On Mysticism

By Jorge Luis Borges

2010

First Published

4.13

Average Rating

128

Number of Pages

3H54M

Audio Length

Editorial Reviews 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' 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 About The Author: About The Author: 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 Pri

Avg Rating

4.13

Number of Ratings

224

5 STARS

39%

4 STARS

39%

3 STARS

19%

2 STARS

1 STARS

goodreads

Author

Jorge Luis Borges

Author · 116 books

Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo, usually referred to as Jorge Luis Borges (Spanish pronunciation: [xoɾxe lwis boɾxes]), was an Argentine writer and poet born in Buenos Aires. In 1914, his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school and traveled to Spain. On his return to Argentina in 1921, Borges began publishing his poems and essays in Surrealist literary journals. He also worked as a librarian and public lecturer. Borges was fluent in several languages. He was a target of political persecution during the Peron regime, and supported the military juntas that overthrew it. Due to a hereditary condition, Borges became blind in his late fifties. In 1955, he was appointed director of the National Public Library (Biblioteca Nacional) and professor of Literature at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1961, he came to international attention when he received the first International Publishers' Prize Prix Formentor. His work was translated and published widely in the United States and in Europe. He died in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1986. J. M. Coetzee said of Borges: "He, more than anyone, renovated the language of fiction and thus opened the way to a remarkable generation of Spanish American novelists."