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Etsy Does Kafka

A little bit of Prague for your collection of whimsical trinkets

by
Julie Hartman
July 01, 2011
A Metamorphosis-inspired silhouette.(SadGiraffe/Etsy)
A Metamorphosis-inspired silhouette.(SadGiraffe/Etsy)

Franz Kafka celebrated only 40 birthdays in his lifetime, but his devoted fans continue to mark it—on this Sunday, July 3, the legendary author would have been 128 (you know, if such a thing were possible outside the Pentateuch). Looking to find the perfect gift to mark the date for the Kafka-lover in your life? A browse through Etsy reveals a wide selection of Kafka-related items, perfect presents inspired by the work of this free-thinking, one-of-a-kind author.

For fans of The Metamorphosis, our favorite pieces include a magnet that offers “Protection from Rebirth as an Insect,” and is captioned, “Keep Kafka-esque Futures at bay;” an elegant eight-by-ten-inch hand-cut paper silhouette from etsy user SadGiraffe’s Metamorphosis collection; and an adjustable silver Metamorphosis-themed ring displaying a scuttling orange beetle. Finally, a Franz Kafka Parable Vladmaster Set is also available featuring slides of intriguing images from Kafka’s lesser-known tales that are described by the seller as “brief and enigmatic re-imaginings of traditional mythic and historic figures.”

For more conventional gifts, we obviously recommend Rodger Kamenetz’s Burnt Books, published by Nextbook Press.

Burnt Books [Nextbook Press]