/lit/ - Literature

>I wasn't expecting a series of essays on fictional books.
Then you shouldn't be reading Borges.
You are properly just not cut out to be a man of letters OP.

>>11475354
This

What stories have you read OP? I've never felt he was a difficult read

>>11475361
>Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius
>The Approach to Al-Mu'tasim
>Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote

It could just be I didn't know what I was getting into.

>>11475384
What did you think you were getting in to?

>>11475400
in me, reaching by himself the deepest abyss of my guts

>>11475400
I just heard it was good so I started reading it. I thought it would be a more traditional book of short stories, not a bunch of half-fiction essays.

>>11475406
Maybe I misunderstand you, what version are you reading? I have read some interpretations of his stories and so on and it is quite interesting but the actual writings don't require you to dig too deeply to enjoy it.

Have you already started googling stuff like "Uqbar"? It really be like that

>>11475384
Yeah, those three are very essay-like. But right after there should be some proper narratives. But even then brace yourself, his stories are still more about concepts rather than events or people

>>11475384
Tlon is great, Menard is boring, havent read the other one.

>>11475435
Oh, it's the one in the picture. Introduction by Anthony Kerrigan.

>>11475445
Alright, good to know.

>>11475445
this

if you're desperate for something different try garden of forking paths.

he plays with form quite a bit which is one of his strengths. one minute you are reading an account of a legend and then the next story is a detective story and then the one after that is some orbituary. genius

On a somewhat related note, I am a native Spanish speaker but I mostly read in English. Should I read Borges and Marquez in Spanish or English? Are they even difficult to understand? In either language?

>>11475384
The very next story, Circular ruins, is different.

>>11475341
I recommend you Funes the memorious. Not difficult to read.

>>11475341
Metafiction is his whole shtick. What do you think Borgesian means? I agree with >>11475445 though, it gets better and more interesting generally

>>11475610
>What do you think Borgesian means?
I'm a pleb. I've never heard that term before, I just heard this was a good book.

>>11475627
Lol, at least you’re honest. Yeah, it’s pretty experimental, abstract, cerebral and erudite stuff. Some of it is just very interesting detective and/or fantasy stories with an interesting twist, which is probably more up most reader’s alleys than the essays and reviews of fictional works.

>>11475384
Circular ruins, library of Babylon

>>11475341
I just read this as well OP. he packs lots of info into a few pages. I had low expectations going in but pleasantly surprised. Will definitely be rereading at some point

>>11475521
>Should I read the original or a translation?
Are you literally retarded?

>>11475521
In Spanish, obviously, dont be a faggot.

>>11475341
Just keep reading, faggot, ffs. Also his most traditional narratives are in The Aleph and The Book of Sand, Universal History of Infamy. And some in Ficciones, too, but Ficciones is the most cerebral one.

Whatever you do, don't skip the Library of Babel. It changed my life and it might change yours.

Otherwise don't worry too much about getting all the historical or literary references or the difficult terminology. Focus on the ideas. Many of the stories are based on philosophical or speculative gimmicks, e.g. Funes, the Memorious is about a man who can remember with perfect accuracy every detail of everything he ever perceived in his life. Think of it as a collection of puzzles or optical illusions, except in literary form.

>>11475521
Original, of course.
Although Borges collaborated closely with Norman Thomas di Giovanni on english translations that Borges liked so much he deemed Giovanni deserved a co-author credit on those, and Marquez is on record saying he liked the English translation almost better than his own work. So these translations might be worth checking out later

>>11475354
fpbp

>>11475384
Tlon is the shit. read the lottery in babylon next.

>>11476385
Marquez was talking about the english translation of 100 Years of Soliltude, forgot to add. And the
"official" english translations of Borges aren't very good, so if make sure you're getting Giovanni's if any

>>11475341
Start with "The South", its in Ficciones and much more traditionally told.

>>11475384
You just have to re-read them