The Metamorphosis
(Author) Franz KafkaFranz Kafka's Metamorphosis - arguably the greatest, most famous and most unnerving short work of literary fiction ever written - is a hundred years old in 2015. This centenary edition offers the first complete English translation of Kafka's text (by A. L. Lloyd from 1937) plus a richly detailed new introduction to the story by novelist Richard T. Kelly, describing its genesis and the life of its creator.In The Metamorphosis' unforgettable opening sentence we meet travelling salesman Gregor Samsa - on a rare overnight stay in the apartment he shares with his family, paid for by his ceaseless labour - who awakes one morning 'from a troubled dream' to find himself 'changed in his bed to some kind of monstrous vermin'. 'There is nothing which The Metamorphosis could be surpassed by - one of the few great, perfect poetic works of this century.' Elias Canetti'My greatest masterpieces of twentieth-century prose are, in this order, Joyce's Ulysses, Kafka's [Metamorphosis], Bely's Petersburg and the first half of Proust's fairy tale In Search of Lost Time.' Vladimir Nabokov
Franz Kafka
Franz Kafka was a Czech-born writer known for his surreal and existential works that explored themes of alienation, bureaucracy, and the human experience. His most notable works include "The Metamorphosis," "The Trial," and "The Castle." Kafka's writing style is characterized by its minimalist and precise language, as well as its dark and absurdist themes. His works have had a significant impact on the literary genre of existentialism and have been widely studied and interpreted by scholars and readers alike. "The Metamorphosis," in which a man wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect, is considered Kafka's most famous work and a classic of 20th-century literature. Kafka's unique perspective and exploration of the complexities of the human condition continue to resonate with readers around the world.