zembroo's review against another edition
5.0
Oczywiście nie wszystkie teksty są tak samo wyborne, ale ten zbiór to bajka dla fanów Kafki!
avinsh10's review against another edition
4.0
Stories published during Kafka's lifetime:
Meditations- 3.5 Stars
Vignettes of different narrators, devised by Kafka to explore alienation, nostalgia, and existentialism.
The Judgement- 5 Stars
Allegory for how a judgment can be passed without fully understanding the case.
The Stoker -3.5 Stars
The lost trunk was still lingering in my mind by the end of this story.
The Metamorphosis- 5 Stars
The first time I read Metamorphosis, all I felt was a sense of despair and dread. This time around I was more empathetic to Gregor's condition rather than antipathetic. And on the second read, what I realized was that it was not just Gregor Samsa who transformed but also the people around him. I agree with Nabokov's interpretation, it is the metamorphosis of Grete Samsa that is the "Ides of March" for this story. The alienation felt from being left out is the most powerful emotion that drives this story.
On a deeper level, the story deals with the ideas of how our choices are decided by others and we're all part of this intricate web, continuously pulling straining each other.
In the Penal Colony- 3.5 Stars
This reminded me of Edgar A. Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". Skillfully written with black humor, Kafka explorer similar themes (judgment without prosecution).
Written during the first world war, It also comments about the evils of machinery.
A Country Doctor and Other Stories - 4 Stars
There are excellent stories in this collection. Some of them influenced J.L Borges. Here are some of my favorites.
i. A Country Doctor
A doctor whose occupation is to save lives ponders on his existence.
ii. Before the Law
Mysticism mixed with existentialism makes this an all-time classic. The narrator is waiting for a revelation from god.
iii. Jackal and Arabs
Could be a subtext for European Arab conflict or an allegory for nonsensical vendetta.
iv. A Message from the Emperor
Kafka uses Zeno's Achilles Tortoise paradox to expresses the frustration in passing a message to future generations.
v. The Cares of a Family Man
In this meta-fiction work, the author poses a question about one's invention outliving its creator.
"He does not harm anyone that one can see, but the idea that he is likely to survive me I find almost painful."
vi. A Dream
Kafka's protagonist from "The Trial" dream about his own grave.
vii. A Message to the Academy
Free will is a subtle concept it can't be obtained via force and must be gained with patience thought.
A Hunger Artist and Other Stories -4 Stars
Like his previous stories, Kafka explorers themes of identification. One's know identity is defined by the expectations of society. Which he argues is fickle-minded and not long-lived. When one passes on, he or she will eventually be forgotten; just like the Hunger Artist or Josephine, the singer and it doesn't matter what they think of you.
I would recommend Borges's essay "Kafka and his precursors" to anyone interested in learning about Kafka's influences.
Stories unpublished during Kafka's lifetime:
Description of a Struggle -3.5 Stars
A more optimistic work from Kafka. Even though it's chaotic and not well structured, it was very engaging.
Here are two quotes from the story that best capture the thoughts Kafka was trying to express.
"One fears a number of things - that one's body could vanish, that human beings may really be what they appear to be at twilight, that one might not be allowed to walk without a stick, that it might be a good idea to go to church and pray at the top of one's voice in order to be looked at and acquire a body. "
"For we are like tree trunks in the snow. They lie there flat on the ground and it looks on though one could push them away with a slight kick. But no, one can't, for they are firmly stuck to the ground. So you see even this is only apparent "
The Angel -4 Stars
A witty tale about an out of the ordinary situation.
The Village Schoolmaster [The Giant Mole]- 3.5 Stars
A witty tale about misunderstandings.
Blumfeld, An Elderly Bachelor -4 Stars
Even though incomplete, it's a Gogolesque witty tale about a bachelor's life. The narrator's struggles with being a loner is the subject of the first half of the story. Kafka uses the paired bouncing balls as a symbol for cognitive dissonance and it's Blumfeld's solitude that enables him to empathize with his neighbors and colleagues. Locking away the balls(thoughts) in the closet grounds him and lets him appreciate life. The second part focuses more on his interaction with the world through work life.
Hunter Gracchus -5 Stars
An eternal torment of man called Hunter Gracchus. The use of magic realism to explore questions of immortality makes this one of Kafka's best tales.
The Bridge -3.5 Stars
Allegory for mental breakdown.
An Ancient Sword -4 Stars
Absurd and surreal
A Crossbreed -4 Stars
Kafka tries to express an identity crisis with the help of an analogy.
A Splendid Beast -3 Stars
Gruesome.
A Common Confusion -3.5 Stars
He tries to use "intercept points of two lines" to portray a hilarious situation.
The Truth about Sancho Panza -3 Stars
I haven't read Don Quixote yet so I only have a vague idea of what he was trying to say.
Prometheus -3.5 Stars
Alternative perspectives for Greek mythology.
Poseidon -4 Stars
What if a god was burdened by paperwork?
The Vulture -5 Stars
Giving in to your inner demons.
The Top -4 Stars
Can you understand everything in the world if you understand a single element in it?
A Little Fable -3.5 Stars
Tiny but powerful.
Investigations of a Dog -3 Stars
Questioning the limits of knowledge.
On Parables -3.5 Stars
Self referential.
The Burrow -4.5 Stars
A moving account of an anti-social individual. Always paranoid or in distress about losing to an imaginary enemy. When that happens you start to question yourself. What is my life worth? What is my legacy? and How do I find comfort in this world?. The imaginary enemy here is society and its expectations are the noise that they produce.
In Borges's review of "The Vulture, Franz Kafka". He mentions that Kafka was fascinated by two main themes: subordination & infinite. The former can be seen in his published works and the latter more in his unpublished works. By using these ideas, he successfully instill in us the feeling of despair and absurdity that exists in this world.
Regards,
Vinay
Meditations- 3.5 Stars
Vignettes of different narrators, devised by Kafka to explore alienation, nostalgia, and existentialism.
The Judgement- 5 Stars
Allegory for how a judgment can be passed without fully understanding the case.
The Stoker -3.5 Stars
The lost trunk was still lingering in my mind by the end of this story.
The Metamorphosis- 5 Stars
The first time I read Metamorphosis, all I felt was a sense of despair and dread. This time around I was more empathetic to Gregor's condition rather than antipathetic. And on the second read, what I realized was that it was not just Gregor Samsa who transformed but also the people around him. I agree with Nabokov's interpretation, it is the metamorphosis of Grete Samsa that is the "Ides of March" for this story. The alienation felt from being left out is the most powerful emotion that drives this story.
On a deeper level, the story deals with the ideas of how our choices are decided by others and we're all part of this intricate web, continuously pulling straining each other.
In the Penal Colony- 3.5 Stars
This reminded me of Edgar A. Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". Skillfully written with black humor, Kafka explorer similar themes (judgment without prosecution).
Written during the first world war, It also comments about the evils of machinery.
A Country Doctor and Other Stories - 4 Stars
There are excellent stories in this collection. Some of them influenced J.L Borges. Here are some of my favorites.
i. A Country Doctor
A doctor whose occupation is to save lives ponders on his existence.
ii. Before the Law
Mysticism mixed with existentialism makes this an all-time classic. The narrator is waiting for a revelation from god.
iii. Jackal and Arabs
Could be a subtext for European Arab conflict or an allegory for nonsensical vendetta.
iv. A Message from the Emperor
Kafka uses Zeno's Achilles Tortoise paradox to expresses the frustration in passing a message to future generations.
v. The Cares of a Family Man
In this meta-fiction work, the author poses a question about one's invention outliving its creator.
"He does not harm anyone that one can see, but the idea that he is likely to survive me I find almost painful."
vi. A Dream
Kafka's protagonist from "The Trial" dream about his own grave.
vii. A Message to the Academy
Free will is a subtle concept it can't be obtained via force and must be gained with patience thought.
A Hunger Artist and Other Stories -4 Stars
Like his previous stories, Kafka explorers themes of identification. One's know identity is defined by the expectations of society. Which he argues is fickle-minded and not long-lived. When one passes on, he or she will eventually be forgotten; just like the Hunger Artist or Josephine, the singer and it doesn't matter what they think of you.
I would recommend Borges's essay "Kafka and his precursors" to anyone interested in learning about Kafka's influences.
Stories unpublished during Kafka's lifetime:
Description of a Struggle -3.5 Stars
A more optimistic work from Kafka. Even though it's chaotic and not well structured, it was very engaging.
Here are two quotes from the story that best capture the thoughts Kafka was trying to express.
"One fears a number of things - that one's body could vanish, that human beings may really be what they appear to be at twilight, that one might not be allowed to walk without a stick, that it might be a good idea to go to church and pray at the top of one's voice in order to be looked at and acquire a body. "
"For we are like tree trunks in the snow. They lie there flat on the ground and it looks on though one could push them away with a slight kick. But no, one can't, for they are firmly stuck to the ground. So you see even this is only apparent "
The Angel -4 Stars
A witty tale about an out of the ordinary situation.
The Village Schoolmaster [The Giant Mole]- 3.5 Stars
A witty tale about misunderstandings.
Blumfeld, An Elderly Bachelor -4 Stars
Even though incomplete, it's a Gogolesque witty tale about a bachelor's life. The narrator's struggles with being a loner is the subject of the first half of the story. Kafka uses the paired bouncing balls as a symbol for cognitive dissonance and it's Blumfeld's solitude that enables him to empathize with his neighbors and colleagues. Locking away the balls(thoughts) in the closet grounds him and lets him appreciate life. The second part focuses more on his interaction with the world through work life.
Hunter Gracchus -5 Stars
An eternal torment of man called Hunter Gracchus. The use of magic realism to explore questions of immortality makes this one of Kafka's best tales.
The Bridge -3.5 Stars
Allegory for mental breakdown.
An Ancient Sword -4 Stars
Absurd and surreal
A Crossbreed -4 Stars
Kafka tries to express an identity crisis with the help of an analogy.
A Splendid Beast -3 Stars
Gruesome.
A Common Confusion -3.5 Stars
He tries to use "intercept points of two lines" to portray a hilarious situation.
The Truth about Sancho Panza -3 Stars
I haven't read Don Quixote yet so I only have a vague idea of what he was trying to say.
Prometheus -3.5 Stars
Alternative perspectives for Greek mythology.
Poseidon -4 Stars
What if a god was burdened by paperwork?
The Vulture -5 Stars
Giving in to your inner demons.
The Top -4 Stars
Can you understand everything in the world if you understand a single element in it?
A Little Fable -3.5 Stars
Tiny but powerful.
Investigations of a Dog -3 Stars
Questioning the limits of knowledge.
On Parables -3.5 Stars
Self referential.
The Burrow -4.5 Stars
A moving account of an anti-social individual. Always paranoid or in distress about losing to an imaginary enemy. When that happens you start to question yourself. What is my life worth? What is my legacy? and How do I find comfort in this world?. The imaginary enemy here is society and its expectations are the noise that they produce.
In Borges's review of "The Vulture, Franz Kafka". He mentions that Kafka was fascinated by two main themes: subordination & infinite. The former can be seen in his published works and the latter more in his unpublished works. By using these ideas, he successfully instill in us the feeling of despair and absurdity that exists in this world.
Regards,
Vinay
emencii's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rinlux's review against another edition
4.0
Some collected thoughts I had across reading:
The sudden walk, resolutions, bachelor’s ill luck, absent-minded window-gazing: feel just like insights into kafkas own meditations while the other stories have hints of kafka’s later atmosphere
Rejection holds a little bit of the comic some say kafka was
The Judgement: An obvious display of kafka’s relationship with his father, a foundation of his work.
The Metamorphosis: A story about purpose, and isolation. The idea of being an unwanted pest to everyone around you could be told in many ways but it shows the descent of a man who was once appreciated and loved. Gregor had a purpose (his job), and lived it. But who could keep themselves the same after being treated as a horrifying and pathetic creature. It’s commentary on societal norms like Gregor worrying about work the most rather than his obvious predicament are comedic in nature and will stick with me. People can be cruel.
In the Penal Colony: Gruesome. Maybe a tale of how unjust practices can never bring about true justice? It shows kafkas interest in the idea of law in its west forms. The “will rise again” on the grave is taken with comedy and yet justice in the most humane way eludes many modern countries today. The idea of the explorer just resigning and not commenting on the absurdity of it all to anyone of importance after the death of the officer is a troubling statement to leave off on. He can do nothing but observe for he feels his place is not here, and by preventing the others from joining him on his boat he assures them that this is their place. Interesting story overall.
Country Doctor: odd story, i love this idea of a doctor of new but having these strange rituals of the town. could have gone further with this theme.
Before the Law: reused from the trial. but still such an interesting idea in so few words. the Law seems so authoritative and absolute yet inconceivable.
A Dream: K. returns from the trial, and this story has the theme of a condemned man for no real reason other than he felt like he was. Kafka truly shows this utter helplessness.
A Hunger Artist - a parable for the artists experience, it brings up a lot of thoughts about what should be admired and how it is received by its audience. as well as what it means to be an artist
Descriptions of a Struggle - quite surreal
Poseidon - begrudgingly doing work, even when he’s a god. showing the monotony around him ?
The Vulture - A story that shows the needless torture throughout kafkas work, but with an other, taking pity and trying to help. Very poetic, especially the “flooding every shore.”
Advocates - The first story of Kafka that ends, almost directly talking to the reader, and it’s an uplifting one too, intriguing.
The Burrow - It remained unchanged to him at the end, but how I interpreted this is the impending death and ending via disease he was experiencing. He spent his life perfecting his craft of writing in his castle till blood ran from him, only to be ended before his old age.
The sudden walk, resolutions, bachelor’s ill luck, absent-minded window-gazing: feel just like insights into kafkas own meditations while the other stories have hints of kafka’s later atmosphere
Rejection holds a little bit of the comic some say kafka was
The Judgement: An obvious display of kafka’s relationship with his father, a foundation of his work.
The Metamorphosis: A story about purpose, and isolation. The idea of being an unwanted pest to everyone around you could be told in many ways but it shows the descent of a man who was once appreciated and loved. Gregor had a purpose (his job), and lived it. But who could keep themselves the same after being treated as a horrifying and pathetic creature. It’s commentary on societal norms like Gregor worrying about work the most rather than his obvious predicament are comedic in nature and will stick with me. People can be cruel.
In the Penal Colony: Gruesome. Maybe a tale of how unjust practices can never bring about true justice? It shows kafkas interest in the idea of law in its west forms. The “will rise again” on the grave is taken with comedy and yet justice in the most humane way eludes many modern countries today. The idea of the explorer just resigning and not commenting on the absurdity of it all to anyone of importance after the death of the officer is a troubling statement to leave off on. He can do nothing but observe for he feels his place is not here, and by preventing the others from joining him on his boat he assures them that this is their place. Interesting story overall.
Country Doctor: odd story, i love this idea of a doctor of new but having these strange rituals of the town. could have gone further with this theme.
Before the Law: reused from the trial. but still such an interesting idea in so few words. the Law seems so authoritative and absolute yet inconceivable.
A Dream: K. returns from the trial, and this story has the theme of a condemned man for no real reason other than he felt like he was. Kafka truly shows this utter helplessness.
A Hunger Artist - a parable for the artists experience, it brings up a lot of thoughts about what should be admired and how it is received by its audience. as well as what it means to be an artist
Descriptions of a Struggle - quite surreal
Poseidon - begrudgingly doing work, even when he’s a god. showing the monotony around him ?
The Vulture - A story that shows the needless torture throughout kafkas work, but with an other, taking pity and trying to help. Very poetic, especially the “flooding every shore.”
Advocates - The first story of Kafka that ends, almost directly talking to the reader, and it’s an uplifting one too, intriguing.
The Burrow - It remained unchanged to him at the end, but how I interpreted this is the impending death and ending via disease he was experiencing. He spent his life perfecting his craft of writing in his castle till blood ran from him, only to be ended before his old age.
mikkot's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
millen13's review against another edition
3.0
The first half of this collection would have got full marks, but, unfortunately, the second part is loaded with stories (unpublished during Kafka's lifetime and you got to wonder whether with good reason) that made it a chore to finish this book. Firstly because there is a huge amount of them, and secondly, because most of them just seem to be unfinished sketches.
This first part, however, is why you should read this book. Fantastic bizarre Kafka.
Buy the book; love the first part, and sample the second part. That's my advice.
This first part, however, is why you should read this book. Fantastic bizarre Kafka.
Buy the book; love the first part, and sample the second part. That's my advice.
talia0's review against another edition
4.0
Przemiana: 5/5
Przed Prawem: 5/5
Mieszaniec 4/5
Sprawozdanie dla akademiii: 4/5
Głodomór: 4/5
Jama: 3/5
Przed Prawem: 5/5
Mieszaniec 4/5
Sprawozdanie dla akademiii: 4/5
Głodomór: 4/5
Jama: 3/5
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