the penal colony Author:franz kafka This powerful collection brings together everything which Kafka allowed to be published during his lifetime. In it we see clearly the range of his talent, from the spare "classic" style of the great stories to the brilliant "poetry" of the short pieces. We know that he possessed a fanatical artistic scrupulosity, one that rivaled Flaubert's in i... more »ts rigor. Kafka once remarked, passing a severe judgement on his writings: "Of all that I have written the only things that count are: 'The Judgement', 'The Stoker' (Chap. 1 of Amerika). 'Metamorphosis', "In the Penal Colony', 'A Country Doctor', and the story, 'A Hunger Artist'." The present volume, then, comprises the works that Frank Kafka chose to stand upon.« less