Testaments Betrayed: Essay in Nine Parts, An

"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.