Collected Fictions

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: 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.