A Hunger Artist

By: Franz Kafka

Narrated by: Lyssa Browne

"A Hunger Artist" is a short story by Franz Kafka first published in 1922. The protagonist, a hunger artist who experiences the decline in appreciation of his craft, is typically Kafkaesque: an individual marginalized and victimized by society at large. "A Hunger Artist" explores themes such as death, art, isolation, asceticism, spiritual poverty, futility, personal failure, and the corruption of human relationships.

Franz Kafka (July 3, 1883 - June 3, 1924) was a German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer, widely regarded as one of the major figures of 20th-century literature. His work fuses elements of realism and the fantastic. It typically features isolated protagonists facing bizarre or surrealistic predicaments and incomprehensible socio-bureaucratic powers. It has been interpreted as exploring themes of alienation, existential anxiety, guilt, and absurdity.

Narrator Lyssa Browne started performing in theatre when she was very young. After receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Dance she moved to Seattle where she has performed in many area theatre companies. Lyssa's voice can be heard as many different characters in Nintendo and X-Box games, as well as the narrator of documentaries for the Discovery Channel and others.

Public Domain (P)2020 Listen & Live Audio/Cedar House Audio