The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Prague Spring and the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, this philosophical novel explores the lives of two couples, Tomáš and Tereza, and Sabina and Franz. The story is a meditation on the duality of 'lightness' and 'heaviness' in existence. Tomáš, a brilliant surgeon, pursues a life of 'lightness' through his womanizing, which conflicts with his profound love for his wife, Tereza, who represents 'heaviness' and commitment. Their contrasting lives are juxtaposed with the affair between Sabina, an artist who cherishes personal freedom, and Franz, a compassionate professor seeking meaning. The novel intertwines their private struggles with the political turmoil of the time, examining themes of passion, infidelity, intellectual ideas, and the significance of life's irrevocable choices.

Store Availability