MILAN Kundera is not a strikingly familiar name in India. A Czech by birth, he settled in France and became a French citizen after the invasion of Czech by Russia in 1968. An acclaimed writer, he has written several novels in Czech and French. This book under review Encounter, a collection of essays by him, is a translation from French. The central theme of these essays is art, rather in defence of it, in an era, which he argues no longer values art or beauty. It is indeed an irony that it is now that art collection has become one of the most expensive trades and commercialisation has brought the best returns to artists.
Kundera writes with passion, emotion spilling out from his words, which notes on him say is a signature style. In all, this collection has nine essays. He has taken up the defence of painters, writers and his favourite musician.
To an uninitiated, Kundera is a tough call to read. But his feelings connect to the heart. The book has won much praise in the West as the persons discussed are all from Europe.
(Faber and Faber Limited, Bloomsbury House74-77 great Russell Street, London WCIB 3DA)
