This handbook gives insight into Kafka's life, work, interpretations, impact of his work and current research. One section deals with Kafka caught between life and work - Kafka's biography, the relationship with his father, towards women, to Max Brod as well as Kafka as letter- and diary writer, as civil servant and as ill person. Another section focuses on Kafka's publication during his life time, unpublished works and his practice of editing, writing and his merging with space, time and system. This is followed by various interpretation perspectives and single interpretations showing the variety of sublayers and examplifying the diverse research produced on Kafka's work.