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Collected Fictions Paperback – Deckle Edge, September 1, 1999
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“An event, and cause for celebration.”—The New York Times
A Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition with flaps and deckle-edged paper
For some fifty years, in intriguing and ingenious fictions that reimagined the very form of the short story—from his 1935 debut with A Universal History of Iniquity through his immensely influential collections Ficciones and The Aleph, the enigmatic prose poems of The Maker, up to his final work in the 1980s, Shakespeare’s Memory—Jorge Luis Borges returned again and again to his celebrated themes: dreams, duels, labyrinths, mirrors, infinite libraries, the manipulations of chance, gauchos, knife fighters, tigers, and the elusive nature of identity itself. Playfully experimenting with ostensibly subliterary genres, he took the detective story and turned it into metaphysics; he took fantasy writing and made it, with its questioning and reinventing of everyday reality, central to the craft of fiction; he took the literary essay and put it to use reviewing wholly imaginary books.
Bringing together for the first time in English all of Borges’s magical stories, and all of them newly rendered into English in brilliant translations by Andrew Hurley, Collected Fictions is the perfect one-volume compendium for all who have long loved Borges, and a superb introduction to the master’s work for all who have yet to discover this singular genius.
For more than seventy-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 2,000 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
- Print length565 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherPenguin Books
- Publication dateSeptember 1, 1999
- Grade level12 and up
- Reading age18 years and up
- Dimensions8.37 x 5.78 x 1.5 inches
- ISBN-100140286802
- ISBN-13978-0140286809
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“A marvelous new collection of stories by one of the most remarkable writers of our century.” —The New York Times
“The major work of probably the most influential Latin American writer of the century.” —The Washington Post
“An unparalleled treasury of marvels . . . Along with a tiny cohort of peers, and seers (Kafka and Joyce come to mind), Borges is more than a stunning storyteller and a brilliant stylist; he’s a mirror who reflects the spirit of his time.” —Chicago Tribune
“This book is a real feast, prepared by one of the greatest modern confectioners of sheer fiction.” —The Seattle Times
“An event worth of celebration . . . Hurley deserves our enthusiastic praise for this monumental piece of work.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Beneath Borges’s paradoxical twists and inverted spells there is the deeper, ineffably human magic of all great literature.” —Los Angeles Times
“Borges is the most important Spanish-language writer since Cervantes. . . . To have denied him the Nobel Prize is as bad as the case of Joyce, Proust, and Kafka.” —Mario Vargas Llosa
“Though so different in style, two writers have offered us an image for the next millennium: Joyce and Borges. The first designed with words what the second designed with ideas: the original, the one and only World Wide Web. The Real Thing. The rest will remain simply virtual.” —Umberto Eco
“It is a deep pleasure to read the Collected Fictions of Borges in Andrew Hurley’s capable new version. Old favorites like ‘Death and the Compass’ and ‘The Immortal’ are revivified by Hurley. There is also a particular satisfaction in having all of the stories in one volume.” —Harold Bloom
“What are we to make of him? The economy of his prose, the tact of his imagery, the courage of his thought are there to be admired and emulated. In resounding the note of the marvelous last struck in English by Wells and Chesterton, in permitting infinity to enter and distort his imagination, he has lifted fiction away from the flat earth where most of our novels and short stories still take place.” —John Updike
“When I read a good book, I sometimes like to think I might be capable of writing something similar, but never, in my wildest dreams, could I write anything that approaches the level of cleverness and intellect and madness of Borges. I don’t think anyone could.” —Daniel Radcliffe
About the Author
Jorge Luis Borges was born in Buenos Aires in 1989 and was educated in Europe. One of the most widely acclaimed writers of our time, he published many collections of poems, essays, and short stories before his death in Geneva in June 1986. In 1961 Borges shared the International Publisher’s prize with Samuel Beckett. The Ingram Merrill Foundation granted him its Annual Literary Award in 1966 for his “outstanding contribution to literature.” In 1971 Columbia University awarded him the first of many degrees of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa (eventually the list included both Oxford and Cambridge), that he was to receive from the English-speaking world. In 1971 he also received the fifth biennial Jerusalem Prize and in 1973 was given one of Mexico’s most prestigious cultural awards, the Alfonso Reyes Prize. In 1980 he shared with Gerardo Diego the Cervantes Prize, the Spanish world’s highest literary accolade. Borges was Director of the Argentine National Library from 1955 until 1973.
Andrew Hurley (editor/translator) is a translator of numerous works of literature, criticism, history, and memoir. He is professor emeritus at the University of Puerto Rico.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
A UNIVERSAL HISTORY OF INIQUITY (1935)
Preface to the First Edition
Preface to the 1954 Edition
The Cruel Redeemer Lazarus Morell
The Improbable Impostor Tom Castro
The Widow Ching—Pirate
Monk Eastman, Purveyor of Iniquities
The Disinterested Killer Bill Harrigan
The Uncivil Teacher of Court Etiquette Kôtsuké no Suké
Hakim, the Masked Dyer of Merv
Man on Pink Corner
Et cetera
Index of Sources
FICTIONS (1944)
THE GARDEN OF FORKING PATHS (1941)
Foreword
Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius
The Approach to Al-Mu’tasim
Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote
The Circular Ruins
The Lottery in Babylon
A Survey of the Works of Herbert Quain
The Library of Babel
The Garden of Forking Paths
ARTIFICES (1944)
Foreword
Funes, His Memory
The Shape of the Sword
The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero Death and the Compass
The Secret Miracle
Three Versions of Judas
The End
The Cult of the Phoenix
The South
THE ALEPH (1949)
The Immortal
The Dead Man
The Theologians
Story of the Warrior and the Captive Maiden
A Biography of Tadeo Isidoro Cruz (1829–1874)
Emma Zunz
The House of Asterion
The Other Death
Deutsches Requiem
Averroës’ Search
The Zahir
The Writing of the God
Ibn-Hakam al-Bokhari, Murdered in His Labyrinth
The Two Kings and the Two Labyrinths
The Wait
The Man on the Threshold
The Aleph
Afterword
THE MAKER (1960)
Foreword: For Leopoldo Lugones
The Maker
Dreamtigers
A Dialog About a Dialog
Toenails
Covered Mirrors
Argumentum Ornithologicum
The Captive
The Mountebank
Delia Elena San Marco
A Dialog Between Dead Men
The Plot
A Problem
The Yellow Rose
The Witness
Martin Fierro
Mutations
Parable of Cervantes and the Quixote
Paradiso, XXXI, 108
Parable of the Palace
Everything and Nothing
Ragnarök
Inferno, I, 32
Borges and I
MUSEUM
On Exactitude in Science
In Memoriam, J.F.K.
Afterword
IN PRAISE OF DARKNESS (1969)
Foreword
The Ethnographer
Pedro Salvadores
Legend
A Prayer
His End and His Beginning
BRODIE'S REPORT (1970)
Foreword
The Interloper
Unworthy
The Story from Rosendo Juarez
The Encounter
Juan Murafta
The Elderly Lady
The Duel
The Other Duel
Guayaquil
The Gospel According to Mark
Brodie’s Report
THE BOOK OF SAND (1975)
The Other
Ulrikke
The Congress
There Are More Things
The Sect of the Thirty
The Night of the Gifts
The Mirror and the Mask
“Undr”
A Weary Man's Utopia
The Bribe
Avelino Arredondo
The Disk
The Book of Sand
Afterword
SHAKESPEARE’S MEMORY (1983)
August 25, 1983
Blue Tigers
The Rose of Paracelsus
Shakespeare’s Memory
A Note on the Translation
Acknowledgments
Notes to the Fictions
Product details
- Publisher : Penguin Books (September 1, 1999)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 565 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0140286802
- ISBN-13 : 978-0140286809
- Reading age : 18 years and up
- Grade level : 12 and up
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.37 x 5.78 x 1.5 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #12,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2 in Caribbean & Latin American Literature
- #586 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #1,429 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges KBE (/ˈbɔːrhɛs/; Spanish: [ˈxorxe ˈlwis ˈborxes] 24 August 1899 - 14 June 1986), was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, and a key figure in Spanish language literature. His work embraces the "character of unreality in all literature". His best-known books, Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph), published in the 1940s, are compilations of short stories interconnected by common themes, including dreams, labyrinths, libraries, mirrors, fictional writers, philosophy, and religion. Literary critics have described Borges as Latin America's monumental writer.
Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Grete Stern (1904-1999) (http://www.me.gov.ar/efeme/jlborges/1951-1960.html) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the stories in this collection amazing and mind-bending. They praise the writing style as incredible, refined, and insightful. The translation is described as superb, concise, and readable. Readers describe the book as original, unique, and a masterpiece. They appreciate the humor as funny, magical, and surreal. Overall, customers find the book enjoyable and a great collection of Borges' works.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the stories in this collection amazing and engaging. They describe them as mind-bending, remarkable, and intelligent. The stories are thought-provoking and make you think.
"...history, and literature while reading the most interesting, mind-bending, quietly humorous stories. Highly recommended!" Read more
"...These are philosophical thought experiments in their purest form, yet somehow magically delivered in a playful literary athmosphere...." Read more
"...This is quite possibly some of the strangest, most mind-bending metaphysical fiction ever written...." Read more
"...Anyhow I would recommend this as a filler since it has all the stories in one volume, while the great Borges-di Giovanni translations..." Read more
Customers praise the writing style. They find it insightful and beautiful. Readers also mention that the author is one of the greatest Spanish language writers and a well-read and well-travelled writer.
"...I love how well-read and well-travelled Borges is; you get an education in philosophy, religion, history, and literature while reading the most..." Read more
"...Borges is a mathematical philosopher, first and last...." Read more
"Love it! Excellent author I've read many of his stories in anthologies and look forward to reading the rest...." Read more
"...about half a dozen of the short stories and they are, indeed, beautifully written...." Read more
Customers appreciate the translation quality. They find it concise and accurate, with clear explanations without being overly academic. The meaning of the stories becomes clearer as they read more.
"...funny, magical, insightful, and still relevant. i'm glad to have found this collection of all his short stories in one place. 🤗..." Read more
"...the superior of the two translations that I have read: not bogged down in excess verbiage or diction unbefitting Borges's style...." Read more
"...This volume has nice, short explanations without being overly academic. Highly reccomended." Read more
"...My only hesitation in this review is that the translation might make his writing less accessible...." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's originality and uniqueness. They find it a masterpiece and a great copy of a great book. They also mention that each piece is a dream in itself, showing Jorge Luis Borges' inventive hand.
"...A blind man who was unparalleled in his mastery of imagery. A unique depth of historical anchoring to all of his metaphors -- none of which get..." Read more
"What a treat. Even translated to English, the adroit, mesmerizing, inventive hand of Jorge Luis Borges shows through...." Read more
"Both Peculiar and Unique. There's nothing like Borges." Read more
"...Each piece is a dream in itself." Read more
Customers find the humor funny, magical, and surreal. They appreciate the insight into Borges' style and find it fun to see how his writing style develops.
"...literature while reading the most interesting, mind-bending, quietly humorous stories. Highly recommended!" Read more
"...This is quite possibly some of the strangest, most mind-bending metaphysical fiction ever written...." Read more
"...funny, magical, insightful, and still relevant. i'm glad to have found this collection of all his short stories in one place. 🤗..." Read more
"Both Peculiar and Unique. There's nothing like Borges." Read more
Customers appreciate the collection. They say it contains all of Borges's works.
"...A fine collection." Read more
"This book contains all of Borges's works. He's an extremely insightful author. You will really appreciate his approach to logic and philosophy...." Read more
"Awesome collection of some of the quirkiest stories you'll ever read." Read more
"...Well printed, the most complete collection i met." Read more
Customers enjoy the book. They find it concise and enjoyable to listen to, saying it brings hours of listening pleasure.
"Love it! Excellent author I've read many of his stories in anthologies and look forward to reading the rest...." Read more
"...This one, by Huxley is perfect for me... Recommend it for a pleasurable and thought provoking reading experience" Read more
"...and philosphy, this complete collection will bring you hours of enjoyable listening." Read more
"Weird and entertaining...." Read more
Customers are unhappy with the book's edge quality. They mention it's rough, uneven, and ill-cut.
"...Embossed, leaved covers. Yes the edges are rough because the publisher left them that way to make it look older and more sophisticated...." Read more
"Great book but the edges were rough" Read more
"...It is shameful how such a poor quality, ragged at the edges print of a masterpiece is allowed to be sold. And that too as new on Amazon." Read more
"...It gives it a ragged aspect that would have been good if the book were old but in this case only underlines the cheap quality of the provider...." Read more
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022I am loving this collection so far. I was originally introduced to Borges as a Spanish minor in college, and decided to give this a go. I love how well-read and well-travelled Borges is; you get an education in philosophy, religion, history, and literature while reading the most interesting, mind-bending, quietly humorous stories. Highly recommended!
- Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023I am listening to this in the Spanish language on Audible and following along at the same time with Andrew Hurley's paper back English translation. This paperback is very high quality in terms of its paper and its binding. It deserves a permanent place on bookshelves. I notice that Andrew Hurley's translation includes a short story "The Approach of Al-Mu'tasim" that is omitted from the Audible Spanish version. I think it's a good use of time to read every short story in this book, slowly, and at a rate of about one short story every two or three days. Jorge Luis Borges is very special, but he is not the easiest author to read. I think it's worth the effort. Andrew Hurley has done the world of English readers a great service by translating this book from Spanish. I hope one day someone will care enough to convert this paperback book into Kindle format.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019Those words were written on my Amazon Marketplace receipt from Blue Leaf Books by someone with the initials EDG, along with a thank you for ordering the book on March 23, 2017. In fact, I did avoid the labyrinth for almost two years because I knew it would be quite a challenge. I had first “read” Borges’ “Labyrinths” as a 20-year-old. I’m sure I could not have understood any of it at that time. But the years have passed (I won’t say how many) and, fortunately, I decided this was the year that I would make the effort to read Borges’ Collected Fictions, beginning to end, slowly. Near the end of the book, I found myself going back through the pages and finding stories I wanted to read again right away. As one excellent reviewer (Michael Battaglia) wrote, “finishing a book isn't quite the same thing as understanding what you just read,” and this is one book I feel must be read several times. Each time, you will understand more, but you will have the feeling that yet another reading will give you still more understanding. I found it amusing that one of the last stories, “Blue Tigers,” included the following sentence: “I did not sleep the night of Feb. 10.” I was reading this particular story during the afternoon of Feb. 11. Was Borges playing with my mind? I’ve since ordered a copy of Borges’ selected non-fiction and poetry. One must NOT avoid the labyrinth.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2015This is something very hard to find, almost by definition: a literary writer who thinks in abstract terms (the only other such author I've read is Stanislaw Lem). These are philosophical thought experiments in their purest form, yet somehow magically delivered in a playful literary athmosphere. Borges is a mathematical philosopher, first and last. Ignore the "Latin American" categorization and the nonsense about his background and personal life: one should resist embedding him in a socio-cultural framework; he is as universal as they come. It is good to read a short story once in a while to see how literature and philosophy can be saved by the parable.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2016Trippy, trippy, trippy. If you know who Borges is, no explanation is necessary. If you don't know who he is, no explanation will adequately describe him to you. This is quite possibly some of the strangest, most mind-bending metaphysical fiction ever written. It isn't exactly science fiction, or fantasy, or horror, it is much more. The only thing you can even compare it to is some of the stranger episodes of The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits. And it is all the more impressive considering that much of it was written in the 1920s and 30s.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2017Love it! Excellent author I've read many of his stories in anthologies and look forward to reading the rest.I'm not qualified to comment on the translation but what I've read so far does seem a bit subdued. Not sure.
The book itself is beautiful for the price. Embossed, leaved covers. Yes the edges are rough because the publisher left them that way to make it look older and more sophisticated. If you don't like this flourish I'm sure every James Patterson book is cut cleanly. Otherwise, enjoy it's a great read
Top reviews from other countries
- countrymouseReviewed in Canada on December 19, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful fiction by Borges
This paperback is in decent shape (smaller print than I expected but then my eyes have changed...). Book arrived on time and well packed.
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Francisco d.Reviewed in Mexico on April 12, 2022
3.0 out of 5 stars Mal corte de las páginas
El contenido del libro es excelente. Sin embargo, el corte de las páginas de mala calidad.
Francisco d.
Reviewed in Mexico on April 12, 2022
Images in this review - melissaReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 22, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE THIS BOOK
Amazing book. Best short story collection I've ever read. The book came undamaged.
- Prabir ChatterjeeReviewed in India on March 6, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant and Fascinating book !
There's nothing to dislike ! What's to dislike about J.L.Borges ? A master craftsman at work - and what an edifice he did build ! The book is beautifully crafted, soft creamy paper, classy cover, and superbly bound. Absolutely smashing ! A pleasure to feel, hold and read. If you want to read something unusual, and are willing to put in time and concentration, Borges is your man !
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Gregory Wright BarrettReviewed in Germany on October 31, 2021
5.0 out of 5 stars PERFEKT
Perfekt, Danke