← Back
Cover of Kafkaesque: Stories Inspired by Franz Kafka

Kafkaesque: Stories Inspired by Franz Kafka

John Kessel & James Patrick Kelly

First published 2011
Publisher Tachyon Publications
Format Trade Paperback
Type Anthology
Cover art Josh Beatman
Pages 283
Price $15.95
ISBN 9781616960490

  • First edition; first printing, according to number line 9 to 1 on copyright page.
  • Kate Wilhelm is printed (as contributor) on the cover, but none of her work is included.
  • 'A Hunger Artist' translated by John Kessel.
  • 'The Lottery in Babylon' translated by Andrew Hurley.
  • Each story is accompanied by 'Editors' Notes' at the end; all story introductions take the story's or the author's response to Kafka into account.
  • Extended copyrights on p. 4; on p. 283 are Acknowledgments.
  • Cover artist credited on copyright page, but on back cover 'Brainchild Studios/NYC' is credited.

Year Reviewer Publication
2012 John Howard Interzone, January-February 2012
2012 John Clute Strange Horizons, 30 January 2012
2015 Peter Young Big Sky, #5: Hotel Catatonia

Page Title Author(s) Type
9 Stories After Kafka John Kessel & James Patrick Kelly Essay
22 Kafka Chronology uncredited Essay
27 A Hunger Artist Franz Kafka Short Story
37 On the Translation of 'A Hunger Artist' John Kessel Essay
40 The Drowned Giant (introduction) J. G. Ballard Essay
41 The Drowned Giant J. G. Ballard Short Story
54 The Cockroach Hat (introduction) Terry Bisson Essay
55 The Cockroach Hat Terry Bisson Short Story
62 Hymenoptera (introduction) Michael Blumlein Essay
63 Hymenoptera Michael Blumlein Short Story
76 The Lottery in Babylon (introduction) Jorge Luis Borges Essay
77 The Lottery in Babylon Jorge Luis Borges Short Story
84 The Big Garage (introduction) T. Coraghessan Boyle Essay
85 The Big Garage T. Coraghessan Boyle Short Story
104 The Jackdaw's Last Case (introduction) Paul Di Filippo Essay
105 The Jackdaw's Last Case Paul Di Filippo Short Story
134 Report to the Men's Club (introduction) Carol Emshwiller Essay
135 Report to the Men's Club Carol Emshwiller Short Story
142 Bright Morning (introduction) Jeffrey Ford Essay
143 Bright Morning Jeffrey Ford Novelette
166 The Rapid Advance of Sorrow (introduction) Theodora Goss Essay
167 The Rapid Advance of Sorrow Theodora Goss Short Story
174 Stable Strategies for Middle Management (introduction) Eileen Gunn Essay
175 Stable Strategies for Middle Management Eileen Gunn Short Story
190 The Handler (introduction) Damon Knight Essay
191 The Handler Damon Knight Short Story
198 Receding Horizon (introduction) Jonathan Lethem Essay
199 Receding Horizon Jonathan Lethem & Carter Scholz Short Story
218 A Hunger Artist (introduction) David Mairowitz Essay
219 A Hunger Artist David Mairowitz & Robert Crumb Short Story
230 "I Always Wanted You to Admire My Fasting"; or, Looking at Kafka Philip Roth Essay
231 "I Always Wanted You to Admire My Fasting"; or, Looking at Kafka Philip Roth Short Story
244 The 57th Franz Kafka (introduction) Rudy Rucker Essay
245 The 57th Franz Kafka Rudy Rucker Short Story
252 The Amount to Carry (introduction) Carter Scholz Essay
253 The Amount to Carry Carter Scholz Novelette
272 Kafka in Brontëland (introduction) Tamar Yellin Essay
273 Kafka in Brontëland Tamar Yellin Short Story