|
Let it be known to all interested, that most of the stories in this collection are fragmentary, sometimes incomplete, and more often than not, extremely absurdist in nature. If you've never read him and buy this, it could be a gamble. Actually, a lot are just simple parables, but more peculiar than average. I recommend this for all fans of Kafka. As it turned out I liked him from line one, but that is hardly normal for everyone. Read a few of his shorter works first (you can find a lot of his short stuff online) and then determine for yourself; most of his works have a similar feel and theme.
The significance of a future, greater writer.Well, there's what, two or three years, according to some sources, until the end of the world. .Janet is searching right now for somrshething more than a point you know something better by ten times fivefourthreetwo or any of those digits. It happens in a leisurll, virtuoely fashion. Weusly, the snake departs. The popular vote may be popular now, but will it tomorrow. The point,What is the point.The point is the sharpest location.
Everyone has a point. Some points stab.What is a point.A point is a joint down 31st street near toids and doinks. an under appreciated writer who knew what he was talking about it.John Updike's introduction was one of the only things I read inside the contents.John: the coming of something. .Lots of the scary stuff in there tonight. . Haly wedded to the source of the spring of freshly brewed Arabian camel milk tastes like it was milked from a snake. The notsopleasant AH.YOU'rerui ning my MeDITAtioN.
Foilinque. def good 4the head.SO mix in a little this, a little thas, a little thistlewood, a little thatsit,boys. Not the east bit leastly ambunkshush. Honestly, the tomorrows keep coming. Janet is. . Which is basically people stuff.-Eschillion Key, published free online (google: Eschillion Key)
If you like anything written by Charlie Kaufman, he draws a lot of inspiration from Kafka. This is the best of the best. So do countless other writers. Kafka is a lonely reclusive German man who sold insurance and wrote in his spare time. One of the most imaginative writers ever, and certainly one of the most influential. For the people who are unfamiliar, and maybe not open minded to Kafka it may be a strange experience. But, if you read his work ready for whatever is coming next, no matter how surreal, this will be an amazing experience.
I am a long time fan of Kafka. I enjoyed seeing all of this work in one collection; however, I thought the quality of the actual physical book was well below average. If I buy a Kafka book, I want it to hold up so I can revisit it 6 months, 4 years, or 3 decades from now. Many paperbacks will provide that level of use, but I doubt this printing will.
To be honest I couldn't bear to read another page of it. The stories I read were boring and full of uninteresting characters, subject matter and plot-less storylines that tended to meander everywhere and go nowhere. Much of the work is reported to be incomplete and the larger portion of it is collected in this book "The Complete Stories".In the interest of full disclosure I did not finish the whole book. Franz Kafka was born into a Jewish middleclass family in Prague in July 1883 and succumbed to Tuberculosis in June of 1924. Enjoyment reading = 1 star and since I read for enjoyment 1 star overall. Unfortunately for me I couldn't find any of it.The Bad: I just didn't enjoy a single moment that I spent with my nose in this book.
The problem is that this didn't translate into enjoyable reading for me.The Good: According to the critics and those of the academic community the good is practically limitless.
I know many will say that I cant give a complete review because of this but I am only giving my opinion of what I read which was all similar in one form or fashion so I am operating under the assumption the I would have found all of the stories I left unread as unbearable as those I did read.
The stories and characters are basically just overly morose and depressing.
Much of his literary work was published posthumously is reported to be amongst the most influential in Western Literature for it's time.
To top that off the characters were generally placed in bad situations with no hope of a positive outcome and a lack of desire to look for one.
If you think there is a story I should have read let me know.
Before going any further I would say that according to the pros (which I am not), Kafka's writing is of great academic value which I do not dispute.
I slogged on this for as long as I could but found myself constantly wondering why I was reading it since I was enjoying none of it.Overall: Academic value = 5 stars.
If you want to enjoy what you read you may want to try reading something else.
|
