Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan KunderaMy favorite of Kundera's books (followed closely by The Unbearable Lightness of Being), this seven-part novel of Czech history, culture, and bawdy sexual humor is a work of brilliance. The prose is deceptively simple, drawing you into philosophical discussions of the nature of memory and record, and how easy it would be to erase someone right out of history. Set during the Soviet occupation in the late 60s, the book explores life under totalitarian rule, as well as the magic of laughter and dancing.