WAR WITH THE NEWTS by Karel Capek

It’s always a gamble to try a 1930s sci fi.  Especially when it is in addition a satire on global politics.  And especially when the author is mostly famous for a another book  (Actually a play, RUR, which gave us the word robot).  The heavy emphasis on lizards is also not a good sign.

This was a gamble that paid off.  WAR WITH THE NEWTS is a very strange, very contemporary book, that is made up of bits and pieces of news reports, scientific studies, and ordinary narrative.  It begins with the discovery of some large undersea lizards, whose population is kept small by shark attacks.  A crusty old sea captain discovers they are teachable, and once they have knives, the shark problem is very much handled and their population explodes.  Humans find lots of uses for the newts, especially in construction and manufacturing.

Being humans, we also of course conduct terrible experiments on them, or try to educate them, or get them to cover their genitals.  Slowly it becomes clear to everyone that the newts are building up armaments under water, but the countries can’t agree to do anything about it, as they are all solving for short term self-interest rather than long term human survival.  It doesn’t end well. 

I find it interesting that Capek wrote it as a satire in the lead up to the Second World War, because it is depressingly relevant to the following current problems: imperialism, Trump, climate change.  Especially climate change.  I guess we don’t change so much. 

One thought on “WAR WITH THE NEWTS by Karel Capek”

  1. i will love to share my testimony to you all the people in world. My name is Clara James form new York i got married to my husband about 2 year ago we start having problems at home like we stop sleeping on the same bed,fighting about little things he always comes home late at night,drinking too much and sleeping with other women out side i have never love any man in my life except him. he is the father of my child and i don't want to loose him because we have worked so hard together to become what we are and have today .few month ago he now decided to live me and the kid,being a single mother can be hard sometimes and so i have nobody to turn to and i was heart broken.i called my mom and explain every thing to her,my mother told me about PRIEST WISDOM how he helped her solve the problem between her and my dad i was surprise about it because they have been without each other for three and a half years and it was like a miracle how they came back to each other. i was directed to priest wisdom and i explain everything to him,so he promise me not to worry that he will cast a spell and make things come back to how we where so much in love again and that it was another female spirit that was controlling my husband he told me that my problem will be solved within 2 days if i believe i said OK So he cast a spell for me and after two days my love came back asking me to forgive him i Am so happy now. so that why i decided to share my experience with every body that have such problem contact priest wisdom the great spell caster on his email Id: supernaturalspell1@gmail.com or whatsapp him +2348124644470 or you can read more of him on supernaturalspell1.blogspot.com/

    i will love to share my testimony to you all the people in world. My name is Clara James form new York i got married to my husband about 2 year ago we start having problems at home like we stop sleeping on the same bed,fighting about little things he always comes home late at night,drinking too much and sleeping with other women out side i have never love any man in my life except him. he is the father of my child and i don't want to loose him because we have worked so hard together to become what we are and have today .few month ago he now decided to live me and the kid,being a single mother can be hard sometimes and so i have nobody to turn to and i was heart broken.i called my mom and explain every thing to her,my mother told me about PRIEST WISDOM how he helped her solve the problem between her and my dad i was surprise about it because they have been without each other for three and a half years and it was like a miracle how they came back to each other. i was directed to priest wisdom and i explain everything to him,so he promise me not to worry that he will cast a spell and make things come back to how we where so much in love again and that it was another female spirit that was controlling my husband he told me that my problem will be solved within 2 days if i believe i said OK So he cast a spell for me and after two days my love came back asking me to forgive him i Am so happy now. so that why i decided to share my experience with every body that have such problem contact priest wisdom the great spell caster on his email Id: supernaturalspell1@gmail.com or whatsapp him +2348124644470 or you can read more of him on supernaturalspell1.blogspot.com/

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