A radical re-orientation of the study of Franz Kafka that focuses on the role of the accident in his writing and its reception, linking this theme to his use of visual media (photography, cinema, drawing) and a view of his work as oriented less towards domination and more towards defiance.

By challenging many of the assumptions, misguided presuppositions and even legends that have surrounded the legacy and reception of Franz Kafka’s work during the 20th century, Howard Caygill provides us with a radical new way of reading Kafka. Kafka: In the Light of the Accident advances a unique philosophical interpretation via the pivotal theme of the accident, understood both philosophically and in a broader cultural context, that includes the philosophical and sociological basis of accident insurance and the understanding of the concepts of chance and necessity. Caygill reveals how Kafka’s reception was governed by a series of accidents - from the order of Max Brod’s posthumous publication of the novels and the correction of ‘misprints’, to many other posthumous editorial strategies. The focus on the accident casts light on the role of media in Kafka’s work, particularly visual media and above all photography. By stressing the role of contingency in his authorship, Caygill also fundamentally questions the 20th century view of Kafka’s work as ‘kafkaesque’. Instead of a narration of domination, Kafka: In the Light of the Accident argues that Kafka’s work is best read as a narration of defiance, one which affirms (often comically) the role of error and contingency in historical struggle. Kafka’s defiance is situated within early 20th century radical culture, with particular emphasis lent to the roles of radical Judaism, the European socialist and feminist movements, and the subaltern histories of the United States and China.

"By venturing into uncharted territory with sophistication, Caygill provides an insightful reexamination of well-known texts and he demonstrates the value of unfamiliar resources. Hopefully, Kafka: In light of the Accident will inspire future Kafka readers to explore and appreciate the role of accident and chance in his work." - The German Quarterly

"A significant contribution to literature and the philosophy of the accident: it intricately interweaves a sociological account of modernity’s differential distribution of chance, a reflection on art’s illumination of the accidental beginning of defiance and a unique interpretation of Kafka’s writing." - New Formations