Letters to Felice

The spine of the book looks quite distressed - doesn’t really seem like it is brand new which is disappointing considering the price :/

it’s the book i wanted.

The talent and importance of Franz Kafka is beyond dispute (who could ever forget the insect Gregor Samsa?). This book published in 1967 is based on his letters to Felice Bauer, the love of his life, and letters to her friend Grete Bloch. It was not translated until the early 70's and added important insights to what is known of this literary genius of the 19th century.The book begins with "An Introductory Essay" concerning Kafka's wishes for publication, "Editors' Note" about the controversy, "Letters to Felice," "Notes," an essay by Kafka, "Chronology from 1912-1917," as well as additional information about translations of other Kafka novels and stories from the Schocken Kafka Library.The letters mostly describe to Felice (twice his fiancée) his "dread of the union even with the most beloved woman" because he held the conviction that he was literature itself, obeying a command from heaven.

Gorgeous book. Very aesthetically pleasing, too.

This book is pure proof Franz Kafka was a stalker. It's endlessly entertaining with letter after letter assuring Felice there is nothing untoward for a 30-year old to be writing an 18-year old, but he really needs to know what she's wearing and everyone she meets and exact records of what they said to her. He wants every tiny detail of her life so he suggests keeping a notebook with her to be precise in the details when she writes him. Franz wrote up to 4 letters a day for many years, so it's a very dense book. I would have liked to read her letters too, but you get a real sense of them from his letters. I like the kindle version so I can just dip in without having to carry around a 600-page book.