The Trial

Franz Kafka

Publisher: BookRix

Summary

The Trial is a novel written by Franz Kafka. One of Kafka's best-known works, it tells the story of a man arrested and prosecuted by a remote, inaccessible authority, with the nature of his crime revealed to neither him nor the reader. The terrifying tale of Joseph K, a respectable functionary in a bank, who is suddenly arrested and must defend his innocence against a charge about which he can get no information. A nightmare vision of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the mad agendas of twentieth-century totalitarian regimes.

Look at Joseph K., a bank officer living in a country with a constitution. He wakes up one day with strange men in his apartment telling him he's under arrest. Why or for what offense, no one knows. The arresting officers themselves don't know and can't tell him. Even if he's under arrest, however, no one picks him up or locks him in jail. He can still go to his office, work, perform his customary daily chores, and do whatever he wants to do as he awaits his trial. But he is understandably anxious and worried. He is, after all, charged with an unknown but very grave offense. He has a criminal case. He is an accused. He is under arrest.

For this problem he consults so many. He gets a lawyer. His uncle comes to his aid. He talks with his lawyer's other client--also charged and under arrest like him. He consults other people, a painter (who is said to know the "Court"), some women, a priest, etc. about his case. But no one can tell him what the charge is and what his sentence will be. The "Examining Magistrate," the "Judges," the "Court," the proceedings/ trial, and even the "Law" itself--they all seem to be unsolvable enigmas.

Available since: 12/19/2023.

Print length: 338 pages.

Humor

Other books that might interest you

The Blind Accordionist

C.D. Rose

In the novel Who's Who When Everyone Is Someone Else, the character "C. D. Rose" (not to be confused with the author C. D. Rose) searches an unnamed middle-European city for the long-lost manuscript of a little-known writer named Maxim Guyavitch. That search was fruitless, but in The Blind Accordionist, "C. D. Rose" has found the manuscript—nine sparkling, fable-like short stories—and he presents them here with an (hilarious) introduction explaining the discovery, and an afterword providing (hilarious) critical commentary on the stories, and what they might reveal about the mysterious Guyavitch. 
 
 
 
The Blind Accordionist is another masterful book of world-making by the real C. D. Rose, absorbing in its mix of intelligence and light-heartedness, and its ultimate celebration of literature itself. It is the third novel in the series about "C. D. Rose," although the reader does not need to have read the previous two books. (The first in the series was The Biographical Dictionary of Literary Failure; the second was Who's Who When Everyone Is Someone Else.) 
 
 
 
Like those books, The Blind Accordionist can be read both as a simple but wonderful collection of quirky stories, and as comedy—or as a beautiful and moving elegy on the nobility of writers wanting to be read.

Show book

Phase

James K. West

Alison Reilly works as a legal secretary by day, but she spends her nights banging away on her beautiful blue drum set. Office politics and ill-advised romances rule the halls at work-something Alison steers clear of until the firm hires Joan Stevens as a secretary. Joan is the most intense, most self-confident, and most brash woman who's ever worked at the firm. She's also a stunning beauty that everyone in the office, including Alison, can't help admiring.

Show book

Babbitt

Sinclair Lewis

Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis is a sharp satire of American middle-class life in the 1920s, centered on George F. Babbitt, a successful but discontented real estate broker in the fictional city of Zenith. Babbitt embodies the conformist, materialistic values of his era, chasing wealth, status, and social approval while suppressing his inner desires for meaning and individuality. Initially proud of his achievements, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the emptiness of his lifestyle, leading to a brief rebellion against societal norms. However, his attempt to break free results in ridicule and isolation, forcing him back into conformity. Through Babbitt’s journey, Lewis critiques the hollowness of consumerism, the pressures of modern capitalism, and the stifling effects of conformity. Babbitt remains a powerful exploration of the tension between personal fulfillment and societal expectations, offering a timeless commentary on the cost of pursuing the "American Dream."

Show book

Fun Is Where You Make It -...

Betty McGillivray

Need a good laugh? Then grab a cup of tea and dive into this collection of humorous short stories. Betty McGillivray, a retired teacher, will entertain you with her quirky interactions in and out of the classroom. Adventures such as tipping canoes, police pranksters, creating the perfect pie for a curling bonspiel, or avoiding jury duty, bears, and tornados — told in a way that will make you feel like you are chatting with a friend.

Show book

Idle in Provence - A Brief...

Eric Idle

In 1971, at the beginning of Monty Python mania, Eric Idle bought a crumbling ruin in the hills of Provence. With no electricity, no water, no road, and no plan, he set out to transform the neglected stone shack into what he lovingly calls a shackeau. 
Idle in Provence is the story of the transformation of both the place and the man. Against the sun-drenched backdrop of southern France, Idle penned iconic songs and scripts, hosted a revolving door of eccentric and brilliant friends—George Harrison, Robin Williams, Paul Simon, and others—and found a rare kind of peace far from the madness of showbiz. Equal parts memoir, travelogue, and comedy masterclass, the book is filled with laugh-out-loud moments, tender reflections, and the kind of sharp, self-deprecating wit only Idle can deliver. 
As he reflects on love, loss, friendship, and joy, Idle paints a vivid portrait of a place that became more than a home—it became a sanctuary. The story spans decades. It’s a love letter to France, to old friends, and to the wild, unpredictable journey of being alive. 
Along the way, readers are treated to behind-the-scenes glimpses of Eric Idle’s creative output, candid memories of fame, and thoughtful meditations on life, purpose, and the legacy of laughter. 
Charming, cheeky, and unexpectedly moving, Idle in Provence is Eric Idle at his best—hilarious, candid, and unforgettable.

Show book

The Fairfax Redemption - A...

Christopher Shelvin

Ever feel like the whole world is conspiring against you? 
 
Jonathon Fairfax can’t even get on the London Underground without bumping into someone he’s desperate to avoid – like Rachel, his first love, who demolished his heart eleven years ago. She tells him that her terrifying uncle (a man Jonathon knows only as ‘the murderer’) is about to be released from prison. 
 
Does the murderer blame Jonathon for his time inside? Will he seek revenge? 
 
To find out, Jonathon follows him – until the trail ends at a mysterious north London chicken shop, shrouded in sinister rumours. As Jonathon tries to untangle the truth, he gets drawn ever deeper into a web of conspiracy theorists, organised criminals and evil Etonians. 
 
But who should Jonathon really be afraid of? The murderer on the loose or bumbling celebrity politician Teddy Robinson? The Russian mafia or the owner of a chain of chicken shops whose fries – if the dark rumours are true – may not be made of potato? 
 
After all, they can’t all be out to get him … um, can they? 
 
The Fairfax Redemption is the fourth book in the massively popular Jonathon Fairfax series, sure to be loved by fans of Douglas Adams, PG Wodehouse and Caimh McDonnell.

Show book