The Art of the Novel

oh so deliciously delightful. i think i underlined the whole book. now i want to buy another copy and do it all again.

Kundera avoids the usual narcissistic advice revolving around writing "tools" or disciplines. Instead he strikes to the very heart of great novel writing with essays woven with European history, philosophical query, and humanist existentialism. An essential read for writers wanting to move forward with their craft. Outstanding.

This is a wonderful little book. Kundera displays the vast range of his thought. There is a great discussion of Husserl and Heidegger, a brilliant study of Broch's Sleepwalkers, and a little Don Quixote commentary for good measure. Highly recommended!

'a novel examines not reality but existence. and existence is not what has occurred, existence is the realm of human possibilities, everything that man can become, everything he's capable of. novelists draw up the map of existence by discovering this or that human possibility...they grasp one possibility of existence (a possibility for man and for his world) and thereby make us see what...more

'a novel examines not reality but existence. and existence is not what has occurred, existence is the realm of human possibilities, everything that man can become, everything he's capable of. novelists draw up the map of existence by discovering this or that human possibility...they grasp one possibility of existence (a possibility for man and for his world) and thereby make us see what we are, what we are capable of (43)'.   hide