On Mysticism

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Overview

On Mysticism is a collection of Borges' essays, fiction and poetry that explores the role of the mysterious and spiritual in Borges' life and writing. Borges had profound knowledge of eastern religions and was raised by a philosophically astute father. As a result he was preoccupied with a metaphysical uneasiness that infiltrated his work. This book is a unique collection of Borges' meditations on the mystical realm that fascinated him so much.

Read Borges' On Writing and On Argentina.

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

Considering that so much of the work by Argentine author Borges (1899–1986) alludes to the mystical, this is a surprisingly small book. Known throughout the world for his metaphysical fantasies, Borges studied not only Christian mysticism but much Eastern philosophy and religion, including the works of the Sufis, Buddhist doctrines, and Raja, or classical yoga. To bring all these ideas together, his widow, Kodama, and Levine (Spanish & Portuguese, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) have edited this small but powerful collection of prose, poetry, and essays. Many reveal Borges's obsessions with finding one's true "I," the nature of God, and the illusive nature of words, dreams, and other mystical states. This work also presents, for the first time in English, many of his brief essays that appraise other authors and philosophers. Key features are the well-known stories "The Library of Babel" and "The Aleph," along with the ironical "Poem of the Gifts," about his love of books and his increasing blindness. VERDICT A good introduction to Borges for both students and interested general readers.—Nedra Crowe Evers, Sonoma Cty. Lib., Santa Rosa, CA

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780143105695
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Publication date: 6/29/2010
Pages: 128
Sales rank: 393,531
Product dimensions: 5.00 (w) x 7.60 (h) x 0.50 (d)

Meet the Author

Jorge Luis Borges

This legendary Argentine poet, essayist, and short-story writer's works have become classics of 20th-century world literature, leaving a legacy that serves as an enduring testament to the politics and passions of Jorge Luis Borges.

Biography

Jorge Luis Borges was born in Buenos Aires in 1899 and was educated in Europe. One of the most widely acclaimed writers of the 20th century, he published many collections of poems, essays, and short stories before his death in Geneva in June 1986.

In 1961, Borges shared the International Publishers' prize with Samuel Beckett. In 1971, Columbia University awarded him the first of many degrees of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, that he was to receive from the English-speaking world -- eventually, the list included both Oxford and Cambridge universities. In 1971 he also received the fifth biennial Jerusalem Prize and in 1973 was given one of Mexico's most prestigious cultural awards, the Alfonso Reyes Prize. In 1980 he shared with Gerardo Diego the Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world's highest literary accolade.

Borges was director of the Argentine National Library from 1955 until 1973.

Author biography courtesy of Penguin Group (USA)

Good To Know

Borges began writing at the age of six, mostly fantasy stories inspired by Cervantes. When he was nine, he translated Oscar Wilde's The Happy Prince into Spanish, and the piece was published in El País, a local newspaper.

To the outrage of his followers, Borges never did receive the Nobel prize. "Not granting me the Nobel Prize has become a Scandinavian tradition," Borges once quipped. "Since I was born they have not been granting it to me."

Several of Borges's short stories have been adapted for the movies, most recently Death and the Compass (1996), directed by Alex Cox (Repo Man).

1. Date of Birth:
  
  August 24, 1899
2. Place of Birth:
  
  Buenos Aires, Argentina
1. Date of Death:
  
  June 14, 1986
2. Place of Death:
  
  Geneva, Switzerland
1. Education:
  
  B.A., Collège Calvin de Genève, 1914

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On Mysticism

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Overview

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More About This Book

Overview

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

Product Details

Meet the Author

Jorge Luis Borges

Biography

Good To Know

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