Rating: 
Summary: The Eternal Return
Review: "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" is a story intertwined with philosophical musings. It follows in the vein of the earlier existentialists Camus and Sartre, but rather than featuring alienated individualist narrators, the book brings existentialist themes into the world of politics and human relationships.Kundera raises the question: If life is lived only once, never to be repeated, how can we know that our course is right, rather than randomly determined? We can never compare our course with alternatives or rewrite history. Therefore, life becomes a light and insubstantial thing: hence the "unbearable lightness of being." The book concerns Tomas, a successful doctor who is eventually forced into become a truck driver under the Communist Czech regime, and Teresa, who suffers as a result of Tomas' infidelities and has morbid dreams of death. Their love seems to arise from a series of random coincidences, yet leads to a lifelong romance. During the course of that romance, Tomas sacrifices his medical practice to return with Teresa to oppressive Czechoslovakia, but has difficulty sacrificing his womanizing. The book also charts the relationship of Sabrina and Franz, which exhibits the miscommunication between people even when they're speaking the same language. The list of misunderstood terms between the two, with each's very different connotations, shows the limits on language's ability to create a shared world. This dictionary of difference was one of my favorite parts of the book. I also enjoyed the part where Franz becomes a political "agitator" in Cambodia. The section was especially biting and satirical in showing the inefficacy of such toothless agitation, and also in showing that agitation in the name of ideology is not always driven by the abstract ideology itself. In Franz' case, he is motivated by his fetishized image of his lost Sabrina. All in all, the novel features an interesting interplay between story and philosophy.
Rating: 
Summary: a star
Review: could not put this book down. it was an irresistable, sexy, thought provoking read that has a voice and texture all its own. Kundera is a fascinating writer and this is one of his best.
Rating: 
Summary: contrived....
Review: I thought this was a contrived attempt to wrap ideas round a story. It thus never develops any momentum.
And many of the ideas are oversimplified generalisations when you actually take a few minutes to reflect whether they are accurate or not. On a positive note, it is a no-frills and, in my opinion, accurate description of the futility of most of the stuff which keeps our minds temporarily occupied in life.
Rating:
Summary: A book that young men can relate to.
Review: I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was a requirement for a class and I thank God for higher education. This was my first book I had read by a foreign author. It was a heavy read, but I could relate to his struggles with reference to his female relationships. I was also enlightened on the history of the Czech Republic. I highly recommend this book to any scholar.
Rating:
Summary: The Unbearable Lightness of Being Rocks
Review: Written with clarity and the skipping lightness of language, Milan Kundera is able to cleverly separate the poles of what is light and heavy. These philosophical questions and ideas are portrayed by the two main women in the story: Teresa and Sabina. Both regulate Tomas' life; one being the opposite of another has their enchanting charm and displeasing bitterness. A worthwhile book to read, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is surely an immortal piece of literature. A great novel, a wonderful experience! Two other quick Amazon picks include Henry and June by Anais Nin, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Incredible
Review: In a few words, this is without a doubt the most jaw-droppingly eloquent piece of fiction written this century. Kundera is a genius.
Rating:
Summary: A flawed masterpiece of philosophical fiction
Review: Milan Kundera is an intellectual author of several books of fiction and poetry, plays, and essays. He is even considered by some to be a philosopher. So if you are looking for light reading or erotic literature, then look elsewhere. Even though it is a fairly easy read and it does have a lot of sex, you will be disappointed with this novel. If, however, you are a thinker who loves ideas, a student of philosophy, or a fan of philosophical fiction, then this "book of ideas" is a must read. In this book "lightness" is living superficially, uncommitted, and selfishly without purpose. Weight or "heaviness" is living committed to and loving a spouse, burdened with adherence to and sacrifice for principles that are greater than oneself. In this novel Kundera tells a story of how living a life of lightness is inevitably unbearable, untenable, and that in order to find meaning and peace and happiness in this life, we must take on the weight of commitment and purpose outside ourselves. The philosophy of the novel is essentially existential, and the reader will find many of its concepts operating in the lives of the novel's characters: Life is a series of unique, chance events that the individual experiences in isolation (even though surrounded by people, no one can truly understand the experience of another in the same way); that the universe is indifferent; and that human existence is unexplainable and essentially meaningless; the importance of freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's actions. But there is a lot more in this novel than just these few concepts - much, much more. I say this novel is flawed because it seems to me to cry out for more rewriting and editing. As it is I call it "near great". It is somewhat disordered, overly sexual, and overly ambitious. It contains too many "philosophical" ideas that are left undeveloped. And it includes a lot of discussion and criticism about Communism and the Soviet "invasion" of Czechoslovakia in the Spring of 1968 (although this does have a profound impact on the main characters in the novel). All of this made the book hard to read and follow, and left me confused as to the intended meaning of the novel. Of course great literature is hardly ever easy, and some brainpower is usually required to "put it all together". And in the case of a great novel like Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" figuring out what is going on is half the fun! But in the case of The U. L. of B. I don't think Kundera was trying to write just a great novel. He didn't intend to tell a story that we could figure out completely. His purpose was to engender thought. Not to answer all of life's questions, but to raise some of his own for our consideration and reflection. And at the same time to give us some ideas that may help us to find meaning and happiness and purpose in our own lives. But, even with all the philosophical and intellectual stuff, the novel is still poignant and tender. It even made me cry at one point near the end of the book. Here are a few questions / ideas to keep in mind while reading the novel: What is the significance of sexual lust and promiscuity in our lives, and how do they relate to love, happiness, and contentment? How do commitment and betrayal relate to love, happiness, and contentment? How much do we really control in our lives, and how much are we victims of circumstance? Can we cope with lack of control and "randomness" (perhaps even absurdity) in our lives and still find happiness and peace of mind? Can we find any truth in a world full of lies, deceit, phoniness, manipulation, scheming, propaganda, and kitsch? In this regard, how does our modern, urban lifestyle compare with a natural, idyllic Garden of Eden life that is without guile? Is our human existence better than that of animals? What can we learn about love from the difference in the way we love animals and people? After you finish the novel, be sure to watch the movie. It is beautifully done. It stays close to the main plot of the novel, and the screenplay writer did a very good job of clarifying the novel's principal philosophical message.
Rating:
Summary: If I could, I would give this primer 6 stars!
Review: This book is so hard to describe. It's human, yet it's not. It's multifaceted, yet it has a persistent theme. It's light reading, but it's heavy reading.
I had never read any works from Kundera, and I now truly realize what I was missing. This book can be as inspiring as it can be depressing. It has so many messages and morales and so self-sufficient. The author does a very explendid job inmersing the reader into the storyline. Kundera should be revered as other genius authors are (e.g. Hemingway, Twain, et cetera).
This book brought many a smile, reflection and tear in me. It evoked so many feelings and imagery. It made me think about the self, the soul and the body. Additionally, the philosophical implications of the book are rather important and deep in substance as it regards the concept of the self. Further, the author gives the impression that he is in the same agnostic position regarding Existentialism and Transendetalism as many other people still is (including myself). The author questions many things, among them: love, sex, the physical body, the "image" body, faithfulness, human-to-animal relationship, and even religion.
Wonderful book, and will highly recommend to anyone interested in smart, and reflective reading.
Rating:
Summary: The most powerful book.
Review: I never ever read such a brilliant,sad and powerful book.This is the novel that will be remembered for centuries.
Rating:
Summary: With a catch...
Review: This remains one of the finest novels of the twentieth century, in any language. That said, I'm basing my comments and star rating on the original translated edition. Since Kundera decided to play revisionist historian and re-edit the books based on the translations in French, wholly disenfranchising the powerful emigre heritage that spawned the novel in the first place, I feel that any changes after the fact cannot be in the best interest of the work and do not represent the message and intent of an author who, living in France for upwards of twenty years now, has lost touch with the person he once was.
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