Episode 55: Mallarme (accent not included)

A eulogy Live from the Walrus and Carpenter bookstore. Ten years ago, when Jonah first fell headfirst into an obsession with Kundera (and his new English translations) Jonah was surprised to learn Kundera was still alive. Shortly after he started writing notes for an article about the importance of Kundera's novel Immortality to 20th century literature - halfway expecting at some point to have a relationship with a literary journal which might publish it. Those notes still exist but suffice to say said relationship never occurred. But what might be the best simplification is Immortality and NOT the unbearable lightness of being is Kundera's most important novel. In all Kundera's obituaries they lead with him being a commenter on Communism in The Czech Republic and his writings on sexual desire but Kundera dedicated his life to literature and the resonant feeling which displays this best is in the novel Immortality. Don't worry, this point isn't belabored in the show but Jonah needed to make that clear. (Although, perhaps, Immortality makes the most significant impression after reading Kundera's previously published works. Well, no one said dedicating your life to understanding the relationship between metaphor and man and the limits of our desires was streamlined. It's rather rambling and don't expect to look for it knowing what you're going to get. Kind of like this podcast.)