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The Trial

By Franz Kafka
Series: Macmillan Collector's Library
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Trial by Franz Kafka, the protagonist Josef K. is arrested without explanation and becomes entangled in an opaque and maddening judicial system. As he navigates through absurd and surreal bureaucratic challenges, the story explores themes of guilt, justice, and the bewildering nature of authority. Kafka crafts a narrative that delves into the existential anxiety of confronting a world stripped of clear moral order.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate thought-provoking narratives that explore themes of bureaucracy, existential anxiety, and the absurdity of modern life. This novel presents a compelling and nightmarish tale of a man caught in a perplexing legal ordeal, capturing the feeling of helplessness and confusion in an oppressive society. If you're intrigued by psychological depth and allegorical storytelling, this book is likely to captivate your interest.

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The Trial

A beautiful gift edition of Kafka's classic psychological novel with an afterword by David Stuart Davies.

A beautiful gift edition of Kafka's classic psychological novel with an afterword by David Stuart Davies.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description
Through tight dialogue and absurd settings Franz Kafka creates a maze-like prose to mimic the bureaucracy of early twentieth-century Germany, trapping his protagonist in an unlawful conviction that alters the path of his life. Part of the Macmillan Collector's Library, a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold-foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is translated from German by Douglas Scott and Chris Waller, and features an afterword by David Stuart Davies. On the morning of his thirtieth birthday, a young bank official named Joseph K is arrested although he has done nothing wrong and is never told what he's been charged with. The Trial is the chronicle of his fight to prove his innocence, of his struggles and encounters with the invisible Law and the untouchable Court where he must make regular visits. It is an account, ultimately, of state-induced self-destruction presenting in a nightmarish scenario the persecution of the outsider and the incomprehensible machinations of the state. Using the power of simple, straightforward language Kafka draws the reader into this bleak and frightening world so that we too experience the fears, uncertainties and tragedy of Joseph K.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Trial by Franz Kafka is often lauded for its profound impact and timeless relevance. W. H. Auden describes Kafka as the "Dante of the twentieth century," highlighting the writer's ability to navigate complex human and societal issues. George Steiner praises Kafka's unmatched insight into the existential dread and "dark of our times," underscoring the enduring significance of his voice in literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781529021073

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 01 October 2020

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Macmillan Collector's Library

Contributors:

  • Translated by Douglas Scott
  • Introduction by David Stuart Davies
  • Translated by Chris Waller
  • Introduction by David Stuart Davies

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 106.0mm

Height: 156.0mm

Weight: 170g

Pages: 304

Collections

Classic Fiction Dystopian Fiction Fiction Franz Kafka General Fiction Literary Fiction Series: Macmillan Collector's Library

About the Author

Born in Prague in 1883, the son of a self-made Jewish merchant, Franz Kafka trained as a lawyer and worked in insurance. He published little during his lifetime and lived his life in relative obscurity. He was forced to retire from work in 1917 after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, a debilitating illness which dogged his final years. When he died in 1924 he bequeathed the - mainly unfinished - manuscripts of his novels, stories, letters and diaries to his friend the writer Max Brod with the strict instruction that they should be destroyed. Brod ignored Kafka's wishes and organized the publication of his work, including The Trial, which appeared in 1925. It is through Brod's efforts that Kafka is now regarded as one of the greatest novelists of the twentieth century.

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