I liked this book, but it's quite short, this edition also contains a collection of poems titled "The Gold Of Tigers", each in both Spanish and English. Most of them do not really rhyme in the Spanish, and none do in the English. It always strikes me as being lazy, when people write "poems" that don't rhyme, or can't translate them and keep the rhyme, seeing as several people have managed to translate massive works such as the Odyssey from ancient Greek into good rhyming English verse. Despite this, the selection is still worth reading for the few good ones that are among it, such as the one about the white deer. As for the stories, which are what I should be commenting on, they tend to be a bit more obscure in meaning than those in Labyrinths, they are just as surreal, but probably on the whole not quite as good. Fans of Borges will want to read this collection, but first time Borges readers may be put off by his obliqueness. There are flashes of his genius here, with some of the stories containing everything one would expect to see in a piece of Borges, mystery, suspense, profound thoughts, paradox, and beauty. Some of the stories here only contain one or less of these, but the best ones will be worth reading multiple times, with greater understanding of them being realised each time. Borges understood the world, but the world does not understand Borges, he probably wanted it this way, else he wouldn't have been so cryptic. This is how it works though, the mysteries are only revealed to the initiate, this is how it has to be. ( )

The author meets himself on a bench. The author bangs a Norwegian. The author becomes a part of a grand Congress to represent all humanity that does little. These stories fall flat in translation, and I find I may have to return to the Spanish original of _The Aleph_, one of the best fantasy realism stories. ( )

The Book Of Sand incorporates elements of autobiography, as was his wont, notably themes of old age, solitude and approaching death (as he was).

There are flashes of beautiful writing, interesting philosophy and erudition here, but many of the stories feel like failed experiments and failed to engage me. Highlights are: ‘There Are More Things’ for its mystery and menace, dedicated to H P Lovecraft and reminiscent of Poe; ‘The Disk’ is a good cautionary fairytale; ‘The Book Of Sand’ is easily the best of the lot, showcasing the best aspects of myth, fairytale and short story.

Shakespeare's Memory was Borges' last collection. Many of the same themes as Book Of Sand (doubles, unquantifiable infinity, an apparent gift that becomes a curse) but shorter at just over 30 pages. Interesting rather than gripping, again, but worth reading.

Surreal short stories exploring concept of time and being

http://tristram.squarespace.com/home/... ( )