Kafka and Photography

Carolin Duttlinger discusses Kafka's photographs...and their origins, drawing on the writings of Theodor W. Adorno, Walter Benjamin and Siegfried Kracauer as well as Roland Barthes and Susan Sontag. But the great strength of her book lies in the fact that the theory and history of photography as a key medium of modernity forms only the framework of her argument. Within this framework we see a literary critic at work who approaches her material using her own methodology: that of philology. Lothar Muller, Suddeutsche Zeitung In a series of at times stunning textual and visual analyses, Carolin Duttlinger demonstrates that Kafka's writing was to a great extent inspired by a rich archive of visual material...Duttlinger's book offers a meticulous excavation of a 'little' history of photography from Kafka's writing while, at the same time, weaving the compelling and lucid narrative of a writer's visual imagination in a way that is a true pleasure to read and follow at every stage. This is an exceptional study that provides important insights into the relationship between literature and media technology and should open further avenues for reading Kafka's work in the context of media studies. Markus Zisselsberger, The Modern Language Review Dutlinger's book offers a meticulous excavation of a 'little' history of photgraphy from Kafka's writing while, at the same time, weaving the compelling and lucid narrative of a writer's visual imagination in a way that is true pleasure to read and follow at every stage MLR As Duttlinger convincingly demonstrates, photography is a central theme in Kafka's writings of all periods as well as a key metaphor for Kafka's literary approach...This study doubtlessly offers a vital contribution to existing research and sets new standards in Kafka scholarship, as well as providing an indispensible account of the media-historical background, context and sources which shaped Kafka's writing. Silke Horstkotte, IASLonline the author admirably locates and cogently translates key texts in which Kafka turns to photography