The Good Soldier Švejk by Jaroslav Hašek – Penguin Modern Classics Edition (2000)

The Good Soldier Švejk and His Fortunes in the World War by Jaroslav Hašek is a classic anti-war satire that follows the absurd adventures of Josef Švejk, a well-meaning but comically inept Czech soldier during World War I. Feigning idiocy—or perhaps genuinely naive—Švejk stumbles through the Austro-Hungarian military system, exposing the hypocrisy, incompetence, and senselessness of war and authority. With deadpan humor and sharp irony, Hašek crafts a narrative that is both hilarious and deeply critical of bureaucratic absurdity. This Penguin Modern Classics edition features the full, unabridged English translation by Cecil Parrott, along with the original illustrations by Josef Lada that vividly bring Švejk’s misadventures to life.

Technical details:

Pages: 784

Publication year: 2000

Publisher: Penguin Books (Penguin Modern Classics)

Language: English

Translated from: Czech

Translator: Cecil Parrott

Illustrator: Josef Lada

ISBN: 9780141184289

Author: Jaroslav Hašek