In this book, Milan Kundera offers a great gift to literature. In this exploration of the world of the novel, rich in intelligence and creativity, the author tears down the veil that conceals the truth of the world, the truth of literature, and our existence. In this work, Kundera continues his tireless research into the art of the novel, “this eternal, unforgettable palace.” He shifts his gaze from novelists to their past literary works, searching in the art of the novel to discover the secret of human nature. These are reflections, readings, and questions, stories, encounters, and personal memories as well, that reveal a deep love of life and feed Kundera’s search for ways to know the spirit of the world and human nature. This is a brilliant book that urges us to read and reread authors he loves, bringing them once again into the circle of benign intelligence. It is an invitation to read, on a journey that crosses continents and centuries and ends with this message from the author: “The only thing left for us in the face of this inevitable defeat we call life is to try to understand it. And herein lies the raison d’être of the art of the novel.” “Reading is long, but life is short.” Enjoy!