Karel Čapek
Karel Čapek was a renowned Czech writer, playwright, and critic. He is best known for his science fiction works, including the play 'R.U.R.' (Rossum's Universal Robots), which introduced the word 'robot' to the world. Čapek's writing was marked by a deep concern for humanity and a skepticism of unchecked technological progress. His other notable works include the novel 'War with the Newts' and his detective fiction. Čapek's influence extends beyond literature into the realms of philosophy and social thought.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. War with the Newts
The novel is a satirical science fiction tale that explores the discovery of a species of intelligent giant newts. When humans realise they can exploit these creatures for economic gain, they are enslaved and used for labor and military purposes. The newts ultimately rebel, leading to a global war. The book serves as a critique of various political, economic and ideological systems, including colonialism, capitalism and fascism.
The 1538th Greatest Book of All Time -
2. R.U.R.
The book presents a futuristic play where a company creates artificial people called "robots" to serve humans. These robots are initially content to work for their human creators, but as they develop emotions and a sense of self, they grow resentful of their servitude. This leads to a global uprising where the robots overthrow their human masters, resulting in the near extinction of the human race. The narrative explores themes of industrialization, dehumanization, class conflict, and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, ultimately questioning what it means to be human and the consequences of playing god.
The 7152nd Greatest Book of All Time
