Scan barcode
jasonfurman's review against another edition
5.0
"Are [Kafka's] novels a great read? I have my doubts. Not so about the short stories. There, the ideas that feel interminable in the novels are quick, funny, strange and sad... Just to be blunt: I think the short stories you hold in your hand are the best thing Kafka ever wrote, and the best of them are as good as anything written by anyone."
So says Alexander Starritt in his (short) introduction to the beautifully translated and produced set of Kafka short stories published by Pushkin Press. I am not sure I fully agree with him about the novels, but there are times in The Castle and Amerika when it can feel that way. But I certainly agree with him about the stories. And this selection of the stories is excellent. Most of the (handful) of stories that Kafka actually published in his lifetime are here--"The Verdict" (usually translated as "The Judgment"), "A Hunger Artist," "In the Penal Colony," and "The Stoker" (the most notable absence is
"Josefine, the Singer, or the Mouse People." These are interspersed with other unpublished stories, many of them very short vignettes, often quite funny or surreal that play on other literature--like Don Quixote, the Odyssey, or other greek myths.
If you read just one book by Kafka there is a strong case for making it this one (although you would also need to read [b:The Metamorphosis|17986414|The Metamorphosis|Franz Kafka|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1395614944s/17986414.jpg|2373750] so actually would be tow books by Kafka). Alternatively, my favorite collection is [b:Metamorphosis and other Stories|1677233|Metamorphosis and other Stories|Franz Kafka|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473737812s/1677233.jpg|19196823] which includes all of Kafka's published work and has the advantage of putting them together in the collections they originally appeared so you can better understand the context for them.
So says Alexander Starritt in his (short) introduction to the beautifully translated and produced set of Kafka short stories published by Pushkin Press. I am not sure I fully agree with him about the novels, but there are times in The Castle and Amerika when it can feel that way. But I certainly agree with him about the stories. And this selection of the stories is excellent. Most of the (handful) of stories that Kafka actually published in his lifetime are here--"The Verdict" (usually translated as "The Judgment"), "A Hunger Artist," "In the Penal Colony," and "The Stoker" (the most notable absence is
"Josefine, the Singer, or the Mouse People." These are interspersed with other unpublished stories, many of them very short vignettes, often quite funny or surreal that play on other literature--like Don Quixote, the Odyssey, or other greek myths.
If you read just one book by Kafka there is a strong case for making it this one (although you would also need to read [b:The Metamorphosis|17986414|The Metamorphosis|Franz Kafka|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1395614944s/17986414.jpg|2373750] so actually would be tow books by Kafka). Alternatively, my favorite collection is [b:Metamorphosis and other Stories|1677233|Metamorphosis and other Stories|Franz Kafka|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1473737812s/1677233.jpg|19196823] which includes all of Kafka's published work and has the advantage of putting them together in the collections they originally appeared so you can better understand the context for them.
sknnywhtby's review against another edition
5.0
There were a few duds but nothing bad enough to overlook the great ones.
Highlights: hunger artist, in the penal colony, a short fable, before the law, and the new lawyer.
Highlights: hunger artist, in the penal colony, a short fable, before the law, and the new lawyer.
juliamaereads's review against another edition
5.0
All-time favorite stories: A Hunger Artist, In the Penal Colony, A First Heartache, A Report for an Academy
sawyerbell's review against another edition
4.0
I've long loved Kafka's Metamorphosis so was delighted to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of this eclectic collection of Kafka's stories ranging from flash fiction to long pieces and from comical to moving. Kafka's prose is so crisp and fresh it's hard to believe these stories are decades old (though perhaps we can thank the translators for that?)
Gorgeous cover too. Recommended for all short story lovers.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Gorgeous cover too. Recommended for all short story lovers.
Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC.
t_c_g_'s review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
thunderhead's review against another edition
4.0
Perfect length for a set of short stories. Always enjoy discovering more work by Kafka and revisiting some tales I’ve read before. A Hunger Artist and In the Penal Colony still hit me like a punch in the guts.
lavelle_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Alexander Starritt, in his introduction to this collection, states that these are "the best thing Kafka ever wrote". As someone whose only prior experience with Kafka is "Metamorphosis", I don't know if he's right - but these really ARE some good stories.
A large range of works is presented here. Some are only a few paragraphs, while others span across 30 pages. Brimming with symbolism and dry humour, these will move you, make you laugh, and have you wondering at the end of every piece: did I
A large range of works is presented here. Some are only a few paragraphs, while others span across 30 pages. Brimming with symbolism and dry humour, these will move you, make you laugh, and have you wondering at the end of every piece: did I
bookish_arcadia's review against another edition
3.0
These are the stories that are quintessentially Kafka; by turns absurd, horrifying, melancholy and humorous. His writing is, of course, deft and crisp as always and his observation of human nature and caprice just as insightful and prescient but whether every story is of equal merit or deserving of the label “essential” I am less convinced. Some are mere fragments, barely more than a thought. The ones that are most effective and most powerful are also the best known, The Penal Colony, The Hunger Artist, A Report for the Academy. Although each piece is beautifully translated and, of course, the little volume is gorgeously produced by Pushkin Press I'm not altogether sure how valuable another collection of Kafka can be, especially with so much so brief and all, I think, to be found in English already. For Kafka completists and those who can't resist the lovely cover.
nini23's review against another edition
5.0
My exposure to renowned writer Kafka has been mainly though his most famous work "Metamorphosis." Translator Alexander Starritt, in the preface, makes a strong case for Kafka's short stories showcasing his unique surrealistic style to optimum light vs his novels. Published through Pushkin Press, Starritt says he hasn't arranged them by chronological or thematic order, they are an artistic splay of Kafka's breadth of imagination.
The stories that I found the most striking were 'The Verdict and 'In the Penal Colony.' Some were somewhat mystifying to me, such as 'The New Lawyer.' The really short ones, no more than a few lines or a paragraph, were too brief for me to really sink my teeth into. Some were whimsical (like Poseidon being bogged down by paperwork) , some were reflective and poetic (like 'The Bridge'), some were fantastical, sometimes they possessed all these qualities together. Kafka displays a deft hand in delving into human emotion; those dark hidden bits, those tender vulnerable spots set in a familiar but somewhat offbeat setting. Before you know it, the situation has uncontrollably devolved into surreal horrific territory.
This short story collection is good exposure to a writer who excelled at his craft, highly recommended.
Thanks to Pushkin Press for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
The stories that I found the most striking were 'The Verdict and 'In the Penal Colony.' Some were somewhat mystifying to me, such as 'The New Lawyer.' The really short ones, no more than a few lines or a paragraph, were too brief for me to really sink my teeth into. Some were whimsical (like Poseidon being bogged down by paperwork) , some were reflective and poetic (like 'The Bridge'), some were fantastical, sometimes they possessed all these qualities together. Kafka displays a deft hand in delving into human emotion; those dark hidden bits, those tender vulnerable spots set in a familiar but somewhat offbeat setting. Before you know it, the situation has uncontrollably devolved into surreal horrific territory.
This short story collection is good exposure to a writer who excelled at his craft, highly recommended.
Thanks to Pushkin Press for the ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
piab30's review against another edition
4.0
My first Kafka experience.
And it was an exotic one. Dumbstriking and amazing.
All the stories are short, crisp, and distinct from one another. The common factor is that each of them blurs the lines between real and surreal, believable and unbelievable. After a long time, I've read magical realism, and it was a magical, though short, ride.
The story "The Unhappiness of Being a Single Man", somehow resonated with me, though I am not a man. That loneliness, the emptiness of the protagonist seemed similar to what I often feel. Felt like I found a companion.
And it was an exotic one. Dumbstriking and amazing.
All the stories are short, crisp, and distinct from one another. The common factor is that each of them blurs the lines between real and surreal, believable and unbelievable. After a long time, I've read magical realism, and it was a magical, though short, ride.
The story "The Unhappiness of Being a Single Man", somehow resonated with me, though I am not a man. That loneliness, the emptiness of the protagonist seemed similar to what I often feel. Felt like I found a companion.