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Collected Fictions Paperback – Deckle Edge, September 1, 1999

by Jorge Luis Borges (Author), Andrew Hurley (Translator)
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,009 ratings
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For the first time in English, all the fiction by the writer who has been called “the greatest Spanish-language writer of our century” collected in a single volume

“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.
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  1. Print length
    565 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Books
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 1999
  5. Grade level
    12 and up
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    7.76 x 5.08 x 0.44 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0140286802
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0140286809
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A New York Times Notable Book
 
“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.

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 ‏ : ‎ 4.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.76 x 5.08 x 0.44 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 1,009 ratings

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  1. Jorge Luis Borges

    Jorge Luis Borges

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    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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  2. Andrew Hurley

    Andrew Hurley

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
1,009 global ratings
The beauty of an old book
5 Stars
The beauty of an old book
Apart from the beautiful writing, this second hand book as an “old” quality to it. I am glad I bought it from the seller.Books are like wine. When well preserved, they get better with age.
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Top reviews from the United States

Eric T. Fricke
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2022
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I 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!
12 people found this helpful
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Rdg near NYC
5.0 out of 5 stars this penguin classic deluxe edition is a masterpiece
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
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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.
One person found this helpful
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Reader in Upstate NY
5.0 out of 5 stars Do NOT “Avoid the Labyrinth”
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2019
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Those 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.
55 people found this helpful
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Jonathan
5.0 out of 5 stars The Argentinian Gentleman of science fiction.
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2021
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What a treat. Even translated to English, the adroit, mesmerizing, inventive hand of Jorge Luis Borges shows through. His work persuades me that he may have prefaced the Magic Realism movement. A fine collection.
3 people found this helpful
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P. Lawrence Merkin
5.0 out of 5 stars Great copy of a great book
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2023
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Arrived promptly and as advertised.
One person found this helpful
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Luciano_L_1983
5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary mixture of topics
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2012
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Message from an English colleague, who received the book as a gift: "I was delighted to receive yesterday a very fine copy of Jorge Luis Borges' Collected Fictions. This `Deluxe edition' on heavy, uncut paper is a lovely thing to hold in one's hands. I have dipped into the collection and read about half a dozen of the short stories and they are, indeed, beautifully written. There is an extraordinary mixture of different topics - I found myself reading one story about Yorkshire (northern England), which expressed a very authentic understanding of that part of the country."
2 people found this helpful
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Charles Loyola
4.0 out of 5 stars weird translation decisions
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2005
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Here are a few examples of weird choices of the translator:

1.

Borges: title is "Funes, el memorioso"

Hurley: "Funes, His Memory"

Other translations have "Funes, The Memorious". Hurley writes that he didn't want to use the "invented", "Lewis Carroll-esque" word "memorious", but it is in fact a word, albeit rare. (see OED: "Having a good memory")

2.

Borges: (Deutsches Requiem) "Símolo de mi vano destino, dormía en el reborde de la ventana un gato enorme y fofo."

Hurley: "On the windowsill slept a massive, obese cat--the symbol of my vain destiny."

Now, "fofo" (flabby) is probably a hint a-la-Strangelove of the nature of zur Linde's wound, which had "serious consequences", but it is lost with Hurley's "obese".

3.

Borges' great lines from "Tema del traidor y del héreo": "De esos laberintos circulares lo salva una curiosa comprobación, una comprobación que luego lo abisma en otros laberintos más inextricables y heterogéneos"

Hurley translates the first "laberintos" to "labyrinths" and the second to "mazes". A Borges sentence with a recurring word is rendered into a sentence without any. Granted, there aren't any synonyms for "laberinto" in Spanish, but it seems somewhat strange to use both English options in one sentence.

4.

Borges: (Ragnaroek) "En los sueños (escribe Coleridge) las imágenes figuran las..."

Hurley omits the parentheses for some reason: "The images in dreams, wrote Coleridge, figure forth..."

Examples of similar translating concepts can be found on almost every other page.

Those of you who demand a translation which is as literal as possible without mutilating style and imagery, might find this one disappointing. Anyhow I would recommend this as a filler since it has all the stories in one volume, while the great Borges-di Giovanni translations (or revision-translations) do not include everything (they didn't get the rights, absurdly enough).
25 people found this helpful
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Mike Lewis
5.0 out of 5 stars Mind-bending metaphysical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2016
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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.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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countrymouse
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful fiction by Borges
Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2023
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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.
3.0 out of 5 stars Mal corte de las páginas
Reviewed in Mexico on April 12, 2022
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El contenido del libro es excelente. Sin embargo, el corte de las páginas de mala calidad.
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Francisco d.
3.0 out of 5 stars Mal corte de las páginas
Reviewed in Mexico on April 12, 2022
El contenido del libro es excelente. Sin embargo, el corte de las páginas de mala calidad.
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dragon1764
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2024
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Excellent product and delivery very pleased
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Prabir Chatterjee
5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant and Fascinating book !
Reviewed in India on March 6, 2023
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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 !
One person found this helpful
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Gregory Wright Barrett
5.0 out of 5 stars PERFEKT
Reviewed in Germany on October 31, 2021
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Perfekt, Danke
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