KAFKANISTAN is politically, visually, and socially poignant and is a gateway to voice a narrative in these amazing and often misunderstood and misrepresented countries. The American media often presents countries in the region in a negative light. Birk, however, decided to experience the countries, its people, and culture for himself. What he presents in the book is at once thought provoking, inspiring, and surprising—raising many questions about the way in which Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran are presented in the media.
The title, KAFKANISTAN, is inspired by Franz Kafka’s “Das Schloß,” or “The Castle.” Because of his nationality, Birk was given access and privilege denied to most Americans. KAFKANISTAN is an inside look at a remote, beautiful, and misunderstood region of the world.