Franz Kafka's nightmarish novels and short stories have come to symbolize modern man's anxiety and alienation in a bizarre, hostile, and dehumanized world. This vision is most fully realized in Kafka's masterpiece, "The Metamorphosis, " a story that is both harrowing and amusing, and a landmark of modern literature. Bringing together some of Kafka's finest work, this collection demonstrates the richness and variety of the author's artistry. "The Judgment, " which Kafka considered to be his decisive breakthrough, and "The Stoker, " which became the first chapter of his novel "Amerika, are here included. These two, along with "The Metamorphosis, " form a suite of stories Kafka referred to as "The Sons, " and they collectively present a devastating portrait of the modern family. Jason Baker is a writer of short stories living in Brooklyn, New York.