Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 - June 3, 1924) was a Czech novelist and short-story writer, widely considered one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century. His selected published works include Meditation (1913), The Metamorphosis (1915), A Hunger Artist (1922), The Trial (1925), The Castle (1926), Amerika, or The Man who Disappeared (1927).