Franz Kafka's "The Metamorphosis and Other Tales"

Young W. EluụwaYoung W. Eluụwa: Benefits
1. Includes other stories than the metamorphosis, which steals attention from other deserving pieces.

2. Includes translation of the titles as well as helpful footnotes that give context to his confirmed and alleged word play in German.

3. Kafka himself continues to amaze me. I especially like his characterizations of the officer, the explorer, and the condemned man from "In the Penal Colony." Humor permeates the story intertwining the macabre elements with the astute summary of their clashing psychologies.

And of course, the machine rightfully takes center stage. Kafka is deliciously brooding, meticulous, and engaging in this tale; "The Penal Colony" unfortunately parallels the nightmare Germany gradually became 20 years after it was published in 1919.

My only drawbacks
1. The font is tiny and hard to read. 2. The cover image dwarfs the title which should in my opinion take up at least an equal amount of space.

Thanks for reading!

Canada on Oct 17, 2023

Chad Hulsey: Not a great book but required for school do definitely served its purpose!

United States on Aug 06, 2022

Renee: A book with 5 amazing stories that truly make you think. After each story, you will feel compelled to just sit down and reflect on what you've just read because there really is a lot to digest. So many themes and allegories to appreciate.

United States on Oct 12, 2020

DNA: 'The Metamorphosis' is the tragic story of a young man, Gregor who is brought to despair after he undergoes a transformation overnight.
The onus is on Gregor to care for his entire family, after his father’s business failure brings them to the brink of financial ruin. Just as he starts assuming this responsibility admirably, a tragedy of monumental proportions befalls his own self, rendering him worthless to himself and to everybody else around him. Through the young man’s tribulations, Kafka holds a mirror to the many despicable aspects of society and family. Kafka effectively brings to the fore the dehumanizing nature of employment, where anything but clockwork efficiency rules the roost, where kindness, compassion, mercy and such other ennobling qualities have no place. Gregor’s hopelessness is accentuated by the stark reality that there is nobody in the world that he can count on - not his own father, not even his dear sister, after the latter’s initial demonstrations of affection and tending care wears off. His mother is an exception though, but she is simultaneously in a state of enormous grief, fear and bewilderment at the cataclysm blighting...

United States on Dec 01, 2019

Rick716: The Metamorphosis is a very famous book by Franz Kafka. This particular edition has a wonderful translation from the original German. The book arrived exactly when it said it would.

United States on Sep 18, 2018

Martha R.: Bought 2 copies for my mum's book club. Can't comment on the content (but I don't think that belongs on Amazon anyway!), but the paperback price can't be beat and they arrived very fast. Came exactly as advertised.

Canada on Apr 04, 2018

Amazon Customer: I am as fascinated by Kafka's life as I am by his work, perhaps because the sad melancholy of the former so closely mirrors that which is uniquely and brilliantly portrayed in the latter. There are many gems in this collection. 'In the Penal Colony', with its dry, detailed description of the intricate workings of a torture/execution machine, is so perfectly economical but devastating in its tone and power. But my favourite has to be 'The Metamorphosis', the archetypal story of alienation, timeless in its imagery, pioneering in its meaningful absurdity, and once again so entirely self-contained in the enormity of its shortness... I'm finding it hard to put into words how profound I think it is. Recently I read a book in which Gregor's room is brought to life - literally, by being constructed inside a modern London house - as a means of escaping a lack of authentic identity. 'Bowl of Fruit (1907)', with its miserably "gifted" protagonist, was a very different book to 'The Metamorphosis', but it was one more example of how this masterpiece continues, and will always continue, to inspire modern writers in new and imaginative ways.

United States on Sep 22, 2016

JAVIER P.: Libro para mi hijo de 2ª Humanidades en la Universidad CEU-SAN PABLO (programas bilingües), ya que era el libro que le pedían.

Spain on Nov 03, 2013

Daniel Bain: I don't like to waste my time writing the review of a sale, trust me, if I had any problems I would let you know, otherwise, you can assume, like the hundreds of other commentaries, this was a good product from a good seller

France on Mar 01, 2013

SeansterB: If you like me havn't read Kafka before this is a nice introduction with a medium length story in Metamorphosis but also some small ones to whet the appetite. Also a good compact size for reading standing up on the train and looking intellectual to the blonde standing next to you. His attention to detail and imagination is very thought provoking and whilst not for everyone this is a good book to buy to decide wether you appreciate his unique style. Incidentally if you like his story telling a visit to prague is a must and the very atmospheric museum there.

United Kingdom on Apr 04, 2012