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The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being

By: Milan Kundera, Michael Henry Heim
Narrated by: Richmond Hoxie
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About this listen

One of the century's most famous novels, available for the first time on audio - read by Richmond Hoxie. Milan Kundera's iconic novel of love and politics in communist Czechoslovakia is 'a dark and brilliant achievement' (Ian McEwan).

'A cult figure.' Guardian

'Shamelessly clever ... Exhilaratingly subversive and funny.' Independent

'A modern classic ... As relevant now as when it was first published. ' John Banville

A young woman is in love with a successful surgeon - a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanising. His mistress, a free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals - while her other lover 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 and weight - and we feel 'the unbearable lightness of being'.

A masterpiece by one of the world's truly great writers, Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being encompasses passion and philosophy, infidelity and ideas, the Prague Spring and modern America, political acts and private desires, comedy and tragedy - and illuminates all aspects of human existence.

©2012 Milan Kundera (P)2012 Faber & Faber
Classics Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Feel-Good
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What listeners say about The Unbearable Lightness of Being

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Great performance but a drawn out metaphysical wreck of a story

Loved the narrator, story less so. Herman Hesse-lite. Some of the character development was wonderful though.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I love this book

I've read this book many times, hearing it was like reading it again for the first time, it is a great piece of writing

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting and reflective

This book wasn’t gripping but more a reflective and insightful book of philosophy through creation of characters and reflections on life and our ways of making what we can from it and finding meaning

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thought provoking book

This is a simple yet very complicated book which provokes all sorts of thoughts and raises interesting questions. It’s beautifully written in its simplicity and very touching and sad in many parts.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Blissful and brilliant

Kundera is a master of truly touching writing. Few other contemporary writers come so close. If you haven't experienced this novel, go ahead right now. You'll be swept away by its beauty.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

wow

So much depth on the human condition, now I understand why it's frequently on the top must read/digest lists.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Strives to be deep

There are parts of this book that I thoroughly enjoyed. There are moments of great beauty through skilful prose and a thoughtful story. However, I think you can only enjoy an opinionated book if you agree with the opinions expressed. Unfortunately, in enough of the cases to spoil it, I did not.
My other complaint is quoting the ancients to prove your point rather than illustrate it. Euclid was a truly great mind - it took us a couple of thousand years to show his work as incomplete, but eventually we moved past him.
I would go as far as to say I could possibly be a fan of the author, but not the philosopher.
I know others have found this book very deep and enjoyable - it is well written, so I am wary of putting another reader off it just because I didn't enjoy parts of it.

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38 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Emotional and happy memories

I read this at university and it brought back lots of memories. Great story bit of philosophy, bit of love, bit of history, and all good. Throughly enjoyed it, narrated well.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazingly beautiful

I have no other words but to repeat that this book is amazingly beautiful. And the performance is PERFECT.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

the perspectives and relationships through and about Tomas and Tereza :)

the chapters are not titled which was a bit confusing when following along with the physical book. however, I overally loved the narration as well as the storyline; and once i got into it, it was difficult to put down especially when had to get back to work.

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