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158 pages, Unknown Binding
First published April 1, 2000
"Both of them are pidgeonholed, labeled, and they will be judged by how true they are to their labels (of course, that and that alone is what's emphatically called "being true to oneself")."There's something about his books that makes them feel like narrative sketches, filled with author's musings in long, heavily punctuated sentences; ruminations about particular world experiences that finally, tangentially connect to the characters - and the characters themselves serving as just a canvas for Kundera's introspective reflections.
"They had really done a lot for me. They saw me as the embodiment of an 茅migr茅's suffering. Then the time came for me to confirm that suffering by my joyous return to the homeland. And that confirmation didn't happen. They felt duped. And so did 'i, because up till then I'd thought they loved me not for my suffering but for my self."
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"She had always taken it as a given that emigrating was a misfortune. But, now she wonders, wasn't it instead an illusion of misfortune, an illusion suggested by the way people perceive an 茅migr茅?"The motif Kundera relies on is the story of Odysseus, of his single-minded journey back to where he was from, to Ithaca, to his old life, where he - supposedly - belonged, where he was one of them, where his life outside of the boundaries of the island was little but an interruption in the regular chain of events. But what about the two decades of his life he spent elsewhere? Do they matter? And how is he supposed to reconcile them with the life to which he made his "great return"?
"For twenty years he [Odysseus] had thought about nothing but his return. But once he was back, he was amazed to realize that his life, the very essence of his life, its center, its treasure, lay outside Ithaca, in the twenty years of his wanderings. And this treasure he had lost, and could retrieve only by talking about it. [...] But in Ithaca he was not a stranger, he was one of their own, so it never occurred to anyone to say, "Tell us!"
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"It was a very strange conversation: I'd forgotten who they had been; they weren't interested in who I'd become. Can you believe that not one person here has ever asked me a single question about my life abroad? Not one single question! Never! I keep having the sense that they want to amputate twenty years of my life from me. Really, it does feel like an amputation. I feel shortened, diminished, like a dwarf."
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"I imagine the feelings of two people meeting again after many years. In the past they spent some time together, and therefore they think they are linked by the same experience, the same recollections. The same recollections? That's where the misunderstanding starts: they don't have the same recollections; each of them retains two or three small scenes from the past, but each has his own; their recollections are not similar; they don't intersect' and even in terms of quantity they are not comparable: one person remembers the other more than he is remembered; first because memory capacity varies among individuals (an explanation that each of them would at least find acceptable), but also (and this is more painful to admit) because they don't hold the same importance for each other."Kundera's writing still has the magic in its wistful philosophizing, exploration of nostalgia and memory, and I highly recommend this book. It leaves behind a vague feeling of dissatisfaction - not the irritated one of something not living up to the expectations, but the disappointment and dissatisfaction in the very expectations you hold, and somehow I find this feeling resonating and captivating.
丕賱睾乇賷亘 毓賳丿賲丕 賷鬲禺匕 賯乇丕乇 丕賱睾乇亘丞. 賵 兀賷丕 賰丕賳鬲 兀爻亘丕亘賴 賮賯丿 丨賰賲 毓賱賶 賳賮爻賴 亘丕賱睾乇亘丞 丕賱兀亘丿賷丞 丨鬲賶 賵 廿賳 毓丕丿.
匕賴亘鬲 賲賳 賴賳丕賰 賵 賴賷 賲丕 鬲夭丕賱 賮鬲丕丞 亘乇賷卅丞 賵 鬲毓賵丿 丕賱丕賳 賵 賯丿 氐丕乇鬲 丕賲乇兀丞 賳丕囟噩丞 賵 禺賱賮賴丕 丨賷丕丞. 丨賷丕丞 氐毓亘丞 鬲卮毓乇 亘丕賱丕賮鬲禺丕乇 亘賴丕. 鬲乇賷丿 兀賳 鬲賮毓賱 兀賷 卮賷亍 賰賷 賷賯亘賱賳賴丕 亘鬲噩丕乇亘賴丕 丕賱鬲賷 毓丕卮鬲賴丕 賮賷 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱兀禺賷乇丞. 亘賯賳丕毓丕鬲賴丕. 賵 兀賮賰丕乇賴丕. 賴賷 賲爻兀賱丞: 禺匕賵賴丕 兀賵 丕鬲乇賰賵賴丕. 廿賲丕 兀賳 鬲鬲賲賰賳 賲賳 丕賱亘賯丕亍 賲毓賴賳 賰賲丕 賴賷 丕賱兀賳 兀賵 兀賳賴丕 賱賳 鬲亘賯賶.
丕賱毓丕賱賲 賰賱賴 賷毓鬲賯丿 兀賳賳丕 賳乇丨賱 賱賱鬲賲鬲毓 亘丨賷丕丞 爻賴賱丞. 賱丕 賷毓乇賮賵賳 賰賲 賲賳 丕賱氐毓亘 兀賳 鬲卮賯賷 胤乇賷賯賰 賮賷 毓丕賱賲 睾乇賷亘. 兀賱丕 鬲賱丕丨馗賷賳責 鬲睾丕丿乇賷賳 亘賱丿賰 賵 賲毓賰 胤賮賱 賮賷 丕賱賲賴锟斤拷 賵 丌禺乇 賮賷 丕賱亘胤賳. 鬲賮賯丿賷賳 夭賵噩賰. 鬲乇亘賷賳 丕亘賳鬲賷賰 賮賷 丕賱亘丐爻..賮賷 丕賱睾乇亘丞 賷鬲睾賷乇 賰賱 卮賷亍 丨鬲賶 兀賳 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱毓丕卅丿 賱賷爻 賴賵 賳賮爻賴 丕賱卮禺氐 丕賱匕賷 匕賴亘 賲賳匕 爻賳賵丕鬲 兀賵 毓賯賵丿 賵 毓賳丿賲丕 賷毓賵丿 賵 賷噩丿 賲丕 賰丕賳 賱賴 賯丿 兀氐亘丨 賱睾賷乇賴 賮賴賵 賱丕 賷丨賲賱 囟睾賷賳丞 亘賯丿乇 賲丕 賷丨賲賱 兀賱賲丕 賵 賲乇丕乇丞 賵 賷丨爻亘 兀賳賴 賷卮丕賴丿 丕賱丿賳賷丕 賲賳 賲賯毓丿 丕賱賲鬲賮乇噩 賱丕 賲賳 禺卮亘丞 丕賱賲爻乇丨 丕賱匕賷 賰丕賳 賷賯賵賲 亘丿賵乇 丕賱亘胤賵賱丞 毓賱賷賴丕 賲賳 賯亘賱.
賲毓 匕賱賰 賮廿賳 乇丐賷鬲賴 賱爻丕毓鬲賴 賮賷 賲毓氐賲 丌禺乇 睾丕乇 亘賴 賮賷 丨丕賱丞 賲賳 丕賱賯賱賯 毓賲賷賯丞. 鬲賵賱丿 毓賳丿賴 丕賳胤亘丕毓 亘兀賳賴 賷賱鬲賯賷 亘丕賱毓丕賱賲 賰賲丕 賷賱鬲賯賷 亘賴 賲賷鬲 賷禺乇噩 亘毓丿 毓卮乇賷賳 毓丕賲丕 賲賳 賯亘乇賴. 賷賱丕賲爻 丕賱兀乇囟 亘禺胤賵 賲賳 賮賯丿 毓丕丿丞 丕賱賲卮賷. 賱丕 賷賰丕丿 賷鬲毓乇賮 毓賱賶 丕賱毓丕賱賲 丕賱匕賷 毓丕卮 賮賷賴. 賱賰賳賴 賷鬲毓孬乇 亘丕爻鬲賲乇丕乇 亘亘賯丕賷丕 丨賷丕鬲賴. 賷乇賶 亘賳胤賱賵賳賴. 乇亘胤丞 毓賳賯賴. 毓賱賶 兀噩爻丕丿 丕賱亘丕賯賷賳 兀丨賷丕亍. 丕賱匕賷賳 鬲賵夭毓賵賴丕 亘賰賱 胤亘賷毓賷丞. 賷乇賶 賰賱 卮賷亍 賵 賱丕 賷胤丕賱亘 亘卮賷亍. 賮丕賱賲賵鬲賶 毓丕丿丞 賲丕 賷賰賵賳賵賳 禺噩賵賱賷賳.賲毓 匕賱賰 賮廿賳 丕賱睾乇賷亘 賷賳鬲丕亘賴 丕賱丨賳賷賳 賰賱 丨賷賳 賵 賱賰賳 丕賱氐賵鬲 賷賰賵賳 兀毓賱賶 賮賷 丕賱亘丿丕賷丞 孬賲 賱丕 賷賱亘孬 兀賳 賷禺賮鬲 乇賵賷丿丕 乇賵賷丿丕 丨鬲賶 賱丕 賷購爻賲毓 廿賱丕 賴賲爻丕 賵 賲毓 匕賱賰 賮廿賳賴 賷馗賱 賮賷 丕賱賵噩丿丕賳 賵 鬲亘賯賶 丕賱匕賰乇賷丕鬲 丨賷丞 賳丕亘囟丞 丨鬲賶 丕賳 鬲丿丕禺賱鬲 氐賵乇賴丕 賵 鬲亘丕毓丿鬲 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕.
賰賱賲丕 賰丕賳 丕賱夭賲賳 丕賱匕賷 賳禺賱賮賴 賵乇丕亍賳丕 兀賰亘乇 賰賱賲丕 兀氐亘丨 丕賱氐賵鬲 丕賱匕賷 賷丨孬賳丕 毓賱賶 丕賱毓賵丿丞 賱丕 賷賯丕賵賲. 賷亘丿賵 賴匕丕 丕賱丨賰賲 賲亘丿亍丕 毓丕賲丕. 賱賰賳賴 賲夭賷賮. 賮丕賱賰丕卅賳 丕賱亘卮乇賷 賷卮賷禺 賵 丕賱賳賴丕賷丞 鬲賯鬲乇亘. 賮鬲氐亘丨 賰賱 賱丨馗丞 孬賲賷賳丞. 賵 賱丕 賷毓賵丿 賴賳丕賰 賵賯鬲 賳囟賷毓賴 毓賱賶 丕賱匕賰乇賷丕鬲. 賷噩亘 賮賴賲 丕賱鬲賳丕賯囟 丕賱乇賷丕囟賷 丕賱馗丕賴乇賷 賱賱丨賳賷賳. 賷馗賴乇 賴匕丕 亘賯賵丞 兀賰亘乇 賮賷 賲乇丨賱丞 丕賱卮亘丕亘 丕賱兀賵賱賶. 丨賷賳 賷賰賵賳 丨噩賲 丕賱丨賷丕丞 丕賱賲丕囟賷丞 夭賴賷丿丕.賲賳 賴賳丕 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱毓賵丿丞 賱賱賵胤賳 亘毓丿 胤賵賱 丕賱睾賷丕亘 賴賷 睾乇亘丞 孬丕賳賷丞 賵 兀亘丿賷丞 賵 賱賰賳賴丕 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丞 丿丕禺賱 丕賱賵胤賳 賳賮爻賴.
賲乇丕賴賯丞 賲賳 兀爻乇丞 賮賯賷乇丞. 鬲毓卮賯 賮鬲賶 賲賳 兀爻乇丞 睾賳賷丞. 賵 丕賱賮鬲丕丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲亘丨孬 賮賷 丕賱卮賷賵毓賷丞 毓賳 賲毓賳賶 賱丨賷丕鬲賴丕. 鬲鬲丨賵賱 亘毓丿 丕賱毓丕賲 1968 廿賱賶 丕賲乇兀丞 鬲鬲夭賵噩 賲賳 賲賳卮賯 賵 鬲賰鬲卮賮 賲毓賴 賮噩兀丞 毓丕賱賲丕 兀賰孬乇 乇丨丕亘丞. 賮賴賷 賱丕 鬲鬲毓乇賮 賮賯胤 毓賱賶 卮賷賵毓賷賷賳 鬲賲乇丿賵丕 毓賱賶 丕賱丨夭亘. 亘賱 毓賱賶 乇賴亘丕賳 賵 爻噩賳丕亍 爻賷丕爻賷賷賳 賯丿賲丕亍 賵 亘乇噩賵丕夭賷賷賳 賰亘丕乇 賮賯丿賵丕 胤亘賯鬲賴賲 兀賷囟丕. 孬賲 賵 賮賷 丕賱毓丕賲 1989 鬲毓賵丿. 賰賲丕 賱賵 兀賳賴丕 禺丕乇噩丞 賲賳 丨賱賲. 賱鬲氐亘丨 賲丕 賰丕賳鬲 毓賱賷賴. 丕亘賳丞 兀爻乇丞 賮賯賷乇丞 賳丕噩丨丞.賴賱 鬲乇賷丿 賯氐丞. 賴匕丕 賴賵 賲賱禺氐 丕賱賯氐丞 賵 賱賰賳賳丕 賱丕 賳賯乇兀 丕賱賯氐氐 賴賳丕 亘賱 賳賯乇兀 賰賵賳丿賷乇丕 賳賮爻賴 賰賲丕 鬲毓賵丿賳丕 賮賷 亘丕賯賷 乇賵丕賷丕鬲賴
"The more vast the amount of time we've left behind us, the more irresistible is the voice calling us to return to it."In this poignant recount of two people, forced to bid goodbye to their native country, in the diminished, yet flickering hope of finding a brighter tomorrow in an alien land, almost 20 years ago from the present, unravels a story replete with more questions than answers. Irena and Josef have found comfortable refuge in their respective abodes at Paris and Copenhagen and have led a fairly decent life, battling through tags of 茅migr茅s and periods of insuperable doubts. Irena has outlived her husband, Martin, reared her two daughters dutifully and seems comfortably living her life with her partner, Gustaf , many years her senior. Josef, after leading a few years of blissful matrimony with his Danish wife, had to surrender her to death which clutched the hands of a severe disease to bring down the curtains.
鈥渄uring his absence, an invisible broom had swept across the landscape of his childhood, wiping away everything familiar; the encounter he had expected never took place.鈥�Irena, on her part, falls into the very trap she had tried so valiantly to flee twenty years ago; her garrulous mother鈥檚 circle of influence. She thinks she can escape her tyranny by escaping the brick house but the roads too seem mercilessly hostile. She wears a local dress, she finds in a city shop, to look (and feel) one of them but when she looks herself in the mirror, the dress itself seemed to have disowned her, accusing her of a traitor who could not live through the pain of this country; a coward who did not have the courage to bear her individual struggle in the interest of her nation.
鈥淪he makes love wildly, lasciviously, and at the same time the curtain of oblivion wraps her lewdnesses in an all-concealing darkness. As if a poet were writing his greatest poem with ink that instantly disappears.鈥�