Franz Kafka is a Bohemian-born German-language author widely regarded as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century and a defining voice in modern literature. Born in Prague, he rose to international acclaim posthumously with novels and stories including The Trial, The Castle, and The Metamorphosis, works that continue to be studied as masterpieces of existential and absurdist fiction. Though he worked as an insurance clerk for most of his life and published little during his own lifetime, his close friend Max Brod defied Kafka's wish to have his manuscripts destroyed, preserving works that would go on to shape modern literary thought. His depictions of alienated individuals trapped within bewildering bureaucratic and existential systems gave rise to the term "Kafkaesque," now used worldwide to describe surreal, nightmarish predicaments. Known for his spare prose and unflinching exploration of guilt, isolation, and the individual's struggle against incomprehensible authority, Kafka's work continues to shape modern literary fiction and inspire readers across the world.