The Joke by Milan Kundera
"The Joke" follows the life of Ludvik Jahn, a man expelled from the Czechoslovak Communist Party, his university, and the army for a harmless joke he sends in a postcard to a girlfriend. The narrative explores his life before, during, and after his punishment, and his attempts to exact revenge on those who wronged him. Set against the backdrop of the Prague Spring and the Soviet Invasion, the novel delves into the themes of political satire, the absurdity of totalitarianism, and the individual's struggle against an impersonal and oppressive system.
The 1721st greatest book of all time
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- Published
- 1967
- Nationality
- Czech
- Length
- Short
- Pages
- 200-300
- Original Language
- Czech
- Avg User Rating
-
(3.8)
- Alternate Titles
- None
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following 6 lists:
- 8th on Tibor Fischer's Top 10 Eastern European Novels (The Guardian )
- 35th on 100 Best Novels, in Translation, Since 1900 (CounterPunch)
- 47th on Le Monde's 100 Books of the Century (Le Monde)
- 348th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- 3876th on Our Users' Honorable Mention Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- Magnesia Litera: The Books of the Century (Magnesia Litera)