Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Kafka turned 130, reminds Google

When I talked with my father last week, he gave me awesome feedback on a compilation of blog posts that I had sent my parents. Father gave me details on what he and mother really, really liked.  And that included this post of mine.

However old I get--and I am perhaps like most people in this--it is always a special treat when parents or our favorites appreciate us and any small thing we might have done.

Anyway, in that post, I quote one of Franz Kafka's short stories, The Next Village:
My grandfather used to say: "Life is astonishingly short. Now, in my memory, it is so compressed that I can hardly understand, for example, how a young person can decide to ride to the next village without being afraid that--apart from accidents--even the time allotted to a normal, happy life is far too short for such a journey."
If only I could write like that!

Profound!

Google's home page reminded me about Kafka with this image there to honor his birthday:


Between Kafka and George Orwell, we have enough and more descriptions of society to make us sit up and think.  And worry.

I even quoted Kafka in my recent annual work report; I will soon find out how well that was received by the powers-that-be ;)

A couple of years ago, the daughter bought me from Prague a book--a collection of some of Kafka's stories--that also included a brief description of his life, along with a few photos too. And a coaster with Kafka's portrait.  One of the best gifts ever.

They just don't make intellectuals like them anymore!


4 comments:

Ramesh said...

Oh that was what the pic on Google was - Kafka never occured to me.

That post was better than the quote from Kafka. On that evidence, I hereby pronounce you a better writer than Kafka, and of course, a lot more cheerful, even when those morbid fancies strike you !!

Sriram Khé said...

Haha ... ok, you have earned you one dollar for being nice ;)

Indu said...

Agree with Ramesh here - on your writing being more cheerful -whether it will stand the test of time -like Kafka - only time can tell!!.. ;-)

I also missed the bug connection with Kafka- How could I!!!???

Sriram Khé said...

Ok, Indu, you too have earned that one dollar bonus for saying nice things here ;)
welcome back ...