The Metamorphosis and Other Stories

By: Franz Kafka

Narrated by: George Guidall

In the bizarre world of Franz Kafka, salesmen turn into giant bugs, apes give lectures at college academies, and nightmares probe the mysteries of modern humanity’s unhappiness. More than any other modern writer in world literature, Kafka captures the loneliness and misery that fill the lives of 20th-century humanity. The Metamorphosis and Other Stories reveals the author’s extraordinary talent in a variety of forms—prose poems, short stories, sketches, allegories, and novelettes—and showcases the straight–faced humor, startling psychological insight, and haunting imagination for which he is revered as a modern master. In this brilliant new translation, prize–winning translator Joachim Neugroschel preserves the delicate balance, rich timbre, and wondrous language of Kafka’s original works. In addition to "The Metamorphosis", this collection includes "Early Stories", "Contemplation", "The Judgement", "The Stoker", "In the Penal Colony", and "A Country Doctor".

Public Domain (P)1995 Recorded Books, LLC

very good book

you cant go wrong with George Guidall and Kafka but this book with the solid metamorphosis and lots of short stories end being quite fun , and being a long time Kafka fan i was not expecting this , Kafka always tends to put me in existential dilemas and only trough audible im seeing that he can be fun to , RECOMMENDED TO ALL

Excellent Translation, Excellent Narration!

Would you listen to The Metamorphosis and Other Stories again? Why?

Of course! I return to this book again and again when other fiction is not satisfying. Kafka has such a unique voice and such a masterful ability to entrance the reader. Joachim Neugroschel's translation captures Kafka's dark humor (and ability to maintain the fictional dream) much better than the Muir's translations did.

Any additional comments?

"A Country Doctor" and "In the Penal Colony" are the best

Too Kafkaesque For Me

My title, as I pray you guessed, is a bad joke.
This audiobook is as close to a perfect execution as is possible when having to make editorial decisions left and right due to the author being dead for .... Well he has been dead for a long time. No one can dispute that.

The artistic liberties that had to be forcefully undertaken in each of the included story's translation (German & Belgian to English) were flawless. I haven't seen as good a job in that respect since the audiobook incarnation of The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem (available on Audible too).
Both works left me scratching my head trying to figure how such beautiful alliteration and pun could have POSSIBLY been kept in tact while still holding true to the original works. REALLY GREAT listen. Top marks.

10.00 / 10.00

Needs 'The Hunger Artist' - Still Excellent

The sad beauty of Franz and the warm humanity of narrator Guidall make this essential. Really needs to include "The Hunger Artist," a story about exploitation that everyone should read. Love the new cover art!

Not Up to Expectations

I really looked forward to hearing the Metamorphosis again and especially other Kafka stories I had never heard or read. I was a big fan of Kafka earlier in life. And, though I have serious criticisms to share below, I’m glad I gave it a try.

In the end, I was left somewhat cold. Is it that I’ve gotten older? Is it that I’ve moved on to preferring more realistic stories? For example, I’m also listening now to stories by Maugham and Chekhov and loving them. Or, have I come to think it’s just not what it’s long been hyped up to be?

I don’t know.

The very short parable-like stories are quite good. And some of the longer stories had an impact, as did In the Penal Colony. But, as I read some of the far out critical analyses by literary superstars of Metamorphosis and the Penal Colony, I got even colder. These works seemed remote to me, capable of odd analyses and uncertain understanding, and, frankly, weird to be weird.

You may or may not agree. But that’s the way it all worked out for me this time.

For all his readings since Don Quixote, Guidall has not impressed me. Perhaps that hurt my overall perception of the stories, too.

In any event, I was disappointed.