The Trial

Kafka's chilling and darkly entertaining exploration of life's absurdity, now in Penguin Clothbound ClassicsA terrifying psychological trip into the life of one Joseph K., an ordinary man who wakes up one day to find himself accused of a crime he did not commit, a crime whose nature is never revealed to him. Once arrested, he is released, but must report to court on a regular basis - an event that proves maddening, as nothing is ever resolved. As he grows more uncertain of his fate, his personal life - including work at a bank and his relations with his landlady and a young woman who lives next door - becomes increasingly unpredictable. As K. tries to gain control, he succeeds only in accelerating his own excruciating downward spiral. This is a stunning new Clothbound Classics edition of Kafka's major novel, designed by the award-winning Coralie Bickford-Smith and translated by Idris Parry. These delectable and collectible Penguin editions are bound in colourful, tactile cloth with foil stamped into the design.

Penguin Clothbound Classics are bound in cloth and not paper. The design is stamped on in foil, and each cover repeats one small icon taken from the story. The series was designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, who took her inspiration from Victorian bookbinding. Each book has coloured endpapers and a ribbon bookmark. They make beautiful presents.

The foil can rub off if the books are stacked tightly, so give them a little room on the shelf.

Author: Franz Kafka

Classic fiction (pre c 1945)

Published on 6 Aug 2026 by Penguin Books Ltd.