Announcement: 'A Year in Kafka' becomes 'Paper Knife'
Carving a New Path in Literary Exploration
I’m excited to announce that our journey, which began as A Year in Kafka, is undergoing a metamorphosis of its own: a change that will broaden our literary horizons while continuing our deep dive into Franz Kafka’s world. A Year in Kafka is rebranding to Paper Knife, a new name that reflects my desire to expand our discussions to other writers and thought-provoking topics in the future, beyond the scope of a single author.
Why Paper Knife, you ask? Well, it’s not just a nod to the tool (aka letter opener) used to cut open the pages of a new book before it could be read. ‘Knife’, like Kafka, has five letters and starts with a K; it’s also (spoiler alert) the weapon that kills Joseph K… But most of all, the name suggests a sense of precision and depth in our analysis, a willingness to cut through the layers of a text to reveal hidden meanings and connections. It’s about approaching literature with passion and insight, much like Kafka approached his own writing.
However, our exploration of Kafka’s life and works will remain my core focus for the foreseeable future. We still have a wealth of material to explore—from his unfinished novels to his letters, diaries, and the myriad interpretations his work has inspired. But as we journey through his life and works, we’ll encounter numerous fascinating tangents—philosophical questions, historical contexts, literary movements—that will probably deserve exploration in their own right. So, as we move forward, Paper Knife will give us the flexibility to occasionally dip our toes into other literary waters, drawing connections between Kafka and his contemporaries, exploring his influence on later writers, and perhaps even venturing into entirely different territories down the road. Our Paper Knife will allow us to crack the giant beetle’s shell open and follow all the hidden threads wherever they lead.
As part of this transition, I should also mention that older articles will be placed behind a paywall. This, as well as your continued support as readers, will allow me to invest more deeply in research and create even more engaging content, potentially exploring other brilliant authors and thought-provoking topics down the line. I hope you’ll understand this move and continue to support my work.
Nothing else is changing—I’ll carry on with this literary journey, and Kafka will continue to feature prominently in the upcoming posts and newsletter issues. The best is yet to come!
I’m eager to hear your thoughts on this evolution and would be incredibly grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to share your feedback to help me shape the future direction of this newsletter. Your insights will, I’m sure, be incredibly valuable as we sharpen our Paper Knife into a dynamic space for thought-provoking literary analysis. You can find the survey here:
Also, one last heads-up: my posts and newsletters may become a bit more irregular during the upcoming summer months. Thanks for understanding!
Thank you for being part of this small community of curious minds and passionate readers. Stay tuned!
Congrats (if that's the right word). Either way, I've been really enjoying the newsletter, so I'll keep reading. A newsletter by any other name...