Jaroslav Hašek Libros

Las aventuras del valeroso soldado Schwejk es, tal vez, la obra de la literatura checa más conocida fuera del país, ya que al poco de ser publicada se tradujo a varios idiomas y fue objeto de adaptaciones teatrales y cinematográficas. Constituye una sátira mordaz y divertida contra lo absurdo de las guerras. Su protagonista, Schwejk, con astuto desamparo y ladina sandez, libra su guerra privada contra la maquinaria militar como un Sancho Panza de la Primera Guerra Mundial, y empleando la estupidez como refinamiento se transforma en un estratega capaz de desarmar a quien sea.

"Here in Bohemia neither the YMCA, nor the Salvation Army can achieve much with their obsession that the Prohibition is the best gift to humanity. However, alcoholism in this country is a historical fact, supported by a number of privileges given by our kings who granted rights to towns to brew beer and their subjects to drink it."

The final volume of Jaroslav Hašek's series encompasses Book Three and the incomplete Book Four, reflecting the author's struggles with health as he navigated the chaos of World War I. Although intended to consist of six books, this installment captures the essence of the protagonist's satirical and absurd adventures, showcasing Hašek's unique humor and poignant commentary on war. Despite its unfinished nature, the work is seen as a fitting conclusion to the narrative that established Hašek's literary legacy.

Set against the backdrop of World War I, this book presents a humorous exploration of life before the war through the eyes of the protagonist, vejk. It vividly depicts the familiar settings of pubs, politics, and daily struggles, showcasing how life continues unchanged even as he dons a military uniform. The narrative highlights the absurdity of military life, likening it to the police force, and emphasizes the camaraderie and resilience of soldiers. This first installment lays the groundwork for vejk's upcoming adventures at the front.

Jaroslav Hasek is best known for his satirical masterpiece "The Good Soldier Svejk." That has been described as 'Perhaps the funniest novel ever written.' Although his life was short and chaotic, Hasek did however write more as this volume tellingly reveals. In his preface, Cecil Parrott, translator and biographer of Hasek, crisply defines its purpose.. 'All the world has heard of Svejk, but few are familiar with the countless other characters Hasek created in his stories and sketches, which together with his feuilletons and articles are though to number some twelve hundred. The best of these deserve to be made available to the Western public and are included in this volume.' The range is wide. There is a selection from his Bugulma stories (Hasek as Bolshevik and Red Commissar), some early Svejk stories, reminiscences of Hasek's apprenticeship days, and the hilariously funny speeches made by Hasek when promoting his political 'Party of Moderate Progress within the bounds of the Law'.

Good-natured and garrulous, Svejk becomes the Austrian army's most loyal Czech soldier when he is called up on the outbreak of World War I - although his bumbling attempts to get to the front serve only to prevent him from reaching it. Playing cards and getting drunk, he uses all his cunning and genial subterfuge to deal with the police, clergy, and officers who chivy him toward battle. Cecil Parrott's vibrant translation conveys the brilliant irreverence of this classic about a hapless Everyman caught in a vast bureaucratic machine.