LITERATURE
Jorge Luis Borges: An Introduction
Most writers who have discovered him have been awed by him. I certainly was when I came across six very short stories in a 1971 copy of The Antioch Review. These lightning bolts of flash fiction gave me such a rush it was as if I were an explorer having discovered a new world.
Over the years I’ve shared Borges’ work repeatedly and consider him a major influence. His power comes from more than simply his wit and originality. As one writer noted, “Borges was a master of language, and he used it to create vivid and memorable images. He also had a gift for wordplay, and his stories are full of puns and allusions.” In other words, he can be simultaneously profound, challenging and thoroughly entertaining.
Readers who delight in philosophical explorations are attracted to his stories because they challenge our presuppositions about the nature of reality, the limits of knowledge, and the meaning of life. This makes his work both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.
Here are some blog posts I’ve written that will perhaps give you a deeper appreciation of this influential master of magical realism.
