A provocative and rousing essay collection from one of Europe's greatest living writers

'The people of Central Europe cannot be separated from European history; they cannot exist outside it; but they represent the wrong side of this history; they are its victims and outsiders.'

In a moment of historic threat and uncertainty in mainland Europe, this collection, makes the case for the 'small countries' of Central Europe as the nucleus of European values and a lightning rod for its potential dangers, where language and culture play an active role in affirming national identity and democracy is under continued threat from the threat of Russian oppression.

However, these countries have been historically overlooked by the major powers of Western Europe. Kundera warns that this blindness puts Europe's cultural and political independence at risk, a warning that feels increasingly relevant to our current moment.