The Farewell Waltz

About “The Farewell Waltz”

Set in a Central European spa town, Farewell Waltz follows eight characters caught in a chaotic and accelerating series of events. These include a nurse and her repairman boyfriend, an eccentric gynecologist, a wealthy American who is both a saint and a lover, a trumpeter and his jealous wife, and a former political prisoner preparing to leave his country and the young woman he cares for. The novel, written in 1969–70 in Bohemia, was first published in 1976 in France under the title La valse aux adieux. It was later published in thirty-four other countries. This translation, based on the French version prepared by Kundera himself, captures his intended tone and style. The novel is considered one of Kundera’s most skillfully plotted works, blending serious themes with a light, almost blasphemous tone.