Testaments Betrayed: Essay in Nine Parts, an - Paperback

by Milan Kundera (Author)

"A defense of fiction and a lesson in the art of reading." --New York Times Book Review

"Testaments Betrayed is to be savored paragraph by paragraph. . . . It must be purchased, read, pondered, and argued within the margins. And frequently reread." -- Washington Post

A brilliant and thought-provoking essay from one of the twentieth century's masters of fiction, Testaments Betrayed is written like a novel: the same characters appear and reappear throughout the nine parts of the book, as do the principal themes that preoccupy the author. Kundera is a passionate defender of the moral rights of the artist and the respect due a work of art and its creator's wishes. The betrayal of both--often by their most passionate proponents--is one of the key ideas that informs this strikingly original and elegant book.

In this landmark essay collection, Kundera confronts the essential questions of European art:

• The Betrayal of Art: Kundera's passionate defense of the artist's intent against the distortions of critics, translators, and even well-meaning admirers who betray the creator's wishes.
• Kafka's Comic Genius: A brilliant refutation of academic "Kafkology," revealing the humor, poetry, and misunderstood genius of one of modernism's greatest masters.
• The Soul of the Novel: A sweeping exploration of the novel's history, from the unserious spirit of Rabelais and Cervantes to the complex architectures of Broch and Musil.
• Stravinsky's Homeland: A surprising analysis of the great composer's work, arguing that after leaving Russia, Stravinsky found his only true home in the entire history of music.

Back Jacket

A brilliant and thought-provoking essay from one of the twentieth century's masters of fiction, Testaments Betrayed is written like a novel: the same characters appear and reappear throughout the nine parts of the book, as do the principal themes that preoccupy the author. Kundera is a passionate defender of the moral rights of the artist and the respect due a work of art and its creator's wishes. The betrayal of both--often by their most passionate proponents--is one of the key ideas that informs this strikingly original and elegant book.