I got labyrinter today 
Long live the library!
Ok. The month has started and I hope there’s been time for enough people to get the book so we can start discussing. Since I don’t know how far people have read, and still expect a couple more to join in the next two or three days, I’ll make a post about the history of this book for now.
On the Christmas eve of 1938, Borges had a serious accident in which he injured his head; during the treatment, he almost died of sepsis. By that time, he was already a cult classic among the academia for his essays and poetry. His philosophy was young and playful, and his poems were fresh and vivid. Although perhaps not a public figure of Buenos Aires at that point, he was already pretty notorious within his scene. So it was with great despair that he received the news that his injury had apparently damaged the language region of his brain, and that the doctors didn’t know exactly what effects that would have.
Borges later confessed that his first incursion in fiction wasn’t completely incidental. Being already somewhat notorious for his essays and poetry, he felt he just wouldn’t be able to face failure in composing a piece of either… But as for stories, he had never done them before, failure could just as well mean he sucked at it. So he started gathering material and ideas for a story while still in the hospital — success at this enterprise would mean no loss of writing capacity, while failure would pretty much mean nothing. And so during his first days out of the hospital he composed what would be his first short story. That story was “Pierre Menard”.
Those who read it will see how he actually wasn’t able to keep himself from risking an essay in his first short story. That dual style of writing, that style Borges would later become famous worldwide for, was actually born of his fear of having lost his capacity to write essays. After having “Pierre Menard” published in the Sur magazine, being received with much praise, he decided to write another one. And another one. And another one. And so he composed the pieces — or fictions — of the first book in our collection, The Garden of Forking Paths.
So that’s how it all started. I wish everyone a happy reading, and I’ll be back with something about the first few stories, tomorrow. 
Ok here it is. I don’t have it yet, but I would have if it was in English. I went to the library today and got Ficciones, just to find that it was all in Spanish! 
So when I got home I just went and held ‘Collected Fictions’ on my library’s website. So I won’t get it until Thursday or Friday.
If you speak English and can’t read Spanish get Collected Fictions!!! It’s the English translation.
Jeez, and even Ficciones drags for me sometimes! 
Maybe it’s the translation, and maybe it’s because this isn’t the type of material I normally read anyway. I’m about ten pages into Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius, but just to keep everything straight I’m thinking of re-reading and taking a few notes so when discussion time comes I actually have something to discuss. 
I do have The Aleph too, so maybe someday when I feel up to it I’ll take a look. Why put the rest of this book to waste?
raying for his book to arrive tomorrow:
Maybe it’s “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius”. 
That story has too many citations and discusses a bunch of theories. The others, even the ones that look like essays [com]cough Pierre Menard and Herbert Quain cough[/com] are an easier read. But there’s a reason for Tlön Uqbar to be the first story in the book: in fact, two reasons there are for that.
[color=#663366]The following lines aren’t spoilers per se, as they do not specifically discuss facts in the plot of any story beyond vague alusions. However, they might in a sense influence your perception of the whole book. Therefore, it might be a good idea to read them only after you’ve read all stories from “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” to “The Garden of Forking Paths”.[/color]
First, there is a sense of progress from one story to the next; Orbis Tertius meets Al-Mu’tasim in the figure of Pierre Menard, who is reflected by the dreamer of the “Circular Ruins”. The later plot is a theme from whose variation springs the “Babylon Lottery”… The Babylonic liar meets the shadow of Pierre Menard, a clash from which “Herbert Quain” results. His literature, taken to a lottery extreme, is described in the Library of Babel, which in a sense confirms the ideas brought about by “Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius”. This complex web of intercrossing doxa is finally condensed and synthesized in the incredible, multi-layered structure of the “Garden of Forking Paths”.
[color=#663366]“Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius” spoiler inside:[/color]
The second reason is simple: “Tlön, Uqbar” works as an introduction the rest of the book. In my first post here, I said a friend of mine is afraid of Borges because his fiction seems to melt the boundaries of reality and swallow it: you’ll understand that weird sensation after you’ve read a couple of other stories of his. But for now, bear in mind: ain’t that exactly what “Tlön, Uqbar” describes? In a sense, Borges’ magic begins at the very first story, in which fiction takes over reality, but this sinister confusion between his story and yours will only be perceived a posteriori, when you finish reading another story and realise it: “oh my, he did it, and now it’s too late for me to escape it”.
By all means, do so only if you really feel up to it. I’ll make a quick revision of “Tlön, Uqbar” for the people who want to get in-depth on the ideas Borges exposes. The only requirement in this topic, however, is to enjoy the literature: the ideas. What I’m trying to say is, if you want an explanation, you’ll have it, I promise, but for now you don’t need any philosophical background.
I’m sure you don’t need to have read a single line about Berkeley’s idealism in order to be able to stare at the moonlight tonight and think to yourself, hlör u fang axaxaxas mlö, and wonder. And, believe me, the next morning you’ll catch yourself making up verbal (or adjective) languages as you walk to the bus station, and when you realise what’s going on in your mind’s background, you’ll curse Borges and smile.
I definitely recommend it. And, like I said, that book will never be a waste: if you actually get tired of it, I’m still willing to buy it from you.
You’re good, Bruno. Wanna know why? Because the creation of those verbal and adjective languages has already happened! It’s brilliant: I can see myself musing over this for the next few days, too.
I’ll win either way!
I’m in if you guys don’t mind
By all means, James, we don’t. 
I’m actually glad people are joining this project.
I’d like to know how far has everyone got by now. Has anyone read “the Lottery in Babilon” so far? It is, in my opinion, one of the best stories ever written. What about “the Circular Ruins”?— Anyone tried to read anything from the second book, like “Three Versions of Judas” or the “theme of the Hero and the Traitor”? What’s everyone thinking of it so far? And, among those who still haven’t started reading, who’s planning to join us still?
Though i am already caught up in a multitude of wonderful literature, I will do my best to find these books and begin reading. Reality manifested through thought and willed imagination? I’m in, and will begin reading as soon as possible.
Ok, I just placed the order online for collected fictions. The collection is surprisingly quite extensive. Anyone ever read Dream Tigers by the same author? It is apparently supposed to be pretty amazing.
Ok, Now the right book is at the library. I’m going to go pick it up tomorrow and start reading it then.
I ordered the book last yesterday afternoon, it should be here sometime early next week. I can’t wait! 
EDIT: It arrived today! (well, friday night - we hadn’t checked the mail).
I’ve just finished reading about that extreme library! It is a pretty extreme thought really: All we ever are gonna do/say is described. But everything is covered up in, and surrounded by, all other possible texts!
Hello everyone.
I promissed Bruno that i’m gonna join when i finally get the time. So here I am.
I’ve read Borges about three years ago. Before that, my readings almost exclusively consisted of Math and Physics books Then my friend lent me a book by Borges: The Book of Sand. I had never seen a book written like that!! I got so curious that I went out and bought another Borges book: Ficciones.
One funny incident about this book. I lent it to a friend of mine. He read it, returned it to me, and said he didn’t understand much. When i asked why, he replied: “well, who is this Pierre Menard for example? I’ve never heard of him!”
The title is Fictions. But with that aside, my friend is not to blame for not recognizing Borges’ intention. As Bruno pointed out to in his first post here, Borges does not specify where reality ends and fictions begins. The lines are blurred.
I’ve dug up my copy and i’ll start reading again. hopefully we get to discussions soon
I guess anything I say or do could from now on be considered a spoiler for this book because it has changed the way I now am- but I don’t think I’m being too revealing here… Just finished the first half of the book (or first book, I suppose, technically). I am absolutely sucked in and have been avoiding doing anything else when possible just so I can sit around and soak up these Ficciones. I think “the Lottery in Babilon” and “the Circular Ruins” are definitely favorites so far. The others seemed to drag a little because of the dense nature of the stories (and the introduction of many characters and works, imaginary or real) but I still think there were some amazing ideas and concepts in there (especially the part about copulation and mirrors). Can’t wait to really get into discussion about some of these ideas because this book is one of those works that makes you look at reality in a whole new way every time you finish a new story!
SPOILER - Click to view
::Pretty sure Bruno works for the Company::
I’ve actually taken myself in creating those verbal/adjective languages ! 
Anyhow, I always ended with making too complicated sentences to be manageable for me to convert, and stop it. And start from the beginning again xD Well, it ain’t that often it has happened, but well, I guess it may relate to the fact that I of some weird reasons have had a hard time feeling anything at all (pretty much exept frustration/loneliness at time) the last months/half year. It is really pretty depressing.
Anyways, I have just finished “Theme of the traitor and the hero now” 
Circular ruins spoiler
SPOILER - Click to view
The circular ruins were really a great story, but I don’t really get the meaning behind it. I mean, ok the guy dreams up someone, and everyting. And brings him to life. Later he finds he is dreamed up himself. What is he trying to say? (Is he trying to say something?).
Welcome aboard, Eric, kT, Will, and Nadim. 
He’s written quite a lot. But why did you order the whole collection, rather than just Ficciones, then?
Yes. Yes! It’s really good! (I’m frankly biased when it come to Borges, so read my opinions with a grain of salt ). It’s the same kind of imagery (and humour) you’ll find in stories like “the Circular Ruins”, “the Lottery in Babylon” and “theme of the Hero and the Traitor”, but it’s a really wild idea.
It is a fabulous idea. 
I’ll come back to the library in a future post.
I’m glad you enjoyed it that much!
Mine as well, at least in the first book. (From the second, highlights would be “theme of the Traitor and the Hero”, “Three versions of Judas” and “the South”).
Yeah, Borges can be a tad too academic at times, but he’s got plenty of jaw-dropping ideas to expose.
Hahaha! We sure shall discuss the ideas. I’ll make a post tomorrow, and you of course can feel free to writing your thoughts anytime!
/me smiles secretly.
It’s one of my favourite stories. It’s rather simple, and doesn’t make much of a fuss around its main idea, but it got me to dig into Irish history books and articles on exotic carnivalesque traditions, and then I would sketch up thoughts and drawings forever.
[spoiler]The idea at play is that of recursion, and it pokes right at a couple of big metaphysical problems revolving around the notion of life. For instance: humans are capable of creation. Provided we were created, that is to say designed, it is valid to question ourselves: is our creator all-powerful and unbounded, or are they but a shadow of their own creator, as we are of them? If we are capable of creating intelligence, conscience, life — and, arguably, we are, we should be asking ourselves: are we really less than our God? Are we not gods ourselves?
Another way of reading the Circular Ruins: as a metaphor for freedom. We think we’re free and autonomous and acting based on our own free will. But what if the history of the universe has already been traced by the precise laws of physics, and we are just a simulacron, an automaton who behaves according to the grand design? Are we still free, then? Are we still human, or are we no more than a pile of atoms? (I offered a possible solution to this problem in an old topic about Free Will, in the Philosopher’s Cloud).
Yet another reading, just to give you the taste of Borges’ endless possibilities: the idea of dream can be expanded into the notion of “imagination” as a whole. I bring you then a problem which is similar to the first one (and depending on how you face it, equivalent). What we imagine, collectively or subconsciously, has a life of their own. Are those figments, those dreams and character — are the fictions of Borges really just fictions, shadows, or are they real? Are we, as personas, not precisely just as real as a figment of our own imagination? Where is reality’s limit? Where does reality stop and fiction begins?
These are just a couple of interpretations of the Circular Ruins. That story is serious food for thought.[/spoiler]