The Unbearable Lightness of Being cover art

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

 Preview
Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection.
Listen to your selected audiobooks as long as you're a member.
Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being

By: Milan Kundera, Michael Henry Heim
Narrated by: Richmond Hoxie
Try Standard free

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $27.99

Buy Now for $27.99

About this listen

One of the century's most famous novels, available for the first time on audio - read by Richmond Hoxie. Milan Kundera's iconic novel of love and politics in communist Czechoslovakia is 'a dark and brilliant achievement' (Ian McEwan).

'A cult figure.' Guardian
'Shamelessly clever ... Exhilaratingly subversive and funny.' Independent
'A modern classic ... As relevant now as when it was first published. ' John Banville

A young woman is in love with a successful surgeon - a man torn between his love for her and his incorrigible womanising. His mistress, a free-spirited artist, lives her life as a series of betrayals - while her other lover stands to lose everything because of his noble qualities.

In a world where lives are shaped by irrevocable choices and fortuitous events, and everything occurs but once, existence seems to lose its substance and weight - and we feel 'the unbearable lightness of being'.

A masterpiece by one of the world's truly great writers, Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being encompasses passion and philosophy, infidelity and ideas, the Prague Spring and modern America, political acts and private desires, comedy and tragedy - and illuminates all aspects of human existence.

©2012 Milan Kundera (P)2012 Faber & Faber Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction
All stars
Most relevant
Thought provoking and insightful look into human nature and weaknesses. Lots to like and dislike about the characters for a better look at the bigger picture.

Might be my all time favourite book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Incredible story. You almost believe it. It will leave you wondering who you relate to the most and why.

A heart wrenching roller coaster

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The first half of this story was great, interesting and provoking in a fun manor.
The second half was confusing as the story seemed to go back and forth in time line without suggesting it had which made it hard to keep track of, and the provocative nature got more and more bizarre which is fine for some.
I don’t understand why some scenes were in this book…
However there were many quote-able lines, deep provoking thoughts and poetically sound ideas that made it very worth while.

Politically insightful yet confusing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautiful themes and stories, highly recommended for those who enjoy intertwined stories. Favourite author.

Charming

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Amazing story. Great performance by Richmond Hoxie. Second time reading it and love it as much as the first time.

Great narrator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.