There is no doubt that Borges is a gifted writer - evocative, eloquent and brilliant. Even in translation (English), it feels like his command over thThere is no doubt that Borges is a gifted writer - evocative, eloquent and brilliant. Even in translation (English), it feels like his command over the language is excellent (credit to the translator), and so many times I would find just a beautiful sentence, perfectly crafted and placed. His imagination is breathtaking, the creativity in his stories nothing short of genius. More than anything else, what stands out is the way he plays with form, structure, and narrators, messing with the framing of his stories and ideas, innovatively and radically pushing the limits of what the medium can do. Reading him would certainly make you a better writer, and more creative and imaginative. However, sometimes it felt like a bit too much. His stories are sometimes confusing, the plot is sometimes quite thin, the story redeemed only by how cleverly and inventively it is told, both in writing and framing. Sometimes the ideas are actually amazing, and I occasionally found myself wishing that Borges would just for once write a straight up story, beginning to end, complete, instead of, for example, creating an obituary of a writer who has a long bibliography of brilliant story ideas, none of which we get to actually read. Perhaps Borges recognises that these are better as ideas and would not work, or would be nearly impossible to actually execute as direct stories. Or perhaps that is just not his style - that is simply not who Borges is. And so we get stories about stories, with unreliable narrators. It is inspiring - sometimes frustrating - but always brilliant. In that, I guess, lies Borges' genius, his uniqueness as a writer. I can see the enormous mark he has left - there is so much in popular culture and media now that I feel must be inspired in some way by his work (like Black Mirror, or even David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest). Yet, Borges is certainly not for everyone. His stories demand a philosophical and literary bent of mind, their creativity implies that they require some work on behalf of the reader. Some stories may perhaps be better described as philosophical essays in narrative form - for instance playing with metaphysics instead of "doing it" in the rigorous, boring, inelegant style of academics. Every story in Ficciones did not land for me, but the many that did - Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius; the Approach to Al-Mu'tasim; Pierre Menard, Author of Don Quixote; the Circular Ruins; the Babylon Lottery; An Examination of the Work of Herbert Quain; Library of Babel; Garden of Forking Paths; Funes the Memorious; the Form of the Sword; Theme of the Traitor and Hero; Death and a Compass; the Sect of the Phoenix - are unforgettable, both in their brilliance and their uniqueness....more
An absolutely beautiful story accompanied by gorgeous artwork, of the universe, its birth and evolution, and how it moved towards creating Earth, and An absolutely beautiful story accompanied by gorgeous artwork, of the universe, its birth and evolution, and how it moved towards creating Earth, and ultimately, us. The way the story is told constantly reminds us that this story is not about something outside us, but about us - we are part of the universe, and the universe is part of us. By truly bringing the universe - and everything in it - alive, the book makes us feel that we are part of an epic cosmic adventure, in a universe that cares for us and loves us, that has worked and played passionately to create us, where we belong and are connected to the stars and galaxies across billions of years.
This kind of cosmology does far more than just inspiring a love for physics. It kindles a love for the world, life, and existence itself - priceless gifts for anyone, especially a child. A book I dearly wish I could have read as a child, and I am grateful to have read now....more
I read this book too late, and in any case I don't think I'm the right audience for it. If I had read it as an undergraduate, when I was first exploriI read this book too late, and in any case I don't think I'm the right audience for it. If I had read it as an undergraduate, when I was first exploring philosophy and religion (and especially that of India), I may have even loved it. But I didn't, and a lot of what Watts has to say in this book I have learned already, in different and often deeper ways, from other sources. Watts does a decent job explaining aspects of Vedantic philosophy to western audiences, though sometimes it feels like a lot has changed (and a lot been lost) in translation. He maintains the academic, philosophical tone that a western audience expects, even demands, but is not rigorous in his arguments. And unlike Indian authors writing on similar subjects (such as Swami Vivekananda or Sri Aurobindo), does not seem to have the authority of his own in-depth experience of the subject matter to draw from. Perhaps in Watts' time, this book was valuable in making Indian philosophy accessible and approachable to western audiences who may otherwise never have engaged with it, on their own terms and in their own language (figuratively as well as literally). But today, there are better books available, both for those wanting a light introduction as well as those wanting to go deep. [read as part of Book Club]...more
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