Fictions by JL Borges

 

Fictions by JL Borges

Fictions is a short but densely packed collection of short stories that Borges wrote between (roughly) the mid-30s and the mid-40s. I think I can safely say that this book was my first literary shock, back when I was 17. The first story, Tlön Uqbar Orbis Tertius made a powerful impression and is probably my favourite short story ever. I hadn't reread Fictions in over a decade, and stumbling upon a book of commentary of this self same collection in a flea market led me to buy said book (to be reviewed soon) and reread Fictions. This latest reread made me more acutely aware of some of the underlying themes in Borges' work, around the nature of time, and the instability of reality. I am just as much (if not more) in love with this process of writing as if from an academic standpoint, mixing together real-life and fictional sources, which creates a pervading sense of unreality. If you don't know Borges' wonderful work, this collection is definitely the starting point.