Franz Kafka (Modern Novelists) [Hardcover]

Ronald Speirs (Author), Beatrice Sandberg (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312173776 | ISBN-13: 978-0312173777 | Publication Date: September 1997

German philosopher Franz Kafka wrote but three novels, admired today as great works of fiction. Kafka's fiction presents intensely imagined worlds which fascinate and disturb both by their strangeness and their similarity to our own. This study analyzes these works in the context of their author's life and surveys critical approaches to his work.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In this latest title in the series, Speirs (German, Univ. of Birmingham, England) and Sandberg (German, Univ. of Bergen, Norway) examine Kafka's three novels: The Missing Person (1914), The Trial (1914), and The Castle (1922). Their observations take the form of reading notes, drawing no definitive conclusions about each novel's "meaning" but instead attempting to uncover the many layers of meaning with which Kafka imbues his work. Kafka's novelistic output was small, but with his dark portrayals of the individual's alienation in society, he made a major contribution to the evolution of the modern novel. A chapter on Kafka's life and a brief history of "Kafkaesque" literary criticism provide important background information. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries.?Diane G. Premo, Rochester P.L., N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'The reading out of the text instead of reading into it is refreshing and convincing and may seduce experts and curious individuals to take one novel, or even all three Kafka works, into their hands...' - Gerd K. Schneider, Symposium '...provide us with a reading of Kafka which is fresh and interesting, free of jargon, and written in a clear, lucid and elegant style.' - John O. Buffinga, Seminar 'Speirs and Sandberg provide a wealth of subtle and often surprising insights through their close examination of textual details, narative techniques and the complex interrelations among themes and motifs in Kafka's novels...as an advanced introduction, the volume can be recommended strongly to students and anyone seeking a reliable guide through the maze of Kafka's novelistic universe.' - Rolf J. Goebel, Monatsliefte '...as an advanced introduction, the volume can be recommended strongly to students and anyone seeking a reliable guide through the maze of Kafka's novelistic universe.' - Rolf J. Goebel, University of Alabama in Huntsville --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 161 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312173776
• ISBN-13: 978-0312173777
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,719,932 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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