{"product_id":"the-castle-franz-kafka-paperback","title":"The Castle -- Franz Kafka, Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e Trapped in a bureaucratic quagmire, K., a land surveyor, struggles to gain access to the mysterious, impenetrable Castle, a symbol of unassailable authority. His attempts are met with inexplicable delays, administrative hurdles, and a pervasive sense of alienation. Franz Kafka infuses his narrative with existential dread, crafting a story that is both exasperating and amusing yet deeply human. It's a tale of the individual's struggle against the overwhelming forces of bureaucracy, power, and the quest for identity in a world that often seems indifferent. Well into the twenty-first century, Kafka's tale resonates with anyone who has ever felt unheard or lost in a maze of red tape. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Published posthumously in 1926, \u003ci\u003eThe Castle\u003c\/i\u003e was first translated into English in 1930 by Edwin and Willa Muir. Although incomplete because of Kafka's untimely death in 1924, the novel remains a seminal work. Despite Kafka's instruction to his close friend Max Brod to destroy all unpublished manuscripts after his death, \u003ci\u003eThe Castle\u003c\/i\u003e was preserved and published. The novel stands alongside Kafka's\u003ci\u003e \"\u003c\/i\u003eThe Metamorphosis\u003ci\u003e\"\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Trial\u003c\/i\u003e as one of the twentieth century's most significant and existentially profound absurdist literary contributions. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Franz Kafka\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Dover Publications\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/14\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 224\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.55lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.00w x 0.60d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780486855394\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Franz Kafka","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46841977536740,"sku":"9780486855394","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0611\/9587\/8628\/files\/9780486855394.jpg?v=1760466473","url":"https:\/\/bookandmortar.com\/products\/the-castle-franz-kafka-paperback","provider":"BookandMortar","version":"1.0","type":"link"}