Entry photo: Ardon Bar Hama | Drawings by Franz Kafka | The Literary Estate of Max Brod | National Library of Israel, Jerusalem
Especially this time, when you are not on the road professionally or strongly involved on site, offers the ideal opportunity to dig out old books and rediscover them for yourself.
My recommendation for this year is Franz Kafka, whose books I find all very successful; also the gloomy days of the year are very apt to delve into.
Here's a little suggestion.
"Someone must have slandered Josef K., because he was arrested one morning without having done anything wrong."
Franz Kafka, The Trial
And if you throw away your Kafka straight out of school, you're bound to find it in the nearest library.
In addition, his collected works are currently very cheap to buy; you get a lot of book for little money.
And if you don't just want to delve deeper into Kafka's novels and all of the stories, you will also find one or the other note worth considering in his diaries.
"Don't waste time looking for the obstacle, maybe there isn't one."
Franz Kafka, diary entry from September 16, 1920
I would like to end this article with another quote from Kafka's stories.
“Because we are like tree trunks in the snow. Apparently they lie flat, and with a little push you should be able to push them away. No, you can't, because they are firmly connected to the ground. But see, even that is only apparent.”
Franz Kafka, The Trees
It doesn't matter whether you read Kafka between the years or something completely different, I hope you enjoy it.