Franz Kafka

What Hacker News says

1. wandaJan 2014
   I don't know about 'life-changing' but the best books I ever read were:

   Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

     (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
   
   

   Being and Time

     (Martin Heidegger)
   
   

   Of Grammatology

     (Jacques Derrida)
   
   

   Writing and Difference

     (Jacques Derrida)
   
   

   Martian Timeslip

     (Philip K. Dick)
   
   

   Ringworld

     (Larry Niven)
   
   

   The Forever War

     (Joe Haldeman)
   
   

   The Metamorphosis

     (Franz Kafka)
   
   

   Finally, the Greek tragedies and Goethe's poetry are basically perfect.
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2. ilitiritOct 2009
   Franz Kafka - Metamorposis

   Roald Dahl - James and the giant peach

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3. lukanMar 2024
   "If we found Julius Caesar’s private diary with admonitions to not read it, would we honor that?"

   Judging by modern morals, Julius Caesar would be guilty of multiple genocidal war crimes. His private diaries would be rather evidence.

   "that public figures private works are often of general interest."

   This argument is basically, that if only enough people want something, they get the right. Which is not something I am a huge fan about. And Garcia was no Imperator, deciding the fate of millions, but a private writer.

   And the argument about dementia, if he would have been so far away in dementia, while making the decision, I do not think his sons would have judged so harshly about themself:

   "We did think about it for about three seconds - was it a betrayal to my parents, to my father's [wishes]?

   "And we decided, yes, it was a betrayal. But that's what children are for."

   I think this is mainly a internal familiy thing if his sons decide to publish and ignore their fathers wish. But I probably won't read it.

   And it is a different case with Kafka:

   "Before author Franz Kafka died from tuberculosis in 1924, he told friend Max Brod to burn all of his work. However, between 1925 and 1935 Brod published his collection of works including The Trial, The Castle and Amerika."

   Because he told his friend Brod before, that he will ask him to destroy his works once he dies - and Brod told him clearly, that if he will do that, he will refuse and publish it anyway. So rather a kafkaesk joke all in all and no betrayal. If Kafka really would have wanted someone destroy his works, he could have asked someone else.

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