The Complete Stories of Franz Kafka (1971)

The Complete Stories of Franz Kafka is a compilation of all of Kafka's short stories. With the exception of three novels (The Trial, The Castle and Amerika), this collection includes all of his narrative work. The book was originally edited by Nahum N. Glatzer and published by Schocken Books in 1971. It was reprinted in 1995 with an introduction by John Updike.

The collection includes all the works published during Kafka's lifetime, with the exception of The Stoker which is usually incorporated as the first chapter of his unfinished novel Amerika. Some of the stories included in the book are fragmented or in various states of incompletion. Most of the stories are translated by Willa and Edwin Muir, with occasional translations by Tania and James Stern.

Several fables, parables and philosophical pieces are not included in this collection, as they were never meant to be independent stories or never intended for publication. These can be found in Kafka's diaries, notebooks and letters.

Contents

Foreword by John Updike (1983 edition)

Two Introductory Parables

"Before the Law" from the ninth chapter of the novel The Trial

"An Imperial Message" from the short story "The Great Wall of China"

Postscript

By Nahum N. Glatzer

On the material included in this volume

Notes on the writing and publication history of the stories and fragments.

Chronology

Chronology of Kafka's life and writing.

Selected writings on Kafka

A list of critical and biographical essays on Kafka.

Editions

Kafka, Franz (ed. Nahum N. Glatzer). The Complete Stories. New York: Schocken Books, 1971 (Hardcover) ISBN 0-8052-3419-5, 1988 (Paperback) ISBN 0-8052-0873-9

Kafka, Franz (ed. Nahum N. Glatzer). The Complete Stories. New York: Schocken Books, 1995. With a foreword by John Updike ISBN 0-8052-1055-5 (Paperback)