Karel Čapek books in order
Czech writer
- Lived
- 1890–1938
- Country
- Cisleithania
- Books
- 35
- Also writes as
- Karel Vašek, B. Č., K. Č., Karel Plocek
Karel Čapek published 12 novels, 1 novella, 3 short story collections, 6 non-fiction books, 1 children's book, 6 plays and 6 other books, beginning with R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) a Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue (1920).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Karel Čapek
Start here
R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) a Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue
Karel Čapek's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Osoby (1920)
Továrna Na Absolutno (1922)
Krakatit (1924)
How a Play Is Produced (1925)
The Gardener's Year (1929)
Dášeňka (1933)
Hordubal (1933)
War with the Newts (1936)
První Parta (1937)
Život a Dílo Skladatele Foltýna (1939)
I Had a Dog and a Cat (1940)
The Makropulos Affair (2000)
Novellas in order
R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) a Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue (1920)
Short story collections in order
Money and Other Stories (1929)
Nine Fairy Tales by Karel Čapek (1932)
Tales From Two Pockets (1994)
Non-fiction in order
Letters from England (1925)
Letters from Spain (1931)
Letters from Holland (1932)
Intimate Things (1935)
The Cheat (1939)
Travels in the North (1939)
Children's books in order
Dashenka (1935)
Plays in order
Pictures from the Insects' Life (1922), with Josef Čapek
The Makropoulos Secret (1922)
Věc Makropulos (1922)
'And So Ad Infinitum' (1923)
The Mother (1938)
Other books in order
Adam the Creator (1927)
An Ordinary Life (1934)
Meteor (1934)
Power and Glory (1937)
In Praise of Newspapers (1951)
Science, Fact and Fiction (1974)
Film and TV adaptations
- R. U. R.Film · from R.u.r. (Rossum's Universal Robots)
- Recipe of Her Youth (1983)Film · from Věc Makropulos
- The Adventure of RockTV · from War with the Newts
About Karel Čapek
Karel Čapek was a Czech writer, playwright, critic and journalist. He has become best known for his science fiction, including his novel War with the Newts (1936) and play R.U.R., which introduced the word robot. He also wrote many politically charged works dealing with the social turmoil of his time. Influenced by American pragmatic liberalism, he campaigned in favor of free expression and strongly opposed the rise of both fascism and communism in Europe.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Karel Čapek FAQ
- How many books has Karel Čapek written?
- Karel Čapek published 12 novels, 1 novella, 3 short story collections, 6 non-fiction books, 1 children's book, 6 plays and 6 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Karel Čapek's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) a Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue.
- What is Karel Čapek's last book?
- I Had a Dog and a Cat (1940).
- What is Karel Čapek's most famous book?
- R. U. R. (Rossum's Universal Robots) a Fantastic Melodrama in Three Acts and an Epilogue (1920) is Karel Čapek's most widely read book.
- Does Karel Čapek write under a pen name?
- Yes: Karel Čapek has also published as Karel Vašek, B. Č., K. Č. and Karel Plocek.
- Which Karel Čapek books have been adapted?
- 3 books have been adapted for film or TV, including R.u.r. (Rossum's Universal Robots) (as R. U. R., film), Věc Makropulos (as Recipe of Her Youth, film, 1983) and War with the Newts (as The Adventure of Rock, TV).
- Can I read Karel Čapek's books for free?
- Yes. 3 books by Karel Čapek are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Karel Čapek
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.