7&&LDIV&&R&&LDIV&&R&&LI&&RThe Metamorphosis and Other Stories&&L/I&&R, by &&LB&&RFranz Kafka&&L/B&&R, is part of the &&LI&&R&&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R &&L/I&&Rseries, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics&&L/I&&R: &&LDIV&&R

• New introductions commissioned from todays top writers and scholars
• Biographies of the authors
• Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events
• Footnotes and endnotes
• Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work
• Comments by other famous authors
• Study questions to challenge the readers viewpoints and expectations
• Bibliographies for further reading
• Indices & Glossaries, when appropriate

&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&RAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. &&LI&&RBarnes & Noble Classics &&L/I&&Rpulls together a constellation of influences--biographical, historical, and literary--to enrich each readers understanding of these enduring works.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&R &&L/DIV&&R&&LDIV&&RVirtually unknown during his lifetime, &&LB&&RFranz Kafka&&L/B&&R is now one of the world's most widely read and discussed authors. His 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, "&&LI&&RThe Metamorphosis&&L/I&&R," a story that is both harrowing and amusing, and a landmark of modern literature. &&LP&&RBringing together some of Kafka's finest work, this collection demonstrates the richness and variety of the author's artistry. "&&LI&&RThe Judgment&&L/I&&R," which Kafka considered to be his decisive breakthrough, and "&&LI&&RThe Stoker&&L/I&&R," which became the first chapter of his novel &&LI&&RAmerika&&L/I&&R, are here included. These two, along with "&&LI&&RThe Metamorphosis&&L/I&&R," form a suite of stories Kafka referred to as "The Sons," and they collectively present a devastating portrait of the modern family. &&L/P&&R&&LP&&RAlso included are "&&LI&&RIn the Penal Colony&&L/I&&R," a story of a torture machine and its operators and victims, and "&&LI&&RA Hunger Artist&&L/I&&R," about the absurdity of an artist trying to communicate with a misunderstanding public. Kafka's lucid, succinct writing chronicles the labyrinthine complexities, the futility-laden horror, and the stifling oppressiveness that permeate his vision of modern life. &&L/P&&R&&LP style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"&&R&&LSTRONG&&RJason Baker&&L/B&&R&&L/B&&R is a writer of short stories living in Brooklyn, New York.&&L/P&&R&&L/DIV&&R