On Argentina | Random House Publishing Group

About the Book

A literary guide to Argentina by its most famous writer

Jorge Luis Borges wrote about Argentina as only someone passionate about his homeland can. On Argentina reveals the many facets of his passion in essays, poems, and stories through which he sought to bring Argentina forward on the world stage, and to do for Buenos Aires what James Joyce did for Dublin.

In colorful pieces on the tango and the gaucho, on the card game truco, and on the criollos (immigrants from Spain) and compadritos (street-corner thugs), we gain insight not only into unique aspects of Argentine culture but also into the intellect and values of one of Latin America’s most influential writers. Featuring material available in English for the first time, this unprecedented collection is an invaluable literary and travel companion for devotees of both Borges and Argentina.

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Excerpt

On Argentina

On Argentina

Contents

Introduction by Alfred Mac Adam
A Note on the Text

• Man on Pink Corner

From Inquisitions (1925)
• Buenos Aires
• The Mythical Founding of Buenos Aires
• Ascasubi
• The Criollo Element in Ipuche
• The Complaint of All Criollos
• Eduardo González Lanuza

From Moon Across the Way (1925)
• General Quiroga Rides to His Death in a Carriage

From The Full Extent of My Hope (1926)
• Carriego and the Meaning of the Arrabal
• The Full Extent of My Hope
• The Pampa and the Suburbio Are Gods
• The Purple Land
• Leopoldo Lugones: Romancero

From The Language of the Argentines (1928)
• Truco
• Truco (poem)
• Genealogy of the Tango
• Situating Almafuerte
• The Language of the Argentines

From Evaristo Carriego (1930)
• Buenos Aires: Palermo
• A History of the Tango

Miscellany (1931–1951)
• Our Inabilities
• I, a Jew
• Borges's prologue to the German edition of Enrique Amorim's La carreta
• Definition of a Germanophile
• Our Poor Individualism
• The Argentine Writer and Tradition

• The South

Glossary
Sources

About the Author

Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) was an Argentine poet, essayist, and author of short stories. His most notable works as a key literary Spanish-language figure of the twentieth century include Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph). He received a BA from the College of Geneva. He was also appointed the director of the National Public Library and professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aries in 1955. During his lifetime, Borges received the first Prix International Formentor Prize which he shared alongside Samuel Beckett in 1961. He also received the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society in 1971. More by Jorge Luis Borges

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About the Author

Alfred Mac Adam

Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) was an Argentine poet, essayist, and author of short stories. His most notable works as a key literary Spanish-language figure of the twentieth century include Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph). He received a BA from the College of Geneva. He was also appointed the director of the National Public Library and professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aries in 1955. During his lifetime, Borges received the first Prix International Formentor Prize which he shared alongside Samuel Beckett in 1961. He also received the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society in 1971. More by Alfred Mac Adam

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About the Author

Suzanne Jill Levine

Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) was an Argentine poet, essayist, and author of short stories. His most notable works as a key literary Spanish-language figure of the twentieth century include Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph). He received a BA from the College of Geneva. He was also appointed the director of the National Public Library and professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aries in 1955. During his lifetime, Borges received the first Prix International Formentor Prize which he shared alongside Samuel Beckett in 1961. He also received the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society in 1971. More by Suzanne Jill Levine

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About the Author

Alfred Mac Adam

Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) was an Argentine poet, essayist, and author of short stories. His most notable works as a key literary Spanish-language figure of the twentieth century include Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph). He received a BA from the College of Geneva. He was also appointed the director of the National Public Library and professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aries in 1955. During his lifetime, Borges received the first Prix International Formentor Prize which he shared alongside Samuel Beckett in 1961. He also received the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society in 1971. More by Alfred Mac Adam

Decorative Carat

About the Author

Alfred Mac Adam

Jorge Luis Borges (1899–1986) was an Argentine poet, essayist, and author of short stories. His most notable works as a key literary Spanish-language figure of the twentieth century include Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph). He received a BA from the College of Geneva. He was also appointed the director of the National Public Library and professor of English literature at the University of Buenos Aries in 1955. During his lifetime, Borges received the first Prix International Formentor Prize which he shared alongside Samuel Beckett in 1961. He also received the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society in 1971. More by Alfred Mac Adam

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