About
Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) was a major Argentine writer, known for his fantastic short stories and essays. He learned English before Spanish and spent his adolescence in Geneva. After an accident in 1938, he wrote his most celebrated tales, such as those in Ficciones (1944) and El Aleph (1949). Becoming blind, he directed the National Library of Argentina from 1955. His work explores labyrinths, mirrors, and infinity, profoundly influencing world literature.
* 1899-08-24 — † 1986-06-14
Major works
- Fervor de Buenos Aires (1923)poetry collection
- Ficciones (1944)short story collection
- El Aleph (1949)short story collection
- Otras inquisiciones (1952)essays
- El hacedor (1960)collection of poems and prose
Key milestones
- 1938Suffered a severe head injury and blood poisoning, after which he wrote his most celebrated fantastic stories.
- 1955Appointed director of the National Library of Argentina, though totally blind by that time.
- 1961Shared the International Publishers Prize (Formentor) with Samuel Beckett, bringing him worldwide fame.
Themes
labyrinthsmirrorsdoublesinfinitycircular time
Sources: britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org
