The Essay: In the Shadow of Kafka

As part of a Radio 3 season exploring the work and influence of Franz Kafka, a series in which leading writers explore the breadth of the Czech author's thinking, his world and how his writing still resonates for them. 2. His Father's Excrement - Franz Kafka and the Power of the Insect: Playwright, film-maker and novelist Hanif Kureish explores Kafka's personal and artistic fascination with the body and food. A lifelong vegetarian, Kafka was tormented by his delicate digestion and his father's blustering, carnivorous robustness. His characters use their bodies as weapons to attack others and ultimately destroy themselves.