The Trial

Written in 1914, The Trial is one of the most important novels of the twentieth century: the chilling story of Josef K., a respectable bank official who is suddenly and inexplicably arrested and must defend himself against an accusation for which he cannot obtain any information. Whether read as an existential narrative, a parable, or a prophecy of the excesses of modern bureaucracy intertwined with the madness of totalitarianism, Kafka's nightmare has resonated with generations of readers with alarming truth. This new edition is based on the work of an international team of experts who have restored the text, the order of the chapters, and their structure to create a version that is as close as possible to the author's original text.

In his brilliant translation, Breon Mitchell masterfully reproduces the characteristic poetics of Kafka's prose, revealing a novel that is as full of energy and power as it was at the time of its first writing.