The Unbearable Lightness Of Being: A Heavy, Must-Read

Even though I’m a writer, and an avid fan of art, in general, I’ll admit that I have always been an on and off reader. Raised without television, I read religiously up until the day that I packed my bags and headed off to college. College, however, was a different story. I was always flustered between classes and two jobs and simply couldn’t make the time to read anything other than what I HAD to read.

By Elizabeth

Now that college is a thing of the past for me, I’ve luckily been able to set aside more time these days for reading, but – sometimes – I need a little inspiration.

Needless to say, I was psyched when Spin Magazine invited me to be a member of their book club. I took up the offer gladly and now I’m thrilled each month to read and discuss the books that the selected members choose. The first book that I read was Milan Kundera’s, ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being‘. And I loved it.

Each sentence is painted artistically and poetically as the stories surrounding several lovers’ intertwined lives unravels. Infidelity is a leading motif in this piece, but the book neither encourages nor discourages it. Instead, the book plants you into a place of perspective. It allows you to see deeply into the lives of those who cheat and break hearts and those who are faithful and get their hearts broken. And every possible variable in between.

It’s a moving book…one of those ‘emotional brick to your face’ kind of reads. It’s heavy. More than infidelity, it discusses existentialism…the pursuit of living ‘lightly’ or ‘heavily’ and the burdens that each choice will bring onto those in your own life. It’ll make your stomach sick continually, but it’s a marvelous work…one that I encourage you all to read if for no other reason than perspective alone.

(photo from: harpercollins.com)