Franz Kafka The Germanian

Franz Kafka (1883–1924) was a German-language writer of novels and short stories, and is regarded as one of the most influential authors of the 20th century . His works, such as " Die Verwandlung " ("The Metamorphosis"), Der Process ( The Trial ), and Das Schloss ( The Castle ), are filled with themes and archetypes of alienation, brutality, parent–child conflict, and mystical transformations. Kafka was born into a middle-class Jewish family in Prague , then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire . He trained as a lawyer and worked for an insurance company, writing in his spare time – he complained all his life about his lack of time to write. Kafka wrote hundreds of letters to family and close female friends, including his fiancée Felice Bauer . Only a few of Kafka's stories appeared during his lifetime in story collections and literary magazines. His novels and other unfinished works were published posthumously, mostly by his friend Max Brod , who ignored his wish to have the manuscripts destroyed. Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre are among the writers influenced by Kafka's work; the term Kafkaesque has entered the English language to describe surreal situations like those in his writing. ( Full article... ) Recently featured: Alec Douglas-Home  – Frank Pick  – Golden-crowned sifaka Archive – By email – More featured articles... In the news Nineteen firefighters are killed battling a wildfire (pictured) in the U.S. state of Arizona . Large protests against President Mohamed Morsi are held across Egypt . Croatia becomes the 28th member of the European Union . At least five planets , including three planets suspected of being habitable , are found orbiting the star Gliese 667 C . Kevin Rudd wins leadership of the Australian Labor Party , ousting incumbent Julia Gillard and becoming Prime Minister of Australia . DNA from a Middle Pleistocene horse is successfully sequenced , becoming the oldest genome ever sequenced. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj is reelected as President of Mongolia . The Cambodian Tailorbird , found in Phnom Penh , is identified as a new bird species.