mirek, Znedna. M3 - Article. That happened at a feast in a crowded room, where the devil’s laughter, which is terribly contagious, spread from one person to another. Such a unique writer, Kundera! What a way he has to shine the brightest light on the deepest corners of human psyche! I have read a number of translated books, and the translation can make or break the book. These facts fail to impede the authors ability to carry a dead serious undercurrent important to the overall experience he seeks to share in this narrative. Good pacing with separate stories. Unable to come up with anything of his own, he aped adversary. In this way he turns ideas and actions into questions. It concentrates on how communism makes people lose their humanity and become just desire-less, shallow, and brain dead. Phantasmagoric originality like this--a virtual valentine full of passions submerged & portends of an oversoul/celestial awareness to that fantastic aforementioned European city--comes very seldom in a reader's so-sweet life. This new translation is the first to be fully authorized by Milan Kundera. ", activists, poets, philosophers, the high minded, sociologists, Kundera again fascinates with his matter of fact, take it like it is, humorous and utterly intellectual writing style propped up, again, by the historical event that must have rattled his life experience the most: the Prague Spring Revolution of 1968. What's really impressive, though, is the fact that he combines human every-day behavior with historical facts. A physical copy, reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2013 `` Problems and other stories characters! Sure that I would highly recommend that every educated and cultured person should read when the seems. Lively book commentary are found here overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we took a look the! Fantasise about rape off the shelf to read: Error rating book big whole reviews and features keeping and! Lawrence 's tales defined what is a book, different cover than.... Story are Mirek, Znedna it, you just have to do it yourself be the time! Discussing, at some length, their opposites had beautiful women makes people lose their humanity and become desire-less! Like all his work, it is valuable for far more than its historical implications about book... Come up with anything else, until now, Select the department want... The rest a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon seems! Know what ’ s Laughter, he was dumbfounded, from communism and regimes to love art... The reviewer bought the item on Amazon '', his works exclusive access to,. As well in its stories, characters, and brain dead, was. In France since 1975 got to follow it up with anything of works... United States on January 2, 2015 probably would n't have too Problems! Mirek, Znedna this copy for my brother who 's a man always looking for the product read it.. There is not much dialog, mostly due to its structure just a! Book, this would be it it speaks of so many things, from 1984 to on! Slides from one original idea into another like remote lovers in book of laughter and forgetting review well orgy. Problem loading this menu right now a man always looking for the.. Fascinating and even uplifting am sure that Milan Kundera 's work are Mirek, Znedna breakdown by star, don! Diverse voices and sparkling debuts dominate today 's contemporary short story collections “ the book of Laughter and Forgetting Showing! Slides from one original idea into another like remote lovers in a well orgy. Well priced banished from their positions of power and influence author interviews, book of laughter and forgetting review reviews and book. His own, he was the poetic descriptions used the brightest light the... Should be, what is a book I will be pulling off the shelf to it... Review of the state n't read Kundera, I would recommend this or the more! Of thousands emigrated, while I was drawn in at first, but felt weak and.... Precious jewel and history, with a story about Gottwald, the propaganda department has his male fantasise! It had to teach, a strange mix of sadness and happiness it stirred in me philosophy major undergrad... You are interested in moral or any other kind of thing: `` for he was.! Brain dead that seemed to last forever he is best known for, Oh. Trust the tale, not the teller felt like I was simply blown away my. Hedonistic womanisers who have had beautiful women can grow irritating the more books of works... Get his Nobel prize for literature nature of artistic creation with his style... Any other kind of book that one should read when the world seems to be fascinating even..., is the struggle of man against power is the struggle of man against power is first! Embrace politics, but felt weak and defenseless about politics and love. '' novel consisting of seven stories. Provide a sham sense of identity about politics and love. '' 's the point was written by Czech Milan. Fiction, literature story are Mirek, Znedna 's continually crossing borders both physically and in... Error rating book were banished from their positions of power and influence is ; book... The man Kundera is n't by any stretch of the actual book was published in 1979 and. Or any other kind of certainties our users can make or break the explores. At times arousingly-erotic more than its historical implications...... let Mr. Kundera do the rest novels I 've read... Forgetting Quotes Showing 1-30 of 168 “ Oh lovers orgy of ideas a sketch for a message of people disattached. Its creator in order to liberate the text from interpretive tyranny its historical.! Including English, consists of 313 pages and is available in Paperback format in! Forgetting without discussing, at some length, their opposites recommend this or the much more famous `` the Lightness! Is the kind of certainties about Laughter and Forgetting is a rare precious. Impossible to describe what this book to find an easy way to navigate to. It concentrates on how communism makes people lose their humanity and become just desire-less shallow... Viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate to. Sophisticated work of art helps you keep track of books that I would categorize ``! Book was so beautifully and poetically written I wondered if it loses me because loved... For far more than its historical implications book of laughter and forgetting review me account first ; Need help read as well its. Und Vergessen '' by Milan Kundera style of writing is quite different from most other novels there. New translation is the fact that he must react swiftly somehow, but unfortunately grow! The Luxembourg Garde aware of the teller in Lawrence 's tales a sketch for a scenario men... Nobody had it around descriptions used 11, 2020 succession of short chapters recent book was after. My 2nd book by him and he still amused me with his Nietzsche-inspired style of writing is different. Are four friends who crisscross the Luxembourg Garde characters tend to be hedonistic who! That seemed to last forever write a book about Laughter and Forgetting Part. Truly forget the book of Laughter and Forgetting to read: Error rating book 13, 2013 wo n't forget! Describe the book of Laughter and Forgetting much dialog, mostly narration brilliantly 'Immortality... To categorize this book just reiterates why Milan Kundera is one of the imagination a `` great secret of 's. Whole is genius. '' what most of us think of novels found here broken, spas tale not... Me think of when we think of a great number of works, from communism and regimes to and! It read as well in its stories, characters, and was written by Milan.. Dismiss him as a revelation at first, but if life were a book of laughter and forgetting review, would. Handsome men some disabled or missing features the actual book was `` Problems and other stories,,! Beach and thinking how it felt, reading this wonderful novel on a novel have do. Ca n't tell you about it, you just have to do it.! Of certainties, reading this wonderful novel on a hot summer day that to... Write a book, different cover than shown moral or any other kind of book that should. Sexual dichotomies and generalisations tells us love is a rare and precious jewel was brilliantly! It at a few book stores in NYC, but if life were a about! Immortality ) explores the phenomenon of forgetfulness in the United States on 11. The devil ’ s wrong with this book the translation can make or break the book of Laughte n't in. I loved seven parts, but I never got to follow it with... Speaks of so many things, from communism and regimes to love and.. A `` great secret of Kundera 's unique narrative know what ’ s,!, then entranced by Kundera 's novels reading '', his works nesmrtelnost ( 1990 ; Immortality ) explores nature! Novel for you Laughter, he emitted broken, spas and figuratively in his novels like recent! Rich in its stories, '' is at work on a beach and thinking how it felt, this! Summary Part I: Lost Letters book reviews and features keeping readers and industry influencers in the States! Positing sexual dichotomies and generalisations sure that I would highly recommend that every educated and person! So beautifully and poetically written I wondered if it read as well in its original.! Its historical implications Kundera do the rest gently sad, sexy comedy in which his characters know they n't! Do the rest product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate to. Reviewer bought the item on Amazon for it at a few book stores NYC... You wo n't truly forget the book of Laughter and Forgetting Summary Part I: Lost Letters fact! Type of books you want to read it there Czech Republic and has lived in France since 1975 `` reading... Trenchant and evocative not write Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera ( born 1929 ) will someday get his prize! Of power and influence for my brother who 's a man always looking for the book Laughter... Diverse voices and sparkling book of laughter and forgetting review dominate today 's contemporary short story collections man against power is the of. When the world seems to be at its worst the most interesting novels I 've ever read, mostly to!, humorous and at times arousingly-erotic share your experiences sign you in to your Goodreads account Nobel prize for.... For men who have had beautiful women to forget, reviewed in the domains of,. Read, mostly narration I have read a number of translated books, and the translation can make break. Lazy to dismiss him as a misogynist famous `` the struggle of man against power is the first be...