Rating: 
Summary: On par with Cervantes
Review: Just as Don Quixote is the seminal piece of Spanish literature, and War and Peace defines Russian lit, so does Hasek's classic capture the essence of the Bohemian soul, and the ridiculousness and pointlessness of World War I.In doing the bare minimum to be considered competent, we see the nature of Czech resistance to Austro-Hungarian (and later, Soviet) authority - as Havel put it some fifty years later, it is the "power of the powerless" - subverting authority from within while seemingly going along with the grandious designs of the ruling elite. Svejk is a common footsoldier - an "everyman" - who frankly would rather have a beer than fight, and has no real interest in the war or its outcome. The humor is subtle, the satire biting, the social criticism of Austro-Hungarian class structure dead on. Some of the jokes and jabs may be a bit above the heads of those not familiar with the history or culture of the region. It his, however, an enjoyable - and I dare say classic - read.
Rating:
Summary: The Father of Irony and Sarcasm
Review: Once in a while, people claim that this or that was the greatest book of all times. In this case, however, this saying is true. And you know what? Persistently and now well over 90 years, it's been true! Unrivaled and unmatched, Jaroslav Hasek still stands a few cuts above the greatest of authors.
Jaroslav Hasek is the greatest author of all time. (And that's a hell of a statement!) He invented sarcasm and irony. He took no prisoners and clawed with his penetrating wit at all layers of society. He pandered to no one. He saw the filthy rot in every layer of every organisation. He belonged to no one, not even his readers. This particular book is probably his greatest. It does not age. Though set in WWI, it's as spanking new today and applicable to -- for instance, the moral American debacle of Bush's war and demonisation of millions of Middle Eastern children, their mums and dads -- as it ever was.
The book ends prematurely, far too prematurely for the immensity of J Hasek. A half way through its fourth part, with the sudden death of the author, it ends abruptly leaving the reader gasp and shed tears everytime. Thank God for the 4 parts. Many have tried finishing this literary torso but all have failed. I'm now attempting the impossible, but I'll be straight with you in telling you that I don't believe my version of Hasek's part V will do much but dent the literary world. I'm certain, mine will be the best of all the many endings but I must, in advance, apologize to the great literary genius Jaroslav Hasek for the stunt. But the Hasek nurtured cynicism I've cherished and cultivated so leaves me no choice.
This book is the greatest book in the world. Yet, I do not recommend it since the English translation is simply atrocious. It's an impossible task, really. One cannot hope to translate the most grammatically expansive and the most expressive language coupled with the largest vocabulary in the world into the primitive non-inflected English that actually boasts that an average adult commands her pithy 300 of its root words. Except in English there are only root words. But in this case, the butchery went even further the obvious translation guillotining. It seems the silly translator did not grasp even the most basic fundamentals of Czech slicing rapier-like wit and instead filled page after page with boredom and pathetic account of what Hasek might have meant. It's as though a first grader reviewed some unwanted book he was forced to skip through. It's no wonder the English version is a sad 20% of the original thickness. Nothing of value makes it into the translation, which, by the way, is a purposeful and deliberate attempt to keep Jaroslav Hasek from rightfully dominating the world literary stage.
All Western pushed authors like Hemmingway, Poe, and Shakespeare pale in comparison and lay about the American bookstore shelves boring generation after generation with their lackluster witless emptiness.
I urge all to learn Czech and thus gain a front row view into the amazing Hasek social rhetoric, prophecies, and foresight offered in the funniest possible way that exists in the entire literary world today.
Don't no one forget that the word 'Robot' is Czech! Czech literary artistry is the best in the world, hands down. Just as Czech authors have no equals in the world, Jaroslav Hasek stands alone far above the rest even among his mother-tongue peers.
Rating: 
Summary: The Good Soldier Svejk and His Misfortunes...
Review: Perhaps one of the most comical books and best acerbic political satires ever conceived, this book is utterly permeated with sarcasm and the farcical adventures of the "good" soldier Svejk. Putting the defects of the Austria-Hungarian empire into the limelight Jaroslav Hasek hillariously dethrones them. It is a weeping shame however that the novel has not been completed as it quietly dies shrouding the rest of Svejk's adventures in mystery. Also, one might say that the "toilet humour" and sarcasm together with the convenient misadventures become somewhat monotonous and cliche after the first 300-400 pages. And yet, despite its weaknesses and length, "The Good Soldier Svejk and His Fortunes in WWI" undisputably deserve your attention.
Rating:
Summary: One of the true classics written in witty and original style
Review: The Good Soldier Svejk is like no other book I have ever read. It is truly a classic war satire and is on par with books like Catch 22. I see it as the spawn of many satires written about WWII however quite rightly no author has ever tried to replicate the style that it was written in. Jaroslav Hasek had one of the most interesting lives of any author, switching from Austro-Hungarian to Russian Monarchist to Bolshevik to Czech nationalist during WWI and his life story is reflected somewhat in his story while he illustrates it with brilliant humour. The character of Svejk is developed in such an intricate way that makes it difficult to discover his real purposes but the book is not damaged in the slightest by the fact that it was cut short because of Hasek's untimely death. In fact it has only helped to cultivate the Svejk legend. I encourage ANYONE to read this book. If your knowledge of Austria-Hungary and WWI is lacking, then this is the best way to learn!
Rating:
Summary: Humbly Report, Sir...
Review: The Good Soldier Svejk is one of the classics of literature that sprang from the flesh-fertilized grounds of World War 1. But Svejk is a war book with a twist. It is profoundly funny -- hiliarious in fact, an antiwar novel that wanders throughout the realm of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire without getting anywhere near the Russian front for a long time. Unlike Remarque's brooding "All Quiet on the Western Front", or Lawrence's memoir "Seven Pillars of Wisdom", Hasek's novel views the war as a great absurdist event, a colossal stupidity witnessed by a small stupid person, Svjek (who prior to the war, made his living by selling dogs with forged pedigrees). But Svejk isn't stupid. He PLAYS dumb all right, because he knows that's how one survives. Hasek lays bare the ridiculousness of the old Habsburg monarchy: the ethnic rivalries, the endless bureaucracies, religions of convenience, the military heirarchy, as seen through the eyes of the not-as-simple-as-he-seems Czech reservist, Svjek. Through a series of mishaps, blunders, deliberate scams and other reasons, Sjvek always seems to somehow just avoid going to the front, until the very end of the book, which has kind of a surprise ending all its own. It is a wordy book (largely because Hasek wrote the book as a serial published in an Czech newspaper -- he was paid by the word), but an immensely fun one nevertheless. Considering all the serious literature that came out of the First World War, Sjvek is a hilarious treat with a serious subtext that hasn't lost its power to entertain and provoke thought. It's not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: First as drama, then as farce, then as a reelection effort
Review: This is a brilliant book, taking on unnecessary wars started by vile and senile rulers. The book is full of insights of highest relevance to us. In fact, it has been studied and cited abundantly by the policymakers. Is is never credited though, but then, perhaps the speechwriters had difficulties finding out whether the Doppelmonarchie (where the book was written) was a member of the coalition of the willng.
Here is the latest excerpt, from Gov. of CA's GOP convention speech:
" Let me tell you about the sacrifice and the commitment that I have seen firsthand. In one of the military hospitals I visited, I met a young guy who was in bad shape. He'd lost a leg, he had a hole through his stomach, and his shoulder had been shot through. And the list goes on and on and on.
I could tell that there was no way he could ever return to combat. But when I asked him, "When do you think you'll get out of the hospital?" He said, "Sir, in three weeks."
And do you know what he said to me then? He said he was going to get a new leg, and then he was going to get some therapy, and then he was going to go back to Iraq and fight alongside his buddies.
He said, "Arnold, I'll be back."
This is directly lifted from a propagandist leflet described in the book. I am not sure Arnold's aids fully realized the depths of Hasek's sarcasm, though.
The book has an eery feel, as if foretelling what next cliche will be deployed to work up the fears of the tired population. It seems, one can read it as the scripts of today's war propaganda machine.
In short - immensely funny, biting and sharp book; book for today and, alas, perhaps for more years to come, fellow Americans...
Rating:
Summary: A Profoundly Hilarious Study Of Humanity
Review: This is one of those books that you can never get enough of and it always amazes you with its simplicity and originality. The book is like an endless gallery of human characters lost and exposed by the turmoil of the war. It is a comedy of words and situations, yet it is also in a way the revenge of the small people against the big mindless "system." It is the ultimate guide to not taking the world seriously. It is unbeleivably enjoyable. It helps of course if you are eastern european makes it easier to recognize and identify. But still the greatest book ever if I had to choose one.
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious, yet touching
Review: This is perhaps one of the best satires written in World War 1. While it doesn't match up in the intensity of "All Quiet on the Western Front" it is an excellent read. The bumbling Svejk will becme a companion to you as you read through his misadventures. Unbelievebly funny as well. it is a shame that Hasek died before completing it. However I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest books ever!
Review: This is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces of satyrical literature, on par with such giants as Don Quixote and Gargantua. While some particular jokes and comical situations may be difficult to understand for readers who didn't live in the Austro-Hungarian empire in the early 20th century, the humor is timeless, the way all masterpieces are. An incredibly funny novel that draws its comical effect from the absurdity of war, one of the most brutal and tragic events that humans can experience, where comic situations are unlikely to arise. The fact that they do here, and that the book causes the reader to laugh aloud many times while still showing him the cruelty and horrors of war, is the sign of a true satyrical genius. Svejk himself, the seemingly idiotic but in truth extremely wise and cunning "everyman" character, who was partially based on Hasek himself, is one of the most likeable and memorable characters in world literature.
I first read this book 5 years ago, and since then I reread it at least once a year and always find some new aspects of Hasek's work that I've missed before. I heartily recommend this all-time classic to anyone who is interested in WWI history, or just wants a good laugh.
Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest books ever!
Review: Twenty years ago this was required reading for my East European history course, and I have to say it is not only a classic but a great read. My Professor (an exile Latvian) wanted us students to know the reason why Eastern Europeans acted the way they acted. After being dominated by major great powers, East Europeans became docile in the face of power. Good soldier Svejk not only exhibits this with both the Austro-Hungarians, but also the Russians. Svejk accomodates himself to the realities of his life by acceptance outwardly, but resists internally the controls placed on him.
This is a great read for those trying to understand East Europe.
It is also a humorous read. Even now I chuckle over the actions of Good Soldier Svejk.
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