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Trial: A New Translation Based on the Restored Text
Trial: A New Translation Based on the Restored Text | Franz Kafka
Written in 1914, "The Trial" is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the terrifying tale of Josef K., a respectable bank officer who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against a charge about which he can get no information. Whether read as an existential tale, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy wedded to the madness of totalitarianism, Kafka's nightmare has resonated with chilling truth for generations of readers. This new edition is based upon the work of an international team of experts who have restored the text, the sequence of chapters, and their division to create a version that is as close as possible to the way the author left it. In his brilliant translation, Breon Mitchell masterfully reproduces the distinctive poetics of Kafka's prose, revealing a novel that is as full of energy and power as it was when it was first written.
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suvata
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Pickpick

• 2nd read

Josef K. is unexpectedly arrested on the morning of his 30th birthday. The agents who arrest him are unidentified, the agency they work for is unspecified, and the nature of his crime is never revealed to him. When he is released, he is told to await further instruction. So begins the manic and emotionless trial of a man beholden to the whims of an unknown force, and his painstaking attempts to find a way out of this existential maze.

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Cazxxx
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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📚 These are the best books I read in April. What were some of your favourites? 📚

IndoorDame The Very Secret Society was so much fun! I read it this month too! 2y
ChaoticMissAdventures I adored Bandit Queens, I am so disappointed it didn't make the Women's Prize short list! 2y
Cazxxx @IndoorDame I loved it! 2y
38 likes4 comments
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Jari-chan
Proces | Franz Kafka
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When you're actually excited to see a book adaptation 🤭

Ruthiella I had to read that in high school and kinda hated it. I should see how I feel now as an old lady! 😂 2y
Jari-chan @Ruthiella Kafka sure isn't an easy read, and I get that as a student one might won't enjoy it ar all 🙈 Maybe when you read it at your terms, you might like it? 2y
28 likes2 comments
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Clutterbucks_Queen
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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November's BOTM! 🥰
Hope everyone had an amazing Halloween yesterday! 😁

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WarandWar
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Pickpick

A man- Josepf K.- is is accused of a crime never named, and is arrested, but never jailed or booked even by the police. Contradiction and complexity are at the heart of the story. It should be noted that while a different writer would paint K. As a good guy, Kafka does not. Rather, K. Is quite self involved. The result is a delightful book to read. It isn't an easy read always, but is well worth it.

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yoavshai
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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#BookCoverChallenge
Day 44.
Here I will note 365 books (or as many as I will have before I get tired) that have shaped my taste in literature. No explanations, no reviews. Just the cover of the book.
I do not challenge anyone. You are all welcome to take part.

2 likes1 stack add
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Nir2
The Trial | Franz Kafka

Someone must have slandered Josef K., for one morning, without having done anything truly wrong, he was arrested.

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starwolf
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Pickpick

Very unsettling.

3 likes1 stack add
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Yahui07
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Pickpick

Deep one!

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sprainedbrain
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Mehso-so

I get it. I just didn‘t like it very much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#1001Books #ReadingEurope2020 #Austria

KatieDid927 I feel like the first half was a lot stronger than the second half and that it might‘ve been more effective as a pared down short story. 4y
sprainedbrain I agree... even though it has an ending, it really felt like it just gradually diminished until it was over. 4y
KatieDid927 @sprainedbrain Yeah exactly. 4y
Librarybelle Nice choice for Austria. I‘ve not read anything by Kafka; maybe someday... 4y
71 likes1 stack add4 comments
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bexreadsbooks
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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I struggled to get used to the writing style of this one, but I‘m enjoying the commentary on the legal profession and justice system

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Leftcoastzen
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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#ReallyRandomFebruary #Trial The obvious choice.The old Schocken editions, I still love the clean design.You know it‘s old when a trade size paperback is priced at $1.95 🙂

OriginalCyn620 👍🏻📚😊 5y
57 likes1 comment
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jenniferw88
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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#throwbacktuesday to last December where I visited Kafka's Museum - I fear The #Trial may be a popular choice today! #reallyrandomfebruary @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

OriginalCyn620 Cool photo! 5y
83 likes1 comment
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EadieB
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Day 4 - #Trial #ReallyRandomFebruary
#TheTrial #FranzKafka

This is a very interesting classic!

OriginalCyn620 Sounds great! 5y
DieAReader I‘m intrigued! Added to #mountTBR 📚🥰 5y
CafeMom I enjoyed this one. 5y
64 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Faibka
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On publishing Franz Kafka‘s works. How sad to think these extraordinary works of literature could‘ve remained in obscurity because of hatred and ignorance. How many Jewish works were actually lost? What a horrible world prejudice and racism create, I can‘t believe there are people today actively working to live in a world like that.

GingerAntics Or denying that this ever happened. I agree with every part of what you just said. 5y
Faibka @GingerAntics uff don‘t even get me started on the deniers, either they‘re willfully ignorant or just plain malignant 5y
GingerAntics @Faibka I‘m more of the opinion their idiotic a** holes. 5y
See All 13 Comments
Faibka @GingerAntics I agree that‘s probably a more accurate assessment. 5y
GingerAntics I seriously do not understand people who are so filled with hate. Were they not hugged as children? Did no one ever tell them they were loved? I don‘t understand. 5y
Faibka @GingerAntics unfortunately, a lot of the hatred is learned and passed on. Can also be the result of abuse, the hatred towards others reflect a hatred towards themselves since they can‘t stand to be reminded how inadequate they feel. On the other hand, many many have come from abusive households who are kind and empathetic, so not excusing the behavior, just thinking possible explanations. 5y
GingerAntics I get what you‘re saying. It seems hate and loving kindness are both taught...although science is apparently finding now that human beings are born naturally caring and compassionate, so I think that really should make us look at all of the hate in the world. It really is, genuinely, learned. 5y
Faibka @GingerAntics yes, I agree. And that also includes hatred towards ourselves. When a child is overly criticized and/or neglected the message is “you have no value just for being you”. Again, I‘m no psychologist but I think a lot of the problems we see are rooted in childhood trauma. The more I think about it, the more this book, the Trial and the Metamorphosis are metaphors about trauma of which Kafka himself suffered 5y
GingerAntics I hadn‘t thought of Metamorphosis that way, but I did despise how his parents treated him. It was really sad. I agree with you about childhood stuff. We have got to teach our children that they have intrinsic value. Then again, in many cases, we need to act like adults have intrinsic value as well. The way we treat our poor, our disabled, our veterans is just disgusting and inhumane. 5y
Faibka @GingerAntics yes, it is :( 5y
GingerAntics Added this (and several more Kafka stories and novels) to my wish list. Kafka is very much like Vonnegut in the way they make you look at humanity in a different way. 5y
Faibka @GingerAntics sorry! Missed this response, yeah! I‘m glad to see another Kafka potential fan 😃 please please tag me when you read it! I would love to know what you think. And yes that‘s a great observation with comparing to Vonnegut, I hadn‘t thought of it that way 5y
GingerAntics Oh, you‘ve definitely got another Kafka fan! 5y
21 likes1 stack add13 comments
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Emilymdxn
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this a lot and I‘m glad to have finally got to this #1001books book. Atmospheric, frightening in a bureaucratic sort of way (eerily appropriate to today, I accidentally picked a very timely moment to read it), and it felt much more modern than I was expecting. Maybe it‘s not the type of literature that emotionally connects with me the most but I did enjoy it. I liked it more than Metamorphosis and less than The Castle

Henrik_Madsen I thought it was brilliant when I read it. And uncomfortably funny with all the absurd things going on. 5y
59 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Miss1
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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The sun came out to play while I was reading this weekend

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curiousparable
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Mehso-so

I liked the thought-provoking parable towards the end of the story and the detailed analysis of the court system, otherwise the book was a bit too dry for my liking and the protagonist was somewhat annoying in his ruminations. Maybe it's the way it was written that didn't appear to me.

StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Welcome to Litsy 💖📖💖 5y
CoffeeNBooks Welcome to Litsy! 📚 5y
5 likes2 comments
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Caroline2
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Oh I‘ve been wanting to read this book for a while now so I couldn‘t resist this beautiful hardback edition! 😍 Has anyone read this? Is it any good???

Brooke_H I liked it when I read it, maybe 20 yrs ago! 5y
Astroneman It‘s my DNF in my reading challenge.. 5y
Caroline2 @Brooke_H good to know! 👍🏻 5y
Caroline2 @Astroneman oh dear...! 5y
75 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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Dominyka
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Pickpick

Very deep and interesting

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Astroneman
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Bailedbailed
akckitty Crossing my fingers for excellent book luck for the rest of your year 🤗 5y
19 likes1 comment
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seydoggy
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Mehso-so

What did I just read? That was like one long, run on telling of a bad dream, and just as surreal. I get that this is a classic masterpiece for this reason but I just didn't comprehend it's significance to anything concrete.

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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka

He shouted in anger, but it was also the scream of one who sees another fall and, shocked and without thinking, screams against his own will.

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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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"those who are facing a charge are the most attractive"

36 likes1 stack add
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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka

Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of it, no choice whether you accept it or turn it down, you have to defend yourself, then if you are tired its bad.

Kafka puts it this way;

"He no longer had any choice whether he would accept the trial or turn it down, he was in the middle of it and had to defend himself. If he was tired, then that was bad."

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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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moments "when you think you‘ve achieved nothing at all, when it seems that the only trials to come to a good end are those that were determined to have a good end from the start and would do so without any help, while all the others are lost despite all the running to and fro, all the effort, all
the little, apparent successes that gave such joy."

Freespirit Should I read a Kafka? 6y
Haroon_Ishaq @Freespirit it's a yes 👍 6y
Haroon_Ishaq @Gina The Metamorphosis is nice, it's tragic how easily people, once loved, get alienated nd bcm a bad memory. 6y
Freespirit Thanks @Gina @Haroon_Ishaq I will be on the lookout for The Metamorphosis😊 6y
53 likes1 stack add5 comments
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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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It‘s only because of their stupidity that they‘re able to be so sure of themselves.

47 likes1 stack add
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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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When you suddenly realise that they all belong to the same group

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Haroon_Ishaq
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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When you‘ve been in the world for thirty years already and had to make your own way through everything
yourself, which has been my lot, then you become hardened to surprises and don‘t take them too hard.

Libby1 Welcome to Litsy! This is a great cover. I really liked this book. ❤️📚❤️ 6y
TrishB Hi 🙋‍♀️ welcome 6y
Haroon_Ishaq Thanks, it's nice to be here 🙂 6y
See All 47 Comments
Haroon_Ishaq @Libby1 I'm yet in the start but expecting the perfect Kafkaesque feel as the pages keep turning 😍 6y
Craftylikefox Welcome to Litsy 😊 6y
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100 likes1 stack add47 comments
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ShannonOffDuty
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Mehso-so

#Kafka was a much better philosopher than a story teller. The story bored me at times and the characters were underdeveloped. The social issues at the core of the book were fascinating however. But in a work of fiction I expect more emotion to tie everything together. Still, I'm glad I read this.
Thoughts? Anyone? ....

Haroon_Ishaq "When you‘ve been in the world for thirty years already and had to make your own way through everything yourself, which has been my lot, then you become hardened to surprises and don‘t take them too hard." 6y
6 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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jenniferw88
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Panpan

Books read #sofar in September! The Trial gets 1 star from this collection of Kafka's works - I should have bailed on it as I just didn't understand it. #SisforSeptember @CaliforniaCay

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hes7
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Mehso-so

Well, it‘s been an experience, Joseph K. Bleak and absurd, it magnified important aspects of life to consider. I‘ll have to keep pondering it all to fully understand.

#BackpackEurope: Czech Republic ✔️

CaramelLunacy I remember reading that one for school... but a shame you didn't get to see much of Prague! 6y
Moray_Reads I saw an it's version of this a couple of years ago, it was surreal! 6y
120 likes1 stack add2 comments
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hes7
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Kafka rarely names places in his works, but while visiting the Franz Kafka Museum, I learned that many choose to see Prague in what he describes. With this in mind, the walk that Joseph K takes in the end leads from the Old Town to Lesser Town, crossing the beautiful Charles Bridge.

Landmark for #BackpackEurope

behudd That definitely makes sense to me! I lived in Prague for a couple years & see it‘s influences in his writings for sure. 6y
98 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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hes7
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Joseph K and his absurd trial have been occupying my visit to the Czech Republic, so I couldn‘t resist stopping at the Franz Kafka Museum in Prague. Not only does the collection of exhibits share the troubled life of the man behind K‘s story, but it does so in an odd way to make the learning experience “Kafkaesque.” Very interesting.

#BackpackEurope

kellyann28 Very cool! 6y
MyNamesParadise I‘ve been there! Or rather I‘ve been to what his house was...it was very tiny! 6y
107 likes1 stack add2 comments
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hes7
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Existentialism and the Czech Republic, here I come!

#BackpackEurope #MountTBR #ReadHarder

Alfoster Woohoo!👏👏👏 6y
mutlee Prague is high up on my travel wish list! Love Kafka and Kundera. 6y
104 likes2 comments
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readsforkeeps
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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“Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph K., for without having done anything wrong he was arrested one fine morning.”
- Franz Kafka, The Trial

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Nickinpa
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Mehso-so

It was a frustrating read/listen. Plus the audiobook had a problem and didn‘t end with the famous line but there was text from earlier in the novel dubbed in at the end.

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Christyco125
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Mehso-so

I think I should try the old translation. The new translation has a chapter of just leftover pages. It‘s my understanding the first translation was out together in order to be more fluid. I had a hard time with finding the point of the story. #LitsyClassics #T #2018christyread

30 likes1 stack add
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Mindyrecycles
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Working on these three. #25infive

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bibliobliss
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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• Funny, that‘s MY reaction to other people‘s children! Just kidding!! 😆 •

#bookquotes #quotes #funnystuff #currentlyreading

LauraBeth 😂😂 7y
bibliobliss @C.Perone 😆 7y
48 likes4 comments
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bibliobliss
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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• finished another issue; SO WEIRD and intriguing. there‘s no telling if my questions will be answered in the end •

#books #classics #SerialReaderapp #currentlyreading #longreads #digitalreads

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Leftcoastzen
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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#fiercefeb Kafka could say #ithinkimparanoid for a reason.

Cinfhen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
batsy Excellent pick! 7y
30 likes2 comments
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Leftcoastzen
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Weirdness and looking for suggestions.So Stach has this 3 volume bio of Kafka . But , the publication order was Kafka‘s middle years , then end years, with early years just published. I think part of the issue was some papers related to early years were legally tied up. And my library doesn‘t have middle years published first. So , has anybody read them ? Should I read in publication order or Kafka‘s life order?thoughts?

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bibliobliss
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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32 likes1 stack add
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holarosarita
The Trial | Franz Kafka
Panpan

I gotta say this was not for me. I don‘t need the existential dread right now. Especially not wrapped up in a legal context. But this style of writing and this viewpoint is also generally just not for me.

khooliha Congrats on finishing, though! 7y
1 like1 comment
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goktrose
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Walked two miles to the library in the cold to pick up my holds so now its time for my electric blanket, some hot tea, and my choice for the book published posthumously category of the #bookriotreadharderchallenge.

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holarosarita
The Trial | Franz Kafka
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Is there a literary device that describes this kind of writing? Because it drives me batty.