Czech novelist Milan Kundera passes away at 94; Know all about 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' author

Czech writer Milan Kundera, the author of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being", has died aged 94, said Anna Mrazova, spokeswoman for the Milan Kundera Library in his native city of Brno. "Unfortunately I can confirm that Milan Kundera passed away yesterday (Tuesday) after a prolonged illness," she told AFP.

Kundera was born on April 1, 1929, in the town of Brno, in what was then Czechoslovakia. His father was a famous pianist. While pursuing his studies in Prague, he joined the Communist Party, translated French poet Apollinaire, and produced his own poetry. He also taught at a film school where his students included the future Oscar-winning director Milos Forman.

Even though Kundera claimed to be a committed communist, his writing's individual character eventually landed him into problems. He was expelled from the party in 1950, re-joined in 1956 and was expelled a second time in 1970 after the Prague Spring reform movement -- in which he was seen as playing a role -- was crushed.

His debut book, "The Joke," was released in 1967 and provided a critique of the Communist government in Czechoslovakia. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, his most well-known work, was released in 1984. The book was published again and translated into many different languages, becoming a worldwide sensation. In 1988, a movie based on the book starring Daniel Day Lewis as Tomas was released.

Milan Kundera garnered praise for his skill in portraying themes and characters that seamlessly oscillated between the ordinary realities of everyday life and the profound realm of ideas.

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