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Life is Elsewhere

By Milan Kundera
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3.96 goodreads logo

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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Life is Elsewhere by Milan Kundera is a piercing exploration of the relationship between art, politics, and the personal evolution of a young poet named Jaromil. Set against the backdrop of a politically volatile Czechoslovakia, it follows his journey, captured between the idealistic fervour of poetry and the harsh demands of reality. Kundera intricately delves into themes of identity, love, and the often comical contradictions in the poet's pursuit of grandeur.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate an exploration of artistic ambition and the clash between youthful idealism and the harsh realities of life. Its rich narrative weaves together themes of love, politics, and identity, offering an insightful commentary on the human condition.

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Life is Elsewhere

Life is Elsewhere by Milan Kundera is an intriguing early novel from the hugely acclaimed Czech novelist and author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Befriend a budding poet and his adoring mother in this seductive early novel - winner of the Prix Médicis - by the author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Life is Elsewhere features a budding poet and his adoring mother at the heart of the story. This early novel by Milan Kundera explores their relationship intricately and thoughtfully, offering a profound narrative that delves into the complexities of creativity and maternal influence.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Life is Elsewhere is lauded for its poignant and unflinching exploration of an artist's life, with Newsweek highlighting its exceptional portrayal akin to a young man’s coming-of-age narrative. The Boston Globe describes it as a must-read for literature enthusiasts in challenging times, while Time praises Kundera's humorous critique of revolutionary romanticism, drawing comparisons to Evelyn Waugh’s comedic literary style.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571197774

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 September 2000

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main - Re-issue

Contributors:

  • Translated by Aaron Asher
  • Translated by Aaron Asher
  • Translated by Aaron Asher

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 240g

Pages: 272

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Milan Kundera

About the Author

Milan Kundera, born in Brno, Czechoslovakia, was a student when the Czech Communist regime was established in 1948, and later worked as a labourer, jazz musician and professor at the Institute for Advanced Cinematographic Studies in Prague. After the Russian invasion in August 1968, his books were proscribed. In 1975, he and his wife settled in France, and in 1981, he became a French citizen. He is the author of the novels The Joke, Life is Elsewhere, Farewell Waltz, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and Immortality, and of the short-story collection Laughable Loves - all originally in Czech. His most recent novels, Slowness, Identity and Ignorance, as well as his non-fiction works The Art of the Novel and Testaments Betrayed, were originally written in French.

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