Description:
Editorial Reviews
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars this penguin classic deluxe edition is a masterpiece
I 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.
5.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT “Avoid the Labyrinth”
Those words were written on my Bolo 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.
5.0 out of 5 stars A desert island book.
The stories in this book are truly some of the greatest short stories ever written. I could read Tlon, Uqbar, Orbus, Tertius, and Library of Babel again and again. These are the sorts of stories you can read and ponder for hours. For those who have never encountered Borges I would simply say this, if you have ever seen the movie inception think of Borges. Christopher Nolan claims to have gotten a lot of his ideas from reading Borges, and after acquiring this book I can see why. This belongs in any high school or college literary course far more than most of the schlock they teach today.
5.0 out of 5 stars Weird and entertaining.
Borges was an author I always figured I ought to read but who sounded too hifalutin for me to like it. Then I read "The Immortal," one of the stories, in a book store and I was hooked. The stories I enjoyed were like Umberto Eco, except the ideas were often a little weirder (which made them more interesting), and Borges doesn't go on at boring length the way Eco does sometimes. This is an advantage of the short story form.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic for the Ages, by the 20th century master of prose.
Borges is among the masters. As an author, as a writer, he stands on his own ground -- a unique voice that has not been heard before or since. 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 mixed. He is the only author who can write in 10 pages what would take today's most gifted writers at least 500 pages to accomplish -- and Borges would do it with more detail, precision, and gravity.
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind-bending metaphysical fiction
Trippy, 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.
Master of magic realism
For a literary neophyte like me, making an informed choice between “Ficciones / Fictions” and “The Aleph” as a Borges primer wasn’t easy. Thankfully, Penguin did make things simple with this omnibus edition that boasts of his collective body of fiction, all presented in a chronological sequence (shame they did away with the hardcover version though). Picking it up was thus, a no-brainer.It’s been three weeks since, and having savored five of the short story collections included (“A Universal History of Iniquity”, “Fictions”, “The Aleph”, “Brodie’s Report” and “the Book of Sand”), I find myself captivated by the Master’s style(s)! An eclectic mix of history, medieval philosophy, spirituality, magical realism, humor and mystery means the reader is always kept guessing about the author’s next move in tales that simultaneously amaze and tantalize with their unspoken allusions.Its foolhardy to try summarizing the entire expanse of this vast repertoire from a master storyteller. Better to take things up one collection at a time. Here are a few of his stories I simply adored in “Fictions” , the first four being included in “The Garden of Forking Paths”.1. Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius : Borges at his imaginative best! The story revolves around a fictional country , Uqbar(and its conceptualization of a mythical realm, Tlön, like a dream within a dream) , that the Author ‘s friend stumbles upon in a certain forgotten edition of the Anglo-American Cyclopaedia. A bibliophile’s enthusiastic search for the origins of this mysterious land in forgotten bookshops and Libraries is what ensues That quest, however, ends in a dead trail. Years later, chance hands the author one of the many volumes of an obscure Encyclopedia devoted entirely to the mythical world of Tlön and authored by a secret organization , Orbis Tertius. What follows is a deep delve into a completely different world view (Empirical Idealism) that aligns with the Tlönian understanding of reality. A world where proper nouns are eschewed for impersonal verbs and where objects "grow vague or sketchy and lose detail" when they begin to be forgotten.2. The Circular Ruins: A drifter painstakingly crafts his protégé within the mental realm in a dream world, with some assistance from a forgotten “Fire” God in the ruins of a jungle temple lost in time. An all-pervading mystical Gnosticism permeates the story and gives it an otherworldly aura.3. The Library of Babel : Infinity and eternal time are a recurring theme in Borges’s works. This story takes it to dizzying heights, substituting the Universe for an eternally repeating motif of a Library of hexagonal galleries that is “unlimited, but periodic” and where supposedly exist works of invaluable importance (“The Vindications”) amidst a vast body of meaningless texts, a search for which has sent many a Librarian into the Void. This one’s heavy on symbolism, and in a way, reflects the true human existence, meaningless, futile, repetitive and with elusive hopes that often lead to disappointment.4. The Garden of Forking Paths : A Chinese professor Yu Tsun, acting as a spy for Imperial Germany, is pursued by a British intelligence officer, and escapes into the country. Tsun ends up in the residence of a Sinologist, Dr. Stephen Albert (reason for which is revealed only in the end) who, incidentally ,is studying Tsun’s predecessor, Ts'ui Pen's incomplete labyrinthine novel that diverges into multiple forking paths representing the various possible futures that may spin out from each event. A brief metaphysical discussion on infinitely forking possible futures ensues, terminating in a dramatic culmination that has some serious wartime implications.5. The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero (from “Artifices”) : A whodunit steeped in history and classical literature, the tale traces back the possible cause of the murder of Fergus Kilpatrick, an Irish revolutionary leader. Elaborating the storyline in detail would be a disservice of the spoiler kind to future readers. Suffice it to say that the narrator unravels the truth behind that incident with some help from “Julius Caeser”. Tagline? All the world’s a stage… , and that’s all the hint you will get out of me.6. The Cult of the Phoenix (from “Artifices”): What is this secret Organization that has suffered persecutions (and has persecuted) through Eternity? A collective Body which lacks a single Holy text and scriptures, yet is bound by a Ritual that is sacred, yet “ridiculous”, “trivial” and “needs no description”? Borges mystifies and teases, finally leaving the fleshing out of the answer to the Reader, and it’s a piece that is bound to raise some interesting debates in the cha-adda table.7. The Shape of the Sword (“Artifices” again) : Vengeance is best served hot. A usual revenge-themed tale that is turned upside down on its head once you realize who the protagonist actually is. The story is marred somewhat by the overexplaining at conclusion though. I’m sure someone like Maugham would have left the last paragraph out to keep some of the mystery intact.This heterogenous potpourri, however, represents only a handful of the gems that the compendium includes, mere drops in an ocean. Labyrinths, duels (of the mental and visceral kind), brushes with infinity and immortality, these are some of the recurrent motifs in his school of literature, a deep dive into which would require lengthy posts of their own. And then, there are those ethereal, hard to categorize works like “Averroës' Search” and “The Other” that inspire awe by their width of scope. Talking about them would require a detailed breakdown of works like “The Aleph”, “Brodie’s Report” and “The Book of Sand”.
Amazing
I think this is the best Borges collection, in my opinion.
La Poste m'a sauvee
J'ai commande deux livres de cet ecrivain comme cadeau pour mon fils pour son arriversaire. J'ai passe commande le jeudi et son anniversaire etait le dimanche. L'autre livre devait arriver le lendemain mais il n'est pas arrive ce jour la. Heureusement ce livre est arrive le samedi par la Poste et j'ai quelque chose a offrir a mon fils. Merci, la Poste!Quant au livre, c'est tout a fait ce que j'ai attendu.
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.
PERFEKT
Perfekt, Danke
Visit the Penguin Books Store
Collected Fictions
AED11343
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Anthologies”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0140286802
Visit the Penguin Books Store
Collected Fictions
AED11343
Quantity:
Order today to get by 7-14 business days
Delivery fee of AED 20. Free for orders above AED 200.
Imported From: United States
At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.
BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.
Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.
If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.
Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.
All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.
While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.
Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.
BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.
All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.
All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.
Description:
Editorial Reviews
Reviews:
5.0 out of 5 stars this penguin classic deluxe edition is a masterpiece
I 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.
5.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT “Avoid the Labyrinth”
Those words were written on my Bolo 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.
5.0 out of 5 stars A desert island book.
The stories in this book are truly some of the greatest short stories ever written. I could read Tlon, Uqbar, Orbus, Tertius, and Library of Babel again and again. These are the sorts of stories you can read and ponder for hours. For those who have never encountered Borges I would simply say this, if you have ever seen the movie inception think of Borges. Christopher Nolan claims to have gotten a lot of his ideas from reading Borges, and after acquiring this book I can see why. This belongs in any high school or college literary course far more than most of the schlock they teach today.
5.0 out of 5 stars Weird and entertaining.
Borges was an author I always figured I ought to read but who sounded too hifalutin for me to like it. Then I read "The Immortal," one of the stories, in a book store and I was hooked. The stories I enjoyed were like Umberto Eco, except the ideas were often a little weirder (which made them more interesting), and Borges doesn't go on at boring length the way Eco does sometimes. This is an advantage of the short story form.
5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic for the Ages, by the 20th century master of prose.
Borges is among the masters. As an author, as a writer, he stands on his own ground -- a unique voice that has not been heard before or since. 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 mixed. He is the only author who can write in 10 pages what would take today's most gifted writers at least 500 pages to accomplish -- and Borges would do it with more detail, precision, and gravity.
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind-bending metaphysical fiction
Trippy, 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.
Master of magic realism
For a literary neophyte like me, making an informed choice between “Ficciones / Fictions” and “The Aleph” as a Borges primer wasn’t easy. Thankfully, Penguin did make things simple with this omnibus edition that boasts of his collective body of fiction, all presented in a chronological sequence (shame they did away with the hardcover version though). Picking it up was thus, a no-brainer.It’s been three weeks since, and having savored five of the short story collections included (“A Universal History of Iniquity”, “Fictions”, “The Aleph”, “Brodie’s Report” and “the Book of Sand”), I find myself captivated by the Master’s style(s)! An eclectic mix of history, medieval philosophy, spirituality, magical realism, humor and mystery means the reader is always kept guessing about the author’s next move in tales that simultaneously amaze and tantalize with their unspoken allusions.Its foolhardy to try summarizing the entire expanse of this vast repertoire from a master storyteller. Better to take things up one collection at a time. Here are a few of his stories I simply adored in “Fictions” , the first four being included in “The Garden of Forking Paths”.1. Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius : Borges at his imaginative best! The story revolves around a fictional country , Uqbar(and its conceptualization of a mythical realm, Tlön, like a dream within a dream) , that the Author ‘s friend stumbles upon in a certain forgotten edition of the Anglo-American Cyclopaedia. A bibliophile’s enthusiastic search for the origins of this mysterious land in forgotten bookshops and Libraries is what ensues That quest, however, ends in a dead trail. Years later, chance hands the author one of the many volumes of an obscure Encyclopedia devoted entirely to the mythical world of Tlön and authored by a secret organization , Orbis Tertius. What follows is a deep delve into a completely different world view (Empirical Idealism) that aligns with the Tlönian understanding of reality. A world where proper nouns are eschewed for impersonal verbs and where objects "grow vague or sketchy and lose detail" when they begin to be forgotten.2. The Circular Ruins: A drifter painstakingly crafts his protégé within the mental realm in a dream world, with some assistance from a forgotten “Fire” God in the ruins of a jungle temple lost in time. An all-pervading mystical Gnosticism permeates the story and gives it an otherworldly aura.3. The Library of Babel : Infinity and eternal time are a recurring theme in Borges’s works. This story takes it to dizzying heights, substituting the Universe for an eternally repeating motif of a Library of hexagonal galleries that is “unlimited, but periodic” and where supposedly exist works of invaluable importance (“The Vindications”) amidst a vast body of meaningless texts, a search for which has sent many a Librarian into the Void. This one’s heavy on symbolism, and in a way, reflects the true human existence, meaningless, futile, repetitive and with elusive hopes that often lead to disappointment.4. The Garden of Forking Paths : A Chinese professor Yu Tsun, acting as a spy for Imperial Germany, is pursued by a British intelligence officer, and escapes into the country. Tsun ends up in the residence of a Sinologist, Dr. Stephen Albert (reason for which is revealed only in the end) who, incidentally ,is studying Tsun’s predecessor, Ts'ui Pen's incomplete labyrinthine novel that diverges into multiple forking paths representing the various possible futures that may spin out from each event. A brief metaphysical discussion on infinitely forking possible futures ensues, terminating in a dramatic culmination that has some serious wartime implications.5. The Theme of the Traitor and the Hero (from “Artifices”) : A whodunit steeped in history and classical literature, the tale traces back the possible cause of the murder of Fergus Kilpatrick, an Irish revolutionary leader. Elaborating the storyline in detail would be a disservice of the spoiler kind to future readers. Suffice it to say that the narrator unravels the truth behind that incident with some help from “Julius Caeser”. Tagline? All the world’s a stage… , and that’s all the hint you will get out of me.6. The Cult of the Phoenix (from “Artifices”): What is this secret Organization that has suffered persecutions (and has persecuted) through Eternity? A collective Body which lacks a single Holy text and scriptures, yet is bound by a Ritual that is sacred, yet “ridiculous”, “trivial” and “needs no description”? Borges mystifies and teases, finally leaving the fleshing out of the answer to the Reader, and it’s a piece that is bound to raise some interesting debates in the cha-adda table.7. The Shape of the Sword (“Artifices” again) : Vengeance is best served hot. A usual revenge-themed tale that is turned upside down on its head once you realize who the protagonist actually is. The story is marred somewhat by the overexplaining at conclusion though. I’m sure someone like Maugham would have left the last paragraph out to keep some of the mystery intact.This heterogenous potpourri, however, represents only a handful of the gems that the compendium includes, mere drops in an ocean. Labyrinths, duels (of the mental and visceral kind), brushes with infinity and immortality, these are some of the recurrent motifs in his school of literature, a deep dive into which would require lengthy posts of their own. And then, there are those ethereal, hard to categorize works like “Averroës' Search” and “The Other” that inspire awe by their width of scope. Talking about them would require a detailed breakdown of works like “The Aleph”, “Brodie’s Report” and “The Book of Sand”.
Amazing
I think this is the best Borges collection, in my opinion.
La Poste m'a sauvee
J'ai commande deux livres de cet ecrivain comme cadeau pour mon fils pour son arriversaire. J'ai passe commande le jeudi et son anniversaire etait le dimanche. L'autre livre devait arriver le lendemain mais il n'est pas arrive ce jour la. Heureusement ce livre est arrive le samedi par la Poste et j'ai quelque chose a offrir a mon fils. Merci, la Poste!Quant au livre, c'est tout a fait ce que j'ai attendu.
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.
PERFEKT
Perfekt, Danke
Similar suggestions by Bolo
More from this brand
Similar items from “Anthologies”
Share with
Or share with link
https://www.bolo.ae/products/U0140286802