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The Castle

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The Castle

By: Franz Kafka
Narrated by: Thomas Franklin
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About this listen

Franz Kafka requested of his friend Max Brod, on his deathbed, that all of his unfinished manuscripts be burned. Thankfully, his friend did not comply with this request and unfinished masterpieces like the castle have survived until today.

A man known only as K. arrives in a mysterious town where an all-powerful castle filled with unseen "gentlemen" controls every aspect of life. When the ridiculous bureaucracy of the castle officials makes K.'s original reason for coming to the village, working as a land surveyor, seem impossible, K. must find a way to make a life within a system where the only answer he ever seems to get is "no". K. struggles in vain to get in contact with anyone at all within the castle to help solve his predicament. But still, there may be some tenderness to be found in this absurdist landscape. In this dark satire saturated with absurdist logic, Franz Kafka defines here, the true meaning of the word "Kafkaesque".

Public Domain (P)2024 Thomas Franklin Genre Fiction Political Witty
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Kafka's book, still unfinished at the time of his death, remains an astonishingly accurate and poetic parable of the mysterious vagaries of modern life. The main character, K., strives for basic recognition and respect from those in authority in a land where power is blandly malevolent and the rules are never clear.

As a story, of course, Kafka's book is maddening and meandering - but that is the whole point. As the mystery deepens, we can see a version our own struggles for relevance, for achievement and for happiness in an uncaring universe.

This audiobook version is hypnotic and absorbing. The reader, deep-voiced and deadpan throughout, takes you along on K's quest in a straightforward and unadorned manner - conveying the text in a way that truly serves to deepen the overall impact of this classic work.

The Definitive New Recording of this Classic Work

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I was drawn in by the melliflous voice of the reader from the very first chapter, drawn in to the story by the authenticity and command of the text. A MUST listen. What will he read next???

I could listen to him read anything!

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