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The Metamorphosis
- Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
- Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins
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Translator Please!
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Publisher's summary
With this startling, bizarre, yet surprisingly funny first sentence, Kafka begins his masterpiece, The Metamorphosis. It is the story of a young traveling salesman who, transformed overnight into a giant, beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man. Rather than being surprised at the transformation, the members of his family despise it as an impending burden upon themselves.
A harrowing - though absurdly comic - meditation on human feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and isolation, The Metamorphosis has taken its place as one of the most widely read and influential works of 20th-century fiction. As W. H. Auden wrote, “Kafka is important to us because his predicament is the predicament of modern man.”
FRANZ KAFKA (1883–1924), one of the major fiction writers of the twentieth century, was born to a middle-class German-speaking Jewish family in Prague. His unique body of writing, much of which is incomplete and was mainly published posthumously, is considered by some people to be among the most influential in Western literature, inspiring such writers as Albert Camus, Rex Warner, and Samuel Beckett.
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During intermission at the famed La Fenice opera house in Venice, Italy, a notoriously difficult and widely disliked German conductor is poisoned—and suspects abound. Guido Brunetti, a native Venetian, sets out to unravel the mystery behind the high-profile murder. To do so, he calls on his knowledge of Venice, its culture, and its dirty politics. Along the way, he finds the crime may have roots going back decades—and that revenge, corruption, and even Italian cuisine may play a role.
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Hercule Poirot in Venice...!!!
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A city is hit by a sudden and strange epidemic of "white blindness", which spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there social conventions quickly crumble and the struggle for survival brings out the worst in people.
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Great Historical Fiction!
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What a terrific audiobook!
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super
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A “must-listen” book
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Hope the movie is better than the book?
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Beautiful snow fall
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A masterpiece
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ha ha ha this is terrific
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A masculine and coquettish reading
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"In the Penal Colony" ("In der Strafkolonie") (also translated as "In the Penal Settlement") is a short story by Franz Kafka written in German in October 1914, revised in November 1918, and first published in October 1919. The story is set in an unnamed penal colony. Internal clues and the setting on an island suggest Octave Mirbeau's "The Torture Garden" as an influence
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a bit confusing, but not for Kafka fans
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Its a Matter of Taste - Perhaps
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Un Clásico por su valor historico
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Gregorio tenía un buen trabajo, era viajante y llevaba adelante a toda su familia. Una mañana Gregorio amanece con cuerpo de insecto, a consecuencia de esto se queda en su cuarto por miedo a que le vean sus familiares; estos le llamaban desesperadamente para que fuera a trabajar. Gregorio intenta ponerse en pie y acomodarse a su nuevo cuerpo, que todavía no domina.
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muy buena narracion
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Written by Franz Kafka and often considered to be his magnum opus, The Metamorphosis tells the story of one young traveling salesman, Gregor Samsa, who inexplicably wakes up as a giant insect. Despite the novella's short length, Franz Kafka manages to provide a deep insight into the human condition, ironically through the eyes of a cockroach.
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What listeners say about The Metamorphosis
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jim "The Impatient"
- 09-04-12
Written in 1915
This starts out with a man who wakes up as a big bug. Like in Amy Rand's Atlas Shrugged, his whole family depends upon him to make a living. The story is less about him being a bug and more about how his Mother, Father and sister cope with losing the bread winner in the house.
It must be remembered that it was written in 1915. Recently I read a story that was a modern version of this story and the bug kills his family. I hate to admit it, but I liked the modern version better.
FK is a great writer of interpersonal relations, it just was not what I was expecting.
It was not bad and it is only 2 hours long.
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44 people found this helpful
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- David
- 08-11-14
So this guy wakes up as a bug...
So, this guy Gregor Samsa wakes up one morning as a cockroach. (Actually, the Wikipedia article has an interesting discussion about how Kafka never specified exactly what kind of bug Gregor turned into). His family freaks out a little, as you might expect, but then they sort of come to accept the situation. Gregor feels increasingly isolated as he cannot really communicate with them and he can no longer support them as he once did. Coexisting in a tiny apartment with a giant cockroachinsect becomes increasingly burdensome for the family. Eventually Gregor dies (implied, that he wills himself to death to spare his family further burden) and they're all relieved. The end.
Sort of a downer. I think it loses a lot in the translation, as apparently Kafka's prose in the original German was much of the reason for The Metamorphosis's high literary status.
This is a surrealistic piece which, technically, you could probably call "magical realism." (No explanation is ever given for Gregor's transformation into a giant bug, and no one seems curious about how such a thing could happen. They're just all rather distressed by the whole thing without ever really talking about it.
Frankly, as a story it was a bit flat and anti-climactic, and if there is some deeper meaning, I'm afraid I missed it. Would probably enjoy it more if I read it in the original German.
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27 people found this helpful
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- Norman Kent
- 03-19-12
Kafka-esque terrific
Would you listen to The Metamorphosis again? Why?
A true classic. Works very well on audible. Almost a short story, but a wonderful narrative.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Nothing really matters
- 09-05-14
Well written, but kinda bugged me...
This book deserves its reputation as being very well written. The premise (man turns into giant bug overnight) is completely implausible, but the writing was good enough that I could suspend my disbelief with modest effort. The narration is also very well done.
That said, I was left wondering whether I'd gotten the key point. If I did I imagine it is that no matter how serious or weird a thing that might happen to a person, their loved ones' sympathies will eventually wear thin and they'll begin to see that person as a mill stone around their necks, financially at the very least. Then they will likely want to get on with their lives without that person.
If that's it, fine. It's a valid observation. Maybe because this book has a reputation as a classic I expected a bit more. Specifically, I expect classics to both make profound observations about life AND tell a really great story. (The second being more important than the first, in my view.) This book made its profound observation, but its premise seemed a bit more bizarre than would seem really necessary.
Four stars overall. Worth reading.
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12 people found this helpful
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- damarques
- 03-29-14
Depressing, but good book
Would you listen to The Metamorphosis again? Why?
Yes, because it is always good to read about human nature.
Who was your favorite character and why?
The main character, Gregor Samsa. All the others are more disgusting than the creature he becomes.
Did Ralph Cosham do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
This was the second book I heard with this narrator. I didn't like him very much. It's a matter of taste, but I didn't like his voice and his interpretations. He sounded rather monotonous.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Well, I felt a bit disgusted throughout the book, and a bit depressed with the end. All in all it was a very good book. It makes you think about life.
Any additional comments?
This book is about a human being who lived among verminous creatures. When he becomes a nasty bug like them, they realize they have to start living like human beings.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Elie Wayne
- 04-30-12
kafka's best
Where does The Metamorphosis rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
The reading performance is excellant; But they all are very professionally done. As a book, I would rate this book as the the author's most original, well written, and profound.
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Metamorphosis?
When even his fovorite sister betrays him, and the reader discovers Kafka's point of view on the human condition, that at bottom, we all are alone.
What does Ralph Cosham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Listening to an audio book is a challenge for me, because it requires a continiuos consentrated focus that reading doesn't require. I often look up and ponder ideas, sorting them out, while reading, and resume, without any loss of place in the written text. Listening doesn't allow for such breaks. It reminds me of the joys of listening to stories on the radio, before Tv as a child. I just have to practice such listening skills again.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No. I usually can't focus that long. I enjoy listening to a portion every day.
Any additional comments?
I'm happy I discovered AudioBooks. It brings a new kind of pleasure into my life.
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9 people found this helpful
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- Elaine
- 04-06-12
Wonderful
I do not usually read short stories but after listening to this audio and plan to discover more. This story is timeless and very entertaining. I will forever look at bugs differently. The narration by Ralph Cosham is excellent and perfect for this story.
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9 people found this helpful
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- fernando antonio hadba
- 04-29-14
I think I expected too much
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Yes, It is a very good story with a very good narration of it
How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?
I do not dare to change anything
What about Ralph Cosham’s performance did you like?
Very good with a superb intonation.
Could you see The Metamorphosis being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
yes
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7 people found this helpful
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- galvinci
- 03-26-12
Seeing is believing..my tail is still wagging
Would you consider the audio edition of The Metamorphosis to be better than the print version?
YES
Who was your favorite character and why?
The father, he could throw an apple faster than Roger Clemens
Which character – as performed by Ralph Cosham – was your favorite?
Gregor,the bug
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
DEFinitly
Any additional comments?
Can't wait for mosquito season
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- Patrick
- 09-17-14
Quite a Strange Little Book
Translated from German, The Metamorphosis is the story of how Gregor Samsa's transformation tears his family apart. I feel like there are hidden meanings that are just beyond my grasp. I suspect it's a commentary about how capitalism devours its workers when they're unable to work or possibly about how the people who deviate from the norm are isolated. However, I mostly notice how Samsa's a big frickin' beetle and his family pretends he doesn't exist.
The main thing that sticks out is what a bunch of jerks Samsa's family are. He's been supporting all of them for years in his soul-crushing traveling salesman job and now they're pissed that they have to carry the workload. Poor things. It's not like Gregor's sitting on the couch drinking beer while they're working. He's a giant damn beetle! Cut him some slack.
Overall: The narration was good, although the writing was a little confusing at times. This has a lot of hidden symbolism , and might take a few listens to uncover.
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