The Newts are coming! The Newts are coming!!, or, I blame it all on Mr. Povondra

War with the Newts by Karel Čapek is an odd little book but with a good deal of quirky (if dark) charm. Written in the form of a historical account of events interspersed with story interludes, it relates the accidental beginnings and -- once begun -- inevitable consequences of the domestication of Andreas Schusteri, the Giant Newt of the order Salamandridae. The Salamanders are a singularly humorless bunch, but the book has any number of very funny bits indeed. Not least of these is the Chief Salamander's choice of musical interludes during the final Newt Uprising, such as "March of the Tritons" from the movie Poseidon and the Salamander Dance from Galatea. *snicker*

Capek is a genius. I started with his Apocryphal Tales" and he just gets better.