Is there anything I should read or know about him before jumping

u should start with my ass whole ;)

>>7733578

start by waking up as a giant insect

>>7733578
>Is there anything I should read
Flaubert

why don't you make a thread AFTER you read him

Start with the Greeks.

Read him chronologically like any other author

>>7733578
Just read his stuff. The order doesn't matter with him.

Just jump into the trial or his short stories and continue from there

>>7733578
I would recommend reading at least two of his short stories, namely The Judgement and The Penal Colony. Those two will show you his style the most and you will understand him a lot better after having read those.

You will also have to be a bit familiar with his personal life. A wikipedia summary will most likely do, but if you want to dig deeper, then you can read his letters, which are probably online somewhere.

Regarding his longer works. I don't think the reading order for those are that important. I only urge you to read the Castle last, since it was his last work, which he never finished. Because then you are familiar with his writing and will probably be able to fill in the gaps and such.