NESVADBA, Josef

(1926-)

   Czech psychiatrist, doctor and writer, born in Prague. He started by writing dramatic sketches but soon turned to detective stories and satirical sf, continuing the tradition of Karel CAPEK. One of the best Czech sf writers (CZECH AND SLOVAK SF) - though he has written less sincethe late 1960s - and aside from Capek the best known in the West, JN writes subtly ironic variations on common sf themes, poking fun at human weaknesses, and is not afraid to satirize his own social system (as in "Inventor of His Own Undoing", in all the English-language collectionsnoted below). His 3 early collections of short stories are Tarzanova smrt("Tarzan's Death") (coll 1958), Einsteinuv mozek ("Einstein's Brain") (coll 1960) and Vyprava opacnym smerem ("Expedition in the OppositeDirection") (coll 1962), not to be confused with the later Vypravy opacnym smerem ("Expeditions in the Opposite Direction") (coll 1976), which assembles early work, some previously collected, as does Einsteinuv mozek a jine povidky ("The Einstein Brain and Other Stories") (coll 1987). A mystery novel of fantasy interest is Bludy Erika N. ("The Ravings of Erika N.") (1974), which draws on some of Erich VON DANIKEN's ideas.A laterstage of psychiatry-related sf novelettes and novels begins, in book form, with Ridicsky prukaz rodicu ("Parents' Driving Licence") (coll of 3 linked novelettes 1979). Others are Minehava podruhe ("Minehava for the Second Time") (coll of 3 linked novelettes 1981) and the novel Hledam za manzelamuze ("I am Looking for a Man to be a Husband") (1986). These are less well known in the West, but the title story of the second collection has been translated in cut form as "The Return of Minnehawa or Marian Kolda's Psychoscope" in Panorama of Czech Literature, No 8 (anth 1986Czechoslovakia) ed Nesvadba, an anthology of modern Czech fantasy and sf with biographical pieces on the authors.JN's stories have been a fertile source of inspiration for the Czech film industry. Films based on his work include Tarzanova smrt (1962; vt The Death of an Apeman) dir Jaroslav Balik, screenplay by JN and Balik, a tragicomic new adventure of Tarzan;Blbec z Xeenemunde (1962; vt The Idiot of Xeenemunde) dir Balik, screenplay by JN and Balik, another tragicomedy, this time about a halfwit scientist who kills Nazis; Ztracena tvar (1965; vt The Lost Face) dir Pavel Hobl, screenplay by Hobl and JN, a slapstick story set in the 1930sabout a doctor who can perform miracles of disguise with plastic surgery and organ transplants; Zabil jsem Einsteina, panove! (1969; vt I killed Einstein, Gentlemen) dir Oldrich Lipsky, screenplay by Lipsky, MilosMacourek and JN, an overfarcical TIME-TRAVEL comedy involving a society in 1999 where women are sterile and bearded because of radiation from nuclear war; Slecna Golem (1972; vt Miss Golem) dir Balik, screenplay by Balik and JN, about the creation of an artificial woman by cloning; Upir z Feratu(1981; vt The Vampire from Ferat) dir Juraj Herz, based on JN's story known in English as "Vampires Ltd.", about a racing car that uses the blood of drivers rather than petrol as fuel. Another film based on a JN story is ZITRA VSTANU A OPARIM SE CAJEM (1977; vt Tomorrow I'll Wake up and Scald Myself with Tea).JN's intricately plotted, absurdly logical stories have been translated into many languages and widely anthologized. English-language editions of JN's stories are Vampires Ltd. (coll 1964trans Iris Urwin, Prague) and In the Footsteps of the Abominable Snowman (coll 1970; vt The Lost Face US). All but the first and third stories ofthe latter collection are also in the former, which also contains 5 stories not in the latter.

   JO/SC/FR/PN

   Other works: Dialog s doktorem Dongem ("Dialogue with Dr Dong") (1964), a contemporary novel about Vietnam; Tajna zprava z Prahy ("Secret Report from Prague") (censored text 1978; text restored 1992).