Borges: A Life Book

Jorge Luis Borges is among the select company of 20th-century writers whose names have been converted into adjectives. Exactly what Borgesian means is hard to pin down. But when we come across a metaphysical riddle of a story--one in which life seems to be interrogated by literature--then we are surely entering Borges's sphere of influence. And given the author's slender output, this sphere is surprisingly large. From Gabriel García Márquez to John Barth, from Umberto Eco to Salman Rushdie, the imprint of Borges is everywhere. Not bad for a recluse who hunkered down in his native Bueno Aires for nearly 40 years at a clip. How did Borges become Arentina's most conspicuous export? In his new biography, James Woodall goes a considerable distance toward answering this question. The author has done his spadework, and he manages to draw connections between the life and the art without making one a simple explanation for the other. For those who wish to enter the labyrinth of Borges's existence, Woodall is a most agreeable and intelligent guide.Read More