Goodreads Review of Kafka: A Very Short Introduction
4 stars
This is a great introductory text on Kafka. The first two chapters are on his life and wider reception, as well as how to read Kafka. The latter three chapters are thematic: bodies, institutions, religion. The thematic chapters were certainly the best, and I was most impressed by the discussions of law and guilt in Kafka’s writing.
The author does a great job pushing back against myths and misconceptions (e.g. that Kafka was totally unknown in his life), and I found a lot here that I could relate to in my own life. I also loved the author’s discussion of Kafka’s “as if” statements in his writing—I find them hilarious and so descriptive.
In short, this volume does a great deal to add further dimension to his short stories, allowing me to appreciate his writing better than before.