Kafka

Kafka was a complex man whose genius is inseparable from his huge neuroses. So is Robert Crumb. Put the two together, as this book does, and the upshot is a book in which the distinction between author Crumb and subject Kafka tends to dissolve. The book is just as much about the one as the other. It's no mistake that Crumb is drawn (sorry for the bad pun) to Kafka.At one level, the book is a primer on the life and work of Franz Kafka, with Crumb lavishly illustrating David Zane Mairowitz's text (warning: the text is strangely loaded with typos). The highlights of Kafka's life, including his stormy relationship with his father, his alienation from Prague, the city in which he spent most of his life, his difficulties with sexual intimacy, his self-loathing, his work at an insurance agency, and his struggle with tuberculosis, are all chronicled. Moreover, synapses of some of his best work--"The Judgment," "The Metamorphosis," "The Burrow," "In the Penal Colony," "A Hunger Artist," "Letter to His Father," The Trial, The Castle, and Amerika--are provided. Someone who knows nothing or little about Kafka will get a good orientation from reading this book.But it's Crumb's pen-and-ink illustrations that make the book. They're eerie, dark, and at times actually frightening: perfect glimpses of Kafka's demons as well as Crumb's. In fact, Crumb and Kafka share many of the same demons: an intense need for comfort by women, but a deep-seated hostility to them; an equally intense need for public approval, coupled with an intense contempt for the crowd; a fascination with the usually unnoticed weirdness of the ordinary; a competing attraction and repulsion to the artistic, bohemian crowd; seething but repressed sexuality; a periodic yearning to disappear, to be punished, to be redeemed and reborn through suffering; an alternately bewildered and enraged dislike of Nietzschean proportions of the way in which popular culture cheapens existence (Crumb & Mairowitz's take on touristy Prague, pp. 174-75, is priceless); and a need to confess some of their darkest secrets, through their art, to the very public they disdain. In many ways, both Crumb and Kafka are hunger artists: they refuse to partake of the status quo not necessarily because they're ascetics, but simply because they don't find anything in it that whets their appetites. In gazing at Crumb's brilliant illustrations of Kafka, one can't help but think that this work, like so much of what Crumb does, is autobiographical.Is it intentionally so? Does Crumb understand the deep connection between himself and Kafka? Is the book intended, at least on one level, as a gag: a book about Crumbka? I dunno, although I suspect that Crumb knows exactly what he's doing. But what I do know is that Kafka is about more than just Kafka. And that's what makes doubly intriguing.

If you like Kafka, this is as good as it gets on a modern interpretation of his life and work with a lot of wit.

Robert Crumb's artwork has matured over the years, but he's still Crumb, so he's never boring. Since I have also matured since those early underground comix days, I appreciate these efforts where he has taken to a subject he loves and put his artistic heart and soul into it. The book of Genesis is another example of this. It's obvious from this work that Crumb has great respect for Kafka, and if you are new to that man's work, this is an excellent introduction. It's more of a "cliff notes" representation of Kafka's novel, but it could well entice the reader to seek out the full book.

Tells Kafka’s story in an entertaining fashion with Crumb’s illustrations, excellent as usual.

I am new to the writings of Kafka. And in the past 3 years I have been looking at books that translate the works of great stories into graphic novel format. And for a long time I have been collecting annotated volumes of some of my favorite "classics". With this Kafka volume I accomplished both goals. I highly recommend this for newbies to the world of Kafka since it merges a few of his popular writings chronologically with the biography of him.

This thing is pretty bare-bones compared with a real biography, but it still told me a lot about Kafka, the man, and why he wrote the things he wrote. But the true delight and attraction here are the drawings, especially the illustrated versions of some of Franz's storiesFor Kafka lovers, this is a nice item but not essential. For Crumb and Comic fans who are more casually into Kafka - this is perfect

I think the main differences between the work he is famous for and this is that here we really see him stretch his already creative arms creatively. Bizarre, weird, and strangely captivating. If you know the work of R. Crumb then you probably have an idea of what you are getting into here. I think the main differences between the work he is famous for and this is that here we really see him stretch his arms creatively as he tries to drag us through the odd life of Kafka and the fact that his work has never looked better. By being shackled to more realistic narrative his work comes off looking better than it has at any point in his career. A true visual joy aside from the fact that much of what he is chronicling here is dismal and depressing.

A good overview of Kafka’s life, and his perspective on it. A clear, simple read that portrays much self reflection, somewhat sad. And, definitely bizarre resulting images.Wonderful short stories, and amazing drawings. Enjoyable, and enriching. Highly recommend.

A fascinating mix of biography of Kafka, putting the background of being a German-speaking Jew in Prague at the end of the 19th century, plus a potted version of all his major works, illustrated like only Robert Crumb can. So it's an excellent introduction to Kafka for those who don't know much about him, plus a wonderful reworking of his works by those more familiar. It also brings out Kafka's black sense of humour, which is often overlooked.

Interesting but a bit of a ploughman's lunch, ur left wanting more. This is a lovely bowl of soup but no main meal.

Just good, that is all. I like Kafka and the artwork here is great. Looks at him and his work in an interesting way. Authentic.Worth it.

Bought for my brother's birthday, he likes it so I can't really say anything bad.

Great read and drawings