\nFranz Kafka (1883-1924) was born in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He studied law at the University of Prague and went on to work at an insurance company, balancing his career with his writing. Much of his fiction explores themes of alienation, anxiety, and the absurdity of modern life. His best-known works include The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle. Although little of his work was published during his lifetime, Kafka's influence on twentieth-century literature has been profound, and he is now regarded as one of the most important writers of the modern era.\n