Suggested by: Melissa C
Pages to read: 180
ISBN: 9780060932145 (Originally listed edition)
ISBN: 9780063290693 (Edition Eugene is using)

**[Eugene's review of the book (Blog Link, Click Here)](https://www.inquiryreviews.com/p/the-book-of-laughter-and-forgetting.html)**

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**While reading the book, consider the below questions: (General)**
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•Which story is your favorite?
•What is the political background of the stories?
•What is the history of Czechoslovakia?
•How did Russia affect Czechoslovakia?
•How did the people change their behavior?
•Are the interactions between men and women representative of behavior?
•What are the advantages and disadvantages of forgetting?
•What effect does laughing have?
•How do people influence each other?

**Lost Letters (Part One)**
•Who is Clementis?
•What is the power of memory?
•Who is Mirek?
•Who is Zdena?
•What was the status of an intellectual?
•How did Germany influence Czechoslovakia?
•What happened to Czechoslovakia when the Russians arrived?
•Is there a difference between someone and their destiny?
•Why do people want power?

**Mama (Part Two)**
•Who is Karel?
•Who is Marketa?
•Who is Karel’s mother?
•Who is Eva?
•What happens with Karel, Marketa, and Eva?
•What happens during the Karel’s mother’s visit?
•Why do Karel and Marketa want Karels’ mother to leave?
•What is the effect of jealousy?

The Angels (Part Three) by Milan Kundera
•What are the different types of laughter?
•Who is Mr. Kundera?
•Who is the journalist?
•Who is the narrator?
•What article did the journalist write?
•What did the authorities think of the article?
•What did society think of the article?

**Lost Letters (Part Four)**
•Who is Tamina?
•Why do people want to talk to Tamina?
•What does Tamina want the parcel?
•Where is the parcel supposed to be?
•What does Tamina’s mother-in-law know about the parcel?
•Why and how did Tamina leave Czechoslovakia?
•How does Tamina attempt to retrieve the parcel?
•Who is Bibi?
•Who is Banaka?

**Litost (Part Five)**
•What is Litost?
•ho is Kristyna?
•What is Kristyna’s relationship with the butcher?
•What is Kristyna’s relationship with the student?
•What is Kristyna’s medical condition?
•How to overcome misery?
•Who is the narrator?
•Who is Voltaire?
•What happens at the poets event?
•What was Petrarch story?
•What compromises are being made in the story?

**The Angels (Part Six)**
•Who is Tamina?
•How did Tamina change?
•Where did Tamina go?
•Who are the Squirrels?
•How did Tamina interact with the children?
•What happened when Tamina helped the children with the games?
•What is the outcome of memory on a person?

**The Border (Part Seven)**
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•To whom would you suggest the book?
•Is there an appropriate behavior for a specific age?
•Who is Barbara?
•Who are the Clevis’s family?
•Who is Jan?
•How is culture changing?

Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.

Eugene Kernes

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