THE VISIONARY FICTION OF KAREL ČAPEK

In this episode John Rieder, a leading authority on early science fiction and its critique of colonialism and more talks about Czech writer Karel Čapek, whose play 'RUR', 'Rossums Universal Robots', introduced the word 'robot' to the world. We discuss the way early sci fi, such as Well's 'War of the Worlds', offered a subtle critique of colonialism and uncontrolled profit/capitalism. John outlines the plots and the various subtexts of three Čapek's extraordinary novels recognised as early examples of science fiction: 'War with the Newts' (1936), 'The Absolute at Large' (1922) and Krakatit (1924), exploring the targets of his satire and his style of writing which, despite the subject matter, is most often comic. We also discuss some of Čapek's influences (he read Wells in English), his other fiction and non-fiction (detective stories, translating French poetry and biography and journalism). In short, a terrific great conversation about a visionary writer who deserves to be better known in the anglophone world. If you are a sci fi fan, check out season 2, episode 1 on Lem/Tarkosvsky's 'Solaris'. In September we are tackling Gibson's 'Neuromancer'.

Participants:

John Rieder is Emeritus Professor of English, University of Hawaii. https://english.hawaii.edu/faculty/john-rieder/

Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/

John Rieder on Karel Čapek, War with the Newts (1936) / Comic Jeremiad Journalism.” Uneven Futures, edited by Gerry Canavan, Sean Guynes, and Ida Yoshinaga. MIT Press, 2022: 99-104.The MIT Press Reader, January 30, 2023. https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/on-karel-capeks-prophetic-sci-fi-novel-war-with-the-newts/

More on Karel ČAPEK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karel_%C4%8Capek

His play 'RUR': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R.

War with the Newts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_with_the_Newts

The Absolute at Large: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Absolute_at_Large

His detective stories, 'Tales from two pockets': https://archive.org/details/talesfromtwopock0000cape

'The gardeners's year': https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/gardeners-year-9780826486257/

The Solaris episode: https://shows.acast.com/brainland/episodes/solaris

Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown

Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk

Instagram: #brainlandcollective

Sketch by KB

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