Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Milan Kundera
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Milan Kundera made an impact.
Milan Kundera, a Czech and French novelist, is known for his philosophical novels exploring themes of exile, identity, and the human condition. Exiled to France in 1975 and acquiring citizenship in 1981, his works often delve into the complexities of totalitarian regimes and their impact on individual lives. His notable works include 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'The Book of Laughter and Forgetting', which grapple with memory, history, and the search for meaning in a world marked by political and existential uncertainties. Kundera's writing blends narrative storytelling with philosophical reflection, making him a significant figure in contemporary literature.
1945: Translation of Vladimir Majakovsky's Works
In 1945, the journal Gong published Milan Kundera's translation of some of the works from the Russian poet Vladimir Majakovsky.
1952: Appointed lecturer in world literature
In 1952, after graduating, Milan Kundera was appointed as a lecturer in world literature at the Film Faculty.
1953: Publication of Man: A Wide Garden
In 1953, Milan Kundera published "Man: A Wide Garden".
1955: Publication of The Last May
In 1955, Milan Kundera published "The Last May", a long epic poem dedicated to Julius Fucik.
1957: Publication of Monologue
In 1957, Milan Kundera released the collection of lyrical poetry, "Monologue".
1962: Publication of The Owners of the Keys
In 1962, Milan Kundera wrote the play "The Owners of the Keys", which became an international success.
June 1967: Speech at the Fourth Congress of the Czech Writers Union
In June 1967, Milan Kundera delivered an impressive speech at the Fourth Congress of the Czech Writers union, focusing on maintaining Czech cultural independence.
1967: Publication of The Joke
In 1967, Milan Kundera published his first novel, "The Joke," satirizing the totalitarianism of the Communist era.
August 1968: Book banned after Soviet occupation
Following the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968, Milan Kundera's book "The Joke" was banned.
1968: Loss of job at the Film Faculty
Following the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, Milan Kundera lost his job at the Film Faculty.
1973: Life Is Elsewhere Receives Prix Médicis
In 1973, Life Is Elsewhere received the French Prix Médicis.
1973: Publication of La vie est ailleurs in French
In 1973, Milan Kundera's second novel was first published in French as "La vie est ailleurs."
1979: Kundera Awarded Mondello Prize
In 1979, Kundera was awarded the Mondello Prize for The Farewell Party.
1979: Publication of The Book of Laughter and Forgetting
In 1979, Milan Kundera published "The Book of Laughter and Forgetting", which explored Czech opposition to the Communist regime.
1979: Publication of Život je jinde in Czech
In 1979, Milan Kundera's second novel was published in Czech as "Život je jinde."
1984: Publication of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1984, Milan Kundera's most famous work, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being", was published.
1985: Transition to French Language
From 1985 onwards, Milan Kundera made a conscious transition from Czech towards the French language for his writings.
1985: Kundera Receives Jerusalem Prize
In 1985, Kundera received the Jerusalem Prize.
1985: Czech Expatriate Translation in Canada
In 1985, a Czech expatriate in Canada translated "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" into Czech.
1987: Revision of French Translations
Between 1985 and 1987, Milan Kundera undertook the revision of the French translations of his earlier works himself.
1987: Wins Austrian State Prize for European Literature
In 1987, Kundera won The Austrian State Prize for European Literature.
1988: Film Adaptation of The Unbearable Lightness of Being
In 1988, a film adaptation of Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" was released, which Kundera disliked.
1989: Ban on books lifted after Velvet Revolution
In 1989, after the Velvet Revolution, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia lifted the ban on Milan Kundera's books.
1995: Publication of Slowness
In 1995, Milan Kundera's first work in French, "Slowness," was published.
2000: Publication of Ignorance
In 2000, Milan Kundera published "Ignorance", a novel focusing on the romance of Czech émigrés.
2000: Awarded the International Herder Prize
In 2000, he was awarded the international Herder Prize.
2002: English Translation of Ignorance
In 2002, Linda Asher translated the original French version of Milan Kundera's novel "Ignorance" to English.
2006: Official Czech Translation
In 2006, an official translation of "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" became available in the Czech language.
2007: Awarded Czech State Literature Prize
In 2007, he was awarded the Czech State Literature Prize.
2009: Awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
In 2009, he was awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca.
2014: Publication of the novel
In 2014, Milan Kundera published a novel focusing on male friends in Paris and their relationships, which received negative reviews.
2020: Awarded the Franz Kafka Prize
In 2020, he was awarded the Franz Kafka Prize, a Czech literary award.
