The Joke

All too often, this brilliant novel of thwarted love and revenge miscarried has been read for its political implications.

When Ludvik sends his girlfriend Marketa a postcard -'Optimism is the opium of the people...Long live Trotsky' - she is not amused. Nor are the authorities. So Ludvik is sent to exercise his unappreciated sense of humour in a labour camp.

Joke follows joke until Kundera's satirical love-story reaches it magnificent climax, and fate, quite unexpectedly, steals the last laugh...

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