On the day his mother dies, a beautiful stranger come to hear Protestant pastor Daniel Vedra preach. Having lived in Prague during the Communist regime- under constant suspicion and interrogation- Daniel's life now seems easier and fuller than ever before. But as the relationship that develops between the highly respected clergyman and another man's wife reintroduces Daniel to intimacy, so it come to threaten everything he has lived for: his family, his vocation and his future.
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On the day his mother dies, a beautiful stranger come to hear Protestant pastor Daniel Vedra preach. Having lived in Prague during the Communist regime- under constant suspicion and interrogation- Daniel's life now seems easier and fuller than ever before. But as the relationship that develops between the highly respected clergyman and another man's wife reintroduces Daniel to intimacy, so it come to threaten everything he has lived for: his family, his vocation and his future.
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Add this copy of The Ultimate Intimacy to cart. $1.26, good condition, Sold by More Than Words rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham, MA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Grove Press.
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Add this copy of The Ultimate Intimacy to cart. $1.97, good condition, Sold by More Than Words rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham, MA, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Grove/Atlantic.
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Add this copy of Ultimate Intimacy to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by More Than Words rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Waltham, MA, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Granta Books.
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Very Good. . All orders guaranteed and ship within 24 hours. Your purchase supports More Than Words, a nonprofi t job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.
Add this copy of The Ultimate Intimacy to cart. $3.28, very good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1998 by Grove/Atlantic.
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When I first picked up this book, the title and cover image really threw me off. I wasn't aware that Ivan Klima was in the habit of writing racy romantic novels. Luckily, the content is far less explicit than the cover, verifying that old adage yet again. Klima has since become one of my favorite writers, and samizdat literature a staple of my collection.
The Ultimate Intimacy is written as a compilation of letters between the characters, diary entries of the main character, Daniel, and sections of third-person narrative. This pastiche of viewpoints is an excellent method of exploring the characters' attitudes toward and relationships with one another, as well as drawing the reader in and building a personal contact within the story. It's really through this personal connection that Klima explores the themes and issues of this story.
As for the themes and issues, there are too many to list. Some of the more important and prominent categories are listed in the synopsis, but it gives little indication as to how many themes related to morality, love, truth, and passion are present in these pages. The story is good and engaging, but it is really in the exploration that this book finds its value. Many ideas that Klima touches on are only touched upon tangentially, and he doesn't waste precious space discussing them when the reader can think about them himself. The major themes are, however, detailed most thoroughly.
I read the Brain translation, and so cannot attest to Klima's prose personally. I have heard various opinions on this translation, though I have never heard it compared to the original. Personally, I find the emotional content to be contained in the words, rather than the writing skill. All I require of a translation of this work is that it convey Klima's content, which I believe this one does.
