The Good Soldier Svejk | 
so-soThis is the very long story of Svejk, a soldier in WWI (who actually never comes close to the real front), who behaves very ignorant and incompetent and so is able to show us a critical view on Austria-Hungary at the time. It shows the pointlessness and futility of military discipline and is a real anti-war novel. Written in 1926, the way Hasek writes about and makes fun of the Jews with the knowledge we have now, is quite sobering. #1001books
pickA humour look at the pointlessness of WW1 though the eyes of a Czech every man. It was written but a Czech anarchist post WW1. He hated the bourgeoisie and wanted to shake the establishment. His intention was to write 6 volumes but died after writing the 4th. I only read the first volume. Starts off hilarious but it rambles on during the middle. 7/10
I like how they thought it was an honorable death because he saved the state on funeral costs. 😂
Preparations for the slaughter of mankind have always been made in the name of God or some supposed higher being which men have devised and created in their own imagination.
pickPossibly one of the best Czech books ever written. This will make you laugh from the first page and ponder uncomfortable realities.
When Švejk subsequently described life in the lunatic asylum, he did so in exceptionally eulogistic terms: 'I really don't know why those loonies get so angry when they're kept there. You can crawl naked on the floor, howl like a jackal, rage and bite. If anyone did this anywhere on the promenade people would be astonished, but there it's the most common or garden thing to do. There's a freedom there which not even Socialists have ever dreamed of.
