[LucyInTheSkyWithD]

Actually it's been quite some time since I read it but I really enjoyed it so thought I'd post on here to see what you guys might think of it..

Also do you like Kundera's work in general?


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[mrs_bellamy]

This is the first of Kundera's books that I have read, so I can't comment on any others.

I bought The Unbearable Lightness of Being before a trip to Prague, as it was recommended by my Czech teacher and the guide book, but I got distracted by Kafka and didn't actually get round to reading it until now (I went to Prague nearly a year ago!). I'm not sure what I thought of it. There is definitely literary merit, and a lot of interesting things in it, but I don't really think I enjoyed it. I did enjoy reading about the Prague spring and the events that followed, and I liked the philosophising towards the end of the book. I think my main problem was that I really didn't like Tomas or Tereza. At all. I quite liked Sabina and Franz, but their roles were much more minor. I had very little for sympathy for Tomas and Tereza's relationship difficulties, and I didn't like either of them. I also found hearing about Karenin the dog extremely dull. I don't always have to like characters in a novel to enjoy it, but I think I at least have to find them interesting. I was probably missing some deep and meaningful stuff, but it basically felt like listening to a boring friend whine on about her useless boyfriend and boring dog.

I imagine there are many good things about this book, and I think it would be quite interesting to study. I will consider reading it again one day. But for a bit of holiday reading, whilst some of it was very interesting, I didn't warm to any of the characters, and found Tomas' treatment of women disturbing. I have very mixed feelings.

What did you think of it?

[LucyInTheSkyWithD]

(Original post by mrs_bellamy)
This is the first of Kundera's books that I have read, so I can't comment on any others.

I bought The Unbearable Lightness of Being before a trip to Prague, as it was recommended by my Czech teacher and the guide book, but I got distracted by Kafka and didn't actually get round to reading it until now (I went to Prague nearly a year ago!). I'm not sure what I thought of it. There is definitely literary merit, and a lot of interesting things in it, but I don't really think I enjoyed it. I did enjoy reading about the Prague spring and the events that followed, and I liked the philosophising towards the end of the book. I think my main problem was that I really didn't like Tomas or Tereza. At all. I quite liked Sabina and Franz, but their roles were much more minor. I had very little for sympathy for Tomas and Tereza's relationship difficulties, and I didn't like either of them. I also found hearing about Karenin the dog extremely dull. I don't always have to like characters in a novel to enjoy it, but I think I at least have to find them interesting. I was probably missing some deep and meaningful stuff, but it basically felt like listening to a boring friend whine on about her useless boyfriend and boring dog.

I imagine there are many good things about this book, and I think it would be quite interesting to study. I will consider reading it again one day. But for a bit of holiday reading, whilst some of it was very interesting, I didn't warm to any of the characters, and found Tomas' treatment of women disturbing. I have very mixed feelings.

What did you think of it?

I thought it was actually quite enjoyable and interesting to say the least plus the philosophical/ideological segments were intriguing so definitely not a boring book overall imo


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[DannyBoy123]

One of my favourite books; the story line and characters are fairly simplistic but my impression is that Kundera uses them very deliberately to enable his discourse on existentialism. It's definitely a novel that requires full concentration to read - I can usually go through a book of that length in a couple of days but the first time I read it I spent about 2 weeks on it.

I actually wrote about it for an English Lit. exam I did at Uni and get the results today...

[philistine]

I saw the film with Day-Lewis, and thought it was pretty ****. Of course, he regards the entire thing a massive embarrassment, and it isn't hard to see why. You can't possibly flesh out the concepts, character development and whatever else which exists in the book in just one feature-length picture (or so I'm led to believe).

Saying that, I've yet to read the book.

[.Scout.]

This is one of my favourite books.
It certainly isn't an easy read and not one that you can read half-heartedly as it's dense. I read the book as I have an interest in philosophy yet I enjoyed the literary aspect of the book, too. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the literary side as much as I did as I thought that the characters would purely be used as devices to serve a philosophical point. Yet I was pleasantly suprised. I hated Tomas though, so unlikeable!

I've read Ignorance, Life is Elsewhere and Immortality, too. Again, they aren't exactly easy reads but if you have an interest in philosophy, they're well worth it.

[Publius]

It is one of my favourite books as well: really thought provoking, beautiful prose, and incredibly relatable (at least for me). The staves on 'totalitarian kitsch' are particularly enthralling for anyone that has an interest in history, politics and religion.

The essence of the novel and its principal dilemma (what to choose: weight or lightness) is something that i still think about on a regular basis.

I also think anyone who has ever actually experienced it would be fascinated by his portrayal of ineffable love.

(Original post by .Scout.)
This is one of my favourite books.
It certainly isn't an easy read and not one that you can read half-heartedly as it's dense. I read the book as I have an interest in philosophy yet I enjoyed the literary aspect of the book, too. I wasn't expecting to enjoy the literary side as much as I did as I thought that the characters would purely be used as devices to serve a philosophical point. Yet I was pleasantly suprised. I hated Tomas though, so unlikeable!

I've read Ignorance, Life is Elsewhere and Immortality, too. Again, they aren't exactly easy reads but if you have an interest in philosophy, they're well worth it.

I find that women often find it difficult to relate to Tomas and therefore come out of the novel disliking him (or even not understanding him). But he is in fact an extremely complex and more importantly real character, but maybe you need to be a certain type of person to really understand him as i feel i did.

(Original post by mrs_bellamy)
This is the first of Kundera's books that I have read, so I can't comment on any others.

I bought The Unbearable Lightness of Being before a trip to Prague, as it was recommended by my Czech teacher and the guide book, but I got distracted by Kafka and didn't actually get round to reading it until now (I went to Prague nearly a year ago!). I'm not sure what I thought of it. There is definitely literary merit, and a lot of interesting things in it, but I don't really think I enjoyed it. I did enjoy reading about the Prague spring and the events that followed, and I liked the philosophising towards the end of the book. I think my main problem was that I really didn't like Tomas or Tereza. At all. I quite liked Sabina and Franz, but their roles were much more minor. I had very little for sympathy for Tomas and Tereza's relationship difficulties, and I didn't like either of them. I also found hearing about Karenin the dog extremely dull. I don't always have to like characters in a novel to enjoy it, but I think I at least have to find them interesting. I was probably missing some deep and meaningful stuff, but it basically felt like listening to a boring friend whine on about her useless boyfriend and boring dog.

I imagine there are many good things about this book, and I think it would be quite interesting to study. I will consider reading it again one day. But for a bit of holiday reading, whilst some of it was very interesting, I didn't warm to any of the characters, and found Tomas' treatment of women disturbing. I have very mixed feelings.

What did you think of it?

I really think the book just went over your head; read it again, its really the sort of book that you need to stop and have a think with every couple of pages.

[mrs_bellamy]

(Original post by Publius)
It is one of my favourite books as well: really thought provoking, beautiful prose, and incredibly relatable (at least for me). The staves on 'totalitarian kitsch' are particularly enthralling for anyone that has an interest in history, politics and religion.

The essence of the novel and its principal dilemma (what to choose: weight or lightness) is something that i still think about on a regular basis.

I also think anyone who has ever actually experienced it would be fascinated by his portrayal of ineffable love.


I find that women often find it difficult to relate to Tomas and therefore come out of the novel disliking him (or even not understanding him). But he is in fact an extremely complex and more importantly real character, but maybe you need to be a certain type of person to really understand him as i feel i did.
I really think the book just went over your head; read it again, its really the sort of book that you need to stop and have a think with every couple of pages.

I think your claim that anyone who did not like the book did not understand it is extremely arrogant.

[Publius]

That's no what i said at all; however, your breakdown of the book, and the obvious misconceptions that you quite clearly hold show me that you did in fact fail to understand the book.

When exactly did Tomas treat women badly? He was open about his infidelities from the start (he attempted to separate sex and love - if only we could), he was quite obviously a thoroughly conflicted man (in more ways than one).

[mrs_bellamy]

(Original post by Publius)
That's no what i said at all; however, your breakdown of the book, and the obvious misconceptions that you quite clearly hold show me that you did in fact fail to understand the book.

When exactly did Tomas treat women badly? He was open about his infidelities from the start (he attempted to separate sex and love - if only we could), he was quite obviously a thoroughly conflicted man (in more ways than one).

I think we perhaps have different opinions on how people should treat each other. I could not sympathise with Tomas' inability to be faithful to Tereza. He claimed to love her, but caused her a huge amount of pain with his constant infidelities. He wandered around Prague telling women 'Take of your clothes', which they apparently all loved. He also abandoned his wife and young son, just because he felt like it. My dislike of Tomas is not the only reason, or even the main reason, that I did not like the book. There are some interesting themes, which is why I think it might be interesting to study, but as someone who reads for pleasure, I did not find it an enjoyable or interesting read. I think I am entitled to state that opinion without being told to go and read the book again. I also do not like your claim that women are not able to understand Tomas. Disliking a character and not understanding them are not the same thing.

[Publius]

(Original post by mrs_bellamy)
I think we perhaps have different opinions on how people should treat each other. I could not sympathise with Tomas' inability to be faithful to Tereza. He claimed to love her, but caused her a huge amount of pain with his constant infidelities. He wandered around Prague telling women 'Take of your clothes', which they apparently all loved. He also abandoned his wife and young son, just because he felt like it. My dislike of Tomas is not the only reason, or even the main reason, that I did not like the book. There are some interesting themes, which is why I think it might be interesting to study, but as someone who reads for pleasure, I did not find it an enjoyable or interesting read. I think I am entitled to state that opinion without being told to go and read the book again. I also do not like your claim that women are not able to understand Tomas. Disliking a character and not understanding them are not the same thing.

This has nothing to do with a difference of opinion; rather you seem to be unable to distinguish your own personal opinion of how you think people should conduct themselves and a universal truth.

Once again: Tomas did not believe himself to be doing any wrong to Tereza, he believed that sex and love were separate. He didn't see why he should have to give up his favourite pastime (or even obsession) because he was in love; because for him at least, love and sex were entirely separated (look at the erotic scenes between Sabina and Tomas - completely devoid of love, just playful eroticism). Who is Teresa (the product of 6 unlikely coincidences) to completely change his philosophy about life? (she was heavy, he was light - this is why they were unhappy, they were simply incompatible).

And Teresa agreed with this - which is why she never condemned Tomas for his infidelities.

The situation with his wife and son was explained, and was in fact far more complicated than you appear to be making out. He did not merely 'abandon' them.

I don't think if you understand Tomas you can dislike him: a true individual that refuses to conform - generally someone still suffering the follies of youthful idealism would dislike Tomas, as he shuns any kind of ideal. Oh and i didn't say a woman couldn't understand Tomas; just that, from my experience, the only people i know that have reacted in a similar way to you about Tomas have been women - and there have been enough to distinguish it as a trend.

I find it astounding that people can nitpick a book because it doesn't conform to their perceived societal norms about love, sex, and relationships.

[mrs_bellamy]

(Original post by Publius)
This has nothing to do with a difference of opinion; rather you seem to be unable to distinguish your own personal opinion of how you think people should conduct themselves and a universal truth.

Once again: Tomas did not believe himself to be doing any wrong to Tereza, he believed that sex and love were separate. He didn't see why he should have to give up his favourite pastime (or even obsession) because he was in love; because for him at least, love and sex were entirely separated (look at the erotic scenes between Sabina and Tomas - completely devoid of love, just playful eroticism). Who is Teresa (the product of 6 unlikely coincidences) to completely change his philosophy about life? (she was heavy, he was light - this is why they were unhappy, they were simply incompatible).

And Teresa agreed with this - which is why she never condemned Tomas for his infidelities.

The situation with his wife and son was explained, and was in fact far more complicated than you appear to be making out. He did not merely 'abandon' them.

I don't think if you understand Tomas you can dislike him: a true individual that refuses to conform - generally someone still suffering the follies of youthful idealism would dislike Tomas, as he shuns any kind of ideal. Oh and i didn't say a woman couldn't understand Tomas; just that, from my experience, the only people i know that have reacted in a similar way to you about Tomas have been women - and there have been enough to distinguish it as a trend.

I find it astounding that people can nitpick a book because it doesn't conform to their perceived societal norms about love, sex, and relationships.

I don't like Tomas. I don't like the book. That is my opinion. I will not talk about this any more. I came to this thread for an interesting discussion about the book, not to be attacked by you.

[Publius]

I wasn't attacking you, don't take things so personally.

You came in here for 'interesting discussion', while contributing a simplistic description that was both naive and largely misconceived. So i felt the need to point out the flaws in your discourse, so that if someone who was interested in the book chanced across your post, they would not come away holding misconceptions about the book.

How can you have come in here for 'discussion' if you were not willing to have your opinions challenged anyway?