Photo of Karel Čapek
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Karel Čapek

1890–1938

2 series 19 books in order 2 standalone books

Karel Čapek was a Czech writer, playwright, critic, and journalist. He is best known for his science fiction works, including the novel War with the Newts and the play R.U.R., which introduced the term "robot." His writings often addressed social and political issues, reflecting his opposition to fascism and communism. He was influenced by American pragmatic liberalism and advocated for free expression.

Born
1890
Known for
Spisy bratří Čapků -- sv, Zábavná výuka angličtiny

Series by Karel Čapek

Spisy bratří Čapků -- sv

16 books in order · 1922–1938

  1. Cover of The Absolute at Large

    The Absolute at Large

    1922 · Karel Čapek

    Karel Čapek wrote the science fiction novel Továrna na absolutno in 1922. It was translated into English and published in 1927 as The Absolute at…

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  2. Cover of R.U.R. and The insect play

    R.U.R. and The insect play

    1923 · Karel Čapek

    In 1920, Čapek wrote R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots), which introduced the term 'robot' and explores themes of humanity and subjugation. Helena…

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  3. Cover of The Makropoulos secret

    The Makropoulos secret

    1924 · Karel Čapek

    Věc Makropulos is a play by Czech writer and playwright Karel Čapek, which premiered in 1922 at the Municipal Theatre on the Vinohrady in Prague. It…

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  4. Cover of Krakatit

    Krakatit

    1925 · Karel Čapek

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  5. Cover of Zahradníkův rok

    Zahradníkův rok

    1931 · Karel Čapek

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  6. Cover of Devatero pohádek

    Devatero pohádek

    1933 · Karel Čapek

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  7. Cover of Povětroň

    Povětroň

    1935 · Karel Čapek

    Povětroň is a work by Karel Čapek, translated into English as Povetron. The book is bound in blue cloth with silver stamping and has red-stained top…

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  8. Obyčejný život

    1936 · Karel Čapek

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  9. Cover of Válka s mloky

    Válka s mloky

    1936 · Karel Čapek

    Originally written in 1936, War with the Newts is considered Karel Čapek's greatest work. The novel follows the discovery of a colony of highly…

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  10. Cover of Bílá nemoc

    Bílá nemoc

    1938 · Karel Čapek

    Unlike many of Čapek's other plays, this one is marked by anguish and fear rather than hope, telling of a dictatorship overcome by an illness it…

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Show all 16 Spisy bratří Čapků -- sv books in order →

Zábavná výuka angličtiny

1 book in order

  1. Dashenka, or the Life of a Puppy

    Year unknown · Karel Čapek

    Dášeňka, čili, Život štěněte is a 2014 book by Karel Čapek. It is part of the series Zábavná výuka angličtiny.

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of Věc Makropulos

    Věc Makropulos

    1922

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  2. Cover of Ze života hmyzu

    Ze života hmyzu

    1922

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Karel Čapek written?

We list 19 books by Karel Čapek across 2 series, published between 1922–1938 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Karel Čapek's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Bílá nemoc.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Karel Čapek's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.