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Written in 1982 and first published in 1984, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is the
most noted novel by Czech author Milan Kundera. It is set during the Prague Spring and describes the lives of four intellectuals
and lovers: Tomas, Tereza, Sabina, and Franz. Much of the story is centered on the unconventional and interweaving
love lives of each of the main characters, particularly the relationship between Tomas and Tereza.
Although a novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being is often considered a major philosophical work, due largely to its exploration of the concepts of lightness and weight. The novel is also noted for its references to einmal ist keinmal, which literally translates from German as "once is never." To quote from the text: "Einmal ist keinmal," says Tomas to himself. What happens but once, says the German adage, might as well not have happened at all. If we have only one life to live, we might as well not have lived at all."This fanlisting celebrates the beauty and concepts of The Unbearable Lightness of Being and gives fans of Kundera's masterpiece a place to unite. |