Rating: 
Summary: Good collection, bad translation
Review: These stories read like they are translated verbatim without any consideration of how enjoyable the end product will be. Hurley's sentences are frigid and mechanical, lacking much of the simplicity and brevity that makes Borges great. Only some of Borges's stories are supposed to read like encyclopedia entries. Di Giovanni's translations are far more readable. After all, Di Giovanni worked closely with Borges during translation, and Borges himself had a pretty good understanding of the English language. Having said that, I'm grateful that these stories are finally available in a single volume. But I feel the book would have been much better had Hurley only translated the stories for which a good translation does not already exist.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Much of a Good Thing
Review: Jorges Luis Borges is undoubtedly one of the most inventive and important, if not necessarily influential, writers of the 20th century. That he was denied the Nobel Prize truly is a crime. Borges' symbol-ridden, black hole-esque stories intrigue, delight, and puzzle. However, let me advise all but the most dedicated Borges readers away from this collection. Though the translation is very good, Borges himself only had a few themes in his entire life, and as he grew older he was sadly reduced to simply repeating them over and over (sometimes reworking even the same incident for a different story), with diminishing returns every time. Simply put, his best collection is "Ficciones;" there's no need to read the complete Borges because "Ficciones" contains his freshest explorations of his concerns. If you loved "Ficciones" as much as I did, then go buy "Labyrinths," but not the "Collected Fictions." After that, read "The Man Who Was Thursday" by G. K. Chesterton, the best novel by a writer who clearly influenced Borges, and whom Borges tried, never quite successfully, to imitate in his later work.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrible translation
Review: Thank God! I was beginning to think I had gone mad. Someone else had the courage and the lucidity to point out that this is a terrible translation of Borges. Sadly, many young readers have not had access to the translations of Di Giovanni, Alastair Reid, John Hollander, Anthony Kerrigan, and yes, even the late great Selden Rodman. It was in reading Selden Rodman's translation of the poem 'Limits' as compared to the translation in the compilation by Monegal & Reid that it came home to me how important it is that Borges be translated by someone who comprehends Borges. (If it may be said that anyone truly comprehends Borges) Rodman's translation is brilliant as is Alastair Reid's; but they are almost two separate poems. Amazon offers used titles and it is important for those who want to read Borges correctly that they seek out the translations of Norman Thomas Di Giovanni as they are infinitely superior to the translations of Andrew Hurley, so much so that Hurley actually does harm to Borges, while Di Giovanni, allows the magic that Borges created to be accessible to the reader. Di Giovanni worked hand in hand with Borges. They were friends and Di Giovanni understood what Borges was about. What I believe has occurred is that Borges second wife Maria Kodama did not like Di Giovanni and has attempted to stifle the translations of Di Giovanni. Kodama is an intelligent woman, but intelligence is no guarantee that one can comprehend the hidden meanings of Borges writing. Doubtless she means well, but if she has chosen Hurley over Di Giovanni for personal reasons, she has done a tremendous injustice to the legacy of Jorge Luis Borges. Get a used copy with a translation by Di Giovanni. You will learn a great deal more about what Borges was saying. This translation by Hurley is an insult to Jorge Luis Borges.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the best Englihs translation out there. Period.
Review: Jorge Luis Borges is without a doubt one of the world's best writers of short fiction. I have read this translation, as well as one other and the original Spanish. Andrew Hurley's translation recreates superbly the magic of Borges. It is by far the superior of the two translations that I have read: not bogged down in excess verbiage or diction unbefitting Borges's style. I give this book my highest approval, have read most of the stories half a dozen times now, and would recomend it to anyone who enjoys the finest literature. Five stars.
Rating:
Summary: Who authorized this translation?
Review: What a tragedy! Who could have possibly authorized this grievous translation? It is crucial for all readers to know that the very important works of Jorge Luis Borges are not in this case being properly translated. If you cannot purchase the translations of Emir Rodriguez Monegal, Alastair Reid, or Norman Thomas di Giovanni it would be better not to buy or read the works of Borges. Undoubtedly there are other translators who did good translations, but Andrew Hurley is certainly not one of them. Doubtless Mr. Hurley is a brilliant man, but he does not understand Borges subtle use of language. Hence in the stories Hurley translates, Borges words are stripped of their hidden meanings. What the reader gets from this book is a computer translation of Borges' words; rendered mechanically flat and with all of their essence removed. Buy a used copy of a Norman Thomas di Giovanni translation. Norman Thomas di Giovanni worked side by side with Jorge Luis Borges; together they went the required extra distance in making sure that the subtlety of the writing was not flattened when converted to English. Just as being French does not make one a French chef, being a Ph.D. who reads, writes and speaks flawless espanol does not mean that one understands Borges.
Rating:
Summary: finally
Review: finally, a good - dare I say great? - translation of Borges into English... previous editions may seem to have stood the test of time, but Andrew Hurley has done a magnificent job of capturing the mystery and enchantment of the Argentinian master.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Dazzling!
Review: My introduction to Borges came last year in a Intermediate College Writing course. My instructor used "Monk Eastman- Bringer of Iniquities" to demonstrate how elements of non-fiction and fiction could interweave a seamless story. I soon thereafter bought "Collected Fictions" and was continually dazzled by Borges' masterful crafting of gripping narratives. The elements of the stories are so realistically blended that Borges' often blurs the line between reality and fantasy. The stories are not only riveting, but many are incredibly thought-provoking, given Borges' interest in Kabbalah, Islam, metaphysics, and Spiritality in general.
This is a wonderful book for one who appreciates short stories, spiritual exploration, or someone who finds the novel too long and winding to remain interested in.
Rating:
Summary: Dazzling
Review: When I read 100 years of solitude - how was I to know that Marquez had a master as well. On reading Borges, I often cursed my ignorance and more often loved the brilliance of the prose. Because of the vast width of subjects, some stories would appeal more to certain people - so if you have read one or two stories - and could not get to like them don't give up.
Though a totally different genre, I would like to recommend G.V.Desani's 'All about H. Hatterr' to those who loved Borges.
Desani is an under-rated Indian author who wrote only one novel in his lifetime (that is one more than Borges) and would have you in rolls of laughter if you are familiar with colonial British India a bit.
Rating:
Summary: Jorge Borges Literary Genius
Review: Jorge Borges may have been the most well read individual in the 20th century. His range of knowledge is incredibly vast, as is the range of topics his short stories cover. From a female chinese pirate, to ronin samurai avenging the death of their lord, to the life of an immortal being, everything Borges writes is sheer brilliance. I cannot reccomend this book enough
Rating:
Summary: A superb collection superbly translated
Review: Without a doubt this is one of my top 5 all-time favorite books. Borges possessed dazzling talent and weaved beautiful stories in luminous, flowing prose. Enter his mysterious worlds and be captivated by his incredible writing talent. Truly awe-inspiring. Andrew Hurley's translation in this edition is by far the best I have read. He has done Borges' work justice.
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