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The Good Soldier Svejk
- Narrated by: David Horovitch
- Length: 28 hrs and 44 mins
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The Good Soldier Svejk
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Summary
The Good Soldier Švejk, written shortly after the First World War, is one of the great antiwar satires - and one of the funniest books of the 20th (or any) century. In creating his eponymous hero, Jaroslav Hašek produced an unforgettable character who charms and infuriates and bamboozles his way through the conflagration that tore through the heart of Europe, upending empires and changing social history.
It is the closing period of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The assassination at Sarajevo has just occurred, and armies are on the march.
Švejk, a seller of dogs of dubious provenance, ends up in gaol (the first of a number of such occasions) and then in a Czech battalion in the Austrian army. He becomes batman to a chaplain (who likes the bottle) and batman to Lieutenant Lukas, who is swiftly driven to despair; he causes havoc wherever he goes (inexplicably ending up being sentenced to death while wearing a Russian uniform), yet never losing an opportunity tell a story, an anecdote, a history, present an explanation: “Humbly to report, sir...”
And the war rumbles on, with hints of the hideousness and slaughter emerging, sometimes all the more vivid because they appear almost between the lines. Jaroslav Hašek, was, like his subject, often on the sidelines of society - an anarchist, a communist, a vagrant, a humourist and writer; women and the bottle and sleight of hand all played parts in his life, and he died at the early age of 39 in penury and obscurity.
His masterwork was left unfinished - appropriately, in a curious way, because of its episodic and wayward nature. Not that it matters! In this masterly and very funny reading, David Horovitch brings Švejk and his companions and compatriots to life, balancing subtle satire with out and out slapstick as we encounter Czechs, Hungarians, Russians, Italians and more from this potpourri of people and events.
The Good Soldier Švejk is presented in the outstanding translation by Cecil Parrott. And the book closes with Parrott’s own absorbing account of Hašek’s life and writings, and the background to Švejk. It is read by Martyn Swain. It is called ‘Introduction’, and Hašek (and Švejk) would have approved of the fact that it comes at the end!
Also included with this recording is a downloadable PDF containing all the main cartoons drawn by Josef Lada which have become an integral part of the enjoyment of the novel throughout the world.
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What listeners say about The Good Soldier Svejk
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tom B
- 26-05-24
Narrator grew on me
It's a brilliant account of the stupidity of war and those who wage war. Possibly a bit dated now but very funny. The narration was a bit cloying at first but became excellent as the story unfolded. Stick with it if you're not sure.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Bretonista
- 02-08-21
Simply wonderful!
I'd always wanted to read Hasek's classic novel, but never quite got around to it. This audio version, beautifully read by David Horovitch, proved to be a good alternative to getting the print version. Horovitch really brings the character to life. Svejk is a cross between Baldrick (of Blackadder Goes Fourth vintage) and Sgt. Bilko, a vulgar, funny, bumptious everyman who stumbles from one fix to another. But beneath the humour there is a serious point. Hasek, as the excellent introduction (sensibly placed at the end of the audio book) points out, was an opponent of the war and of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Consequently the novel is both a classic of European literary comedy and a fierce critique of war, religion, monarchy and the ruling class. I came away from this reading of it wanting to learn more about Hasek, and with a determination to one day tackle the print version, complete with Lada's illustrations. This book is glorious - get it!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Tia
- 14-05-24
A good performance of a great novel.
Brought the characters to life, a pleasure to listen to. I recommend this to anyone who has read the book or wants to become familiar with it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nicholas P.
- 01-05-20
exceptional rendition of an excellent book
everytime l read, or relisten, there is so much to enjoy and to revel in that the story never tires. David Horovitch's reading and interpretation is magnificent ans makes for such an enjoyable read.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Melvin Little
- 31-08-22
An amazing quirky rambling story, only for the patient.
This is a big, long story that draws you into the personality of the well meaning Svejk. Serving under qualified officers at not ever face to face with the enemy but always preparing to.
His rambling stories are legendary and continually try everyone’s patience.
I loved this book.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Clark Gillies
- 11-12-22
Takes a while to get through, but really enjoyable
David Horovitch does a fantastic job of narrating a book that can be something of a slog to get through.
It’s basically a Monty Python take on the book and some of the many voices are great, and so much added to the performance.
You will get hooked and end up getting through it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Olly Buxton
- 11-02-21
I would give David Horowitz ten stars of could
such a joy of a book, and David Horovitch brings it to magnificent life. imagine Dad's Army and Catch 22 (Joseph Heller was inspired by Svejk), set in the Czech/Russian front in WW1 and you are not far off. brilliantly absurd, pointed and imaginative.
Best audible book I've heard in ages
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ricci
- 01-09-23
Memorably Brilliant
I’m at one of those points in a life where I re-visit my childhood a bit. There have been quite a few family bereavements since 2020. These have led to a general re-adjustment of the relationships amongst the rest of us - in quite a nice way as it turns out. I’ve had some counselling, and this has thrown up memories of two books. They’re both books I had strong feelings about wen I was a kid, without ever having read. So I’ve done the obvious thing and read them both. My 8 and 12 year-old self, it turns out, was right!
The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hašek is a work of genius. But if you’re still of an age where you think History is a boring, pointless subject, then you’re not yet old enough for this book. Come back to it later.
Who is Svejk, genius or imbecile? Will he ever reach the front? Why is watching his antics so irresistible - eye-popping, exasperating and funny? And the only reason I haven’t given this 5 stars is that sadly Hasek didn’t finish the novel.
(The other book was Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett, of which you can see my review elsewhere on this page.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Daniel
- 13-12-21
Outstanding Narration
I usually do not favour narration with explicitly different accents or voices for each character, but in this case it was not only fully justified but an actual triumph.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- daveman
- 10-12-20
Dobrý voják Švejk
The Good Soldier Švejk is an unfinished satirical dark comedy novel by Czech writer Jaroslav Hašek, published in 1921–1923, about a good-humored, simple-minded middle-aged man who is enthusiastic to serve Austria-Hungary in World War I.
The book is also the most translated novel of Czech literature, having been translated into over 50 languages!
The Good Soldier Švejk is the abbreviated title, the original Czech title of the work is Osudy dobrého vojáka Švejka za světové války, literally The Fateful Adventures of the Good Soldier Švejk During the World War.
The novel is set during World War I in Austria-Hungary, a multi-ethnic empire full of long-standing ethnic tensions. Fifteen million people died in the war, one million of them Austro-Hungarian soldiers including around 140,000 who were Czechs. Jaroslav Hašek participated in this conflict and examined it in The Good Soldier Švejk.
Many of the situations and characters seem to have been inspired, at least in part, by Hašek's service in the 91st Infantry Regiment of the Austro-Hungarian Army. The novel also deals with broader anti-war themes: essentially a series of absurdly comic episodes, it explores the pointlessness and futility of conflict in general and of military discipline, Austrian military discipline in particular. Many of its characters, especially the Czechs, are participating in a conflict they do not understand on behalf of an empire to which they have no loyalty.
The character of Josef Švejk is a development of this theme. Through (possibly feigned) idiocy or incompetence he repeatedly manages to frustrate military authority and expose its stupidity in a form of passive resistance: the reader is left unclear, however, as to whether Švejk is genuinely incompetent, or acting quite deliberately with dumb insolence. These absurd events reach a climax when Švejk, wearing a Russian uniform, is mistakenly taken prisoner by his own side.
In addition to satirising Habsburg authority, Hašek repeatedly sets out corruption and hypocrisy attributed to priests of the Catholic Church.
NOTE FOR THE AUDIBLE TEAM:
This book should be added/benefit the Czech & Slovak Category's groups in your search bar
THANK YOU!
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10 people found this helpful