KAFKA, Franz

Born in Prague into a German-speaking Jewish family, he worked as an insurance agent before his early death from tuberculosis. His writings, which deal with such themes as loneliness, helplessness and dealing with authority, were little known in his own lifetime. After his death his friend, Max Brod, edited and published many of the works that made him famous. The term 'Kafkaesque' is generally taken to refer to a situation that is nightmarish, illogical or bizarre.

 Life

•  Biography of Kafka

Writings

• Franz Kafka online, with links to many of his writings

• Works by Kafka in Project Gutenberg

• 'Kafkaesque: a word so overused it has lost all meaning?'