【Milan Kundera Library】Director's Public Lecture: The Self-Exiled Bard's Literary HavenHKU MUSE

(In English)

The celebrated Czech novelist Milan Kundera (1929-2023) left behind a remarkable literary legacy that adorns countless bookshelves. A man of few words in public, Kundera offered little clues about his inner workings to the outside world, until an intriguing dream from his wife inspired him to donate his entire collection of 3,000 publications to the Moravian Library (MZK) in his hometown of Brno in 2020. The massive Paris-to-Brno haul included author copies of all his works in 40 languages, articles written by and about him, published reviews, newspaper clippings, photographs, and even his drawings.

Director of the MZK and its Milan Kundera Library, Prof. Tomáš Kubíček, will give a public lecture to recount the story behind this extraordinary donation. He will discuss the challenges of curating such a vast collection and reflect on the significance of Kundera's 'return' to his birthplace after his self-exodus in 1975. Join us for an insightful exploration of Kundera's impact on literature and his enduring legacy, as Prof. Kubíček shares his firsthand experiences in this unique endeavor.

｜REMARKS｜
．Patrons under the age of 10 will not be admitted.
．The lecture is approximately 90 minutes without intermission.
．Guests are advised to arrive punctually. No latecomers will be admitted until a suitable break in the programme.
．Programmes and artists are subject to change.
．The presenter reserves the right to make final decisions on seating arrangement, to deny entry, and reserve all rights of final arbitration in case of dispute.