A friend of mine, who lives in Czech, sent me a couple of fascinating articles re: the writer I often revere. Kundera is someone people love to hate in his home country, and these particular articles are likely fuel for the proverbial fire. At the heart of the matter: the question of whether or not he betrayed a fellow citizen to the Communist police during his youth. My opinion (for now) is that it does nothing to detract or add to the man's intelligent perspectives on the history of the novel, or the literary value of his writings. But I imagine his character as a person will not escape indictment--if the accusations are indeed true.
Article One and Article Two.
2 comments:
I bought his writing book the other day on your recommendation. Of course I wont be able to start it for another six or seven years, but it sure looks dandy sitting on my shelf.
I am wading through (in my non-existent spare time) James Wood's How Fiction Works. Wood (not the actor from Vampires) states in his introduction that he wants to refute some of Kundera's concepts. The book is amazing, sort of a split difference between a criticism and a how-to book.
hat are you reading these days?
Interesting. I'll have to check out the Wood book. So far, Kundera's views seem to be exactly where I sit on writing, but that sort of thing changes all the time.
Right now I'm reading Bill Gaston's Gargoyles. Seriously, Sam. An easy read and some outstanding short stories. The man is a god at creating endings.
Oh, and "follow my blog".
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