Metamorphosis and Two Other Stories is a compilation of Franz Kafka's most celebrated short stories.
Here's a short introduction of each one:

The Metamorphosis is perhaps Kafka's most iconic story—a darkly humorous yet deeply moving tale that remains one of the most recognizable pieces of modern fiction. Even if you haven't read it, you likely know the premise: a man, Gregor Samsa, wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect. As the story unfolds, Kafka turns his transformation into a powerful metaphor for the dehumanizing effects of modern life and the ways we disconnect from each other.

In the Penal Colony, published two years after "The Metamorphosis," takes a much darker and more brutal tone than its predecessor. The story, set in a far-off penal colony in a colonized, tropical land, focuses on a massive machine used for torture and capital punishment. The reader, through the eyes of a traveler visiting the colony, is forced to confront this gruesome apparatus and the twisted logic of the officer who operates it.

The Hunger Artist, published just two years before Kafka's death, introduces us to a fading performer whose art, fasting for extended periods, has fallen out of favor. The "hunger artist" is driven by a desire to prove his mastery over his body, but ultimately finds himself misunderstood and forgotten. With "The Hunger Artist," Kafka invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between art, life, and the search for meaning in a world that often fails to appreciate true artistry.