Franz Kafka
(1883-1924) was a prolific German-speaking Bohemian author based in Prague, now widely regarded as one of the principal literary figures of the 20th century. His stories, infused with acute realism and the absurdly fantastic, often feature isolated protagonists facing bizarre, surrealistic predicaments and bewildering, impenetrable socio-bureaucratic powers. In 1915, he published one of his best-known works,
Metamorphosis
, which tells the story of salesman Gregor Samsa, who wakes one morning to find himself inexplicably transformed into a giant insect and struggles to adjust to his new condition. Also collected in this edition are ten more Kafka short stories and parables, including
In the Penal Colony
,
A Hunger Artist
, and
A Report for an Academy
.