Identity
by Milan Kundera
Read November 2005
Copy borrowed from the Ramsey County Public Library, Roseville branch
Essay written December 1st, 2005
While listening to: Sibelius' Symphony #6 in D minor
His The Unbearable Lightness Of Being was pretty good, which I read a couple of years ago, so I thought I'd give this one a try. Not bad. A bit over my head, I suppose, but so was T.U.L.O.B. Not a lot of action, a whole lot of meditating, much insight into the internal workings of the characters' minds. Probably all metaphorical, but I don't know what the underlying meaning is. Nice and soft though, which is all I was hoping for from this great European novelist. Deliberate. Thoughtful. Smart. The exact kind of thing that you would never find on the bestsellers lists in America, because Americans are too dumb for this. Myself included, but then I've already admitted that this was over my head. Just because I don't understand all of the philosophical implications of Kundera's writing doesn't mean I don't enjoy it though.
The paperback copy that I read was an Advance Reading Copy, so there were a few typos. But that was okay. I'm assuming that there weren't any major structural changes to the book between the Advance Reading Copy and the final release. But I don't know anything about the publishing industry, so all bets are off.
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