Labyrinths: A New Directions Paperbook

Charlie Griffin: Borges isn't always as immediately recognizable (at least in my neck of the woods in the US of A) as many of the English-speaking authors we get educated on, but his work is HUGELY influential in several circles, and he was playing with post-modernist ideas before it was even a thing.

While translated, and I cannot speak to the degree of translation accuracy since I only speak English, Borges' intent for each piece comes through clearly. Or, at least, as clearly as the several-decades gap between then and now and the deep cut references will allow it to be; this is one of those authors that will inevitably take some degree of study or analysis to pick up on everything, but even though I am certainly missing some of the subtler or niche elements present, these remain remarkably powerful.

Also, to judge a book by its cover, but this is a pretty eye-catching cover. I suspect it will really show wear-and-tear with repeat use, and perhaps even more obviously than some books, but for now, it's visually striking in a way Borges deserves.

United States on Jul 24, 2023

S H, Kent: Great stories from an author who many contemporary authors cite as one of their favourites. I felt sure this short story collection would include the one I particularly wanted to read; 'The Aleph' ; I should have checked - it didn't.

United Kingdom on Mar 01, 2023

Manuel Joaquim Cavas Máximo: Gostei muito. Foi para estudo.

Spain on Sep 28, 2022

Vijayaraghavan: Good book

India on Dec 04, 2020

mrthinkndrink: I must admit that Borges is one of those "must read" authors that I had never gotten around to. Don't know why, just hadn't. But now that I have, I understand all the hoopla. His writing shows a classic, authorial imagination par excellence. It is clear that Borges was grandfather to Eco and so many others who write to celebrate and stimulate and challenge the intellect. Labyrinths is a collection of stories revolving--as the planets, the asteroids, et al, do around the sun--around the concept of the labyrinth, whether it be one of time or space or pure imagination. Every story stands on its own; every story illuminates another facet of the cosmic jewel of labyrinth-ness. Have you ever noticed how a wonderful writer gives so much to his audience? Borges certainly proves that hypothesis in this remarkable collection.

United States on Jan 29, 2018

Andy: great book, arrived on time, in new condition to a good price, what more can I say.
keep up the good work

Germany on Nov 19, 2014

John P. Jones III: ...to his enchantment through the short stories collected in "Labyrinths" (1962), which transmits his poetic magic irresistibly even through translation." So wrote Clive James in his remarkable book,  Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts . Admittedly, I'm growing "long in the tooth" to begin Borges, and since I never had, and he is one of the "giants" south of the Rio Grande, the question nagged: If not now, when?" I also tucked away a significant caveat of James': that Borges never objected to the junta that ruled Argentina in the early `80's. In fact, he famously proclaimed that "he never read newspapers," and James drew the proper and excoriating parallel with the Germans who proclaimed they had "no idea" what was occurring in those concentration camps.

This book is divided into three sections. Most of the book is short fictional stories, far ranging in subject matter, and in my opinion, quality. The second section is rather straightforward critical essays, covering such subjects as the Argentinian Writer and Tradition, Franz Kafka, Paul Valéry and other literary figures. The third section is eight short parables. An introduction is...

United States on Jun 08, 2012

caw1994: This is probably the first serious work of literature I have ever read, and although I know next to nothing about literature, I wouldn't shy away from predicting it to be the best I will ever read. The sheer imagination present in this book, in both the 'creative, wacky' sense of the word and in the more literal sense of an ability to deal with abstract ideas, is astonishing.If you like anything slightly unconventional, enjoy thinking about philosophical problems, or even simply like short stories,you will like this collection, without doubt. Highlights include stories about an infinite library with every possible book in every possible language (including meanigless letter combinations), and the mad cults that develop as a result of the frustration people have in finding any coherent language at all, and the story of a man who can remeber literally everything he experiences (take 'literally' completely literally). You'll know already if that sounds appealing, but who am I to even attempt to describe the works in this book. It really does have to be read to be appreciated. It is worth buying just for the possibility you will enjoy it, because if you do, it's incredible, and even...

United Kingdom on May 27, 2012

The Masked Reviewer: I imagine in my mind what it would be like to have coffee with Luis Borges on a Sunday afternoon. Borges would be wearing a suit and have little cakes on hand, cane leaning on his armrest, as if nothing out of the ordinary were about to occur.

Labyrinths is a useful first book to kick off a lifetime investigation into Borges' writings. Borges is truly original as an author as much for his intent as for his achieving it. Not quite Magic Realist, not quite Existentialist nor Kafkan: no one is Borges' equal in taking established assumptions and turning them into curious, elaborate, eruditely-supported flashing crossroads that defy simplification.

Even the most unassuming essays like "The Fearful Sphere of Pascal," a subtle historical resketching, are characteristically erudite, yet sticky and complicate the subject irresistibly from your first reading onward. The prickly thorns reach out for your existing education on the subject and are designed to flesh out the glaring inconsistencies you will have read on the subject.

The Garden of Forking Paths is an example of prime Borges storytelling at work. The story itself is a ruse. The first reading-through is not the...

United States on Oct 17, 2005