Alyson Bernero

The Book of Sand is another one of Borges' stories which reminded me of House of Leaves. Just like Johnny Traunt in House of Leaves, the owner of the book becomes obsessed with the story. We find while reading that the character in the story is once again Borges himself. When Borges shows no interest in buying the Bible from the seller, the man pulls out the book which immediately intrigues Borges. Borges is unable to deny that he is fascinated by the limitlessness of the book in front of him. This is the demonstration of the labyrinth in the story. The labyrinth is once again an symbol for something with no limits or something that continues on for as long as you allow it too.

tung kim

I remember reading this story somewhere before in my life and after reading it again I started to remember why I liked this story. There are many symbols in it that I thought was very well hidden such as the book being truth that it was the key to human kind understand that such a thing as a book of infinitely existed. But in the end we could comprehend such a thing, we as a society would not accept such a thing existed and book was later hidden for all time. I did enjoy reading this book and I’m sure that there are more symbols then just that. Borges is a very interesting man and in a way very crafty in adding like clues into his stories.

Katherine Tesi

I found Borges’ “The Book of Sand” relatively interesting, but it was surely no surprise that Borges once again uses the idea of the infinite and labyrinths. We find Borges as the narrator and main character again, which I have found that I like a little better. I find it more intriguing when Borges is the main character, simply because I feel as though the story being told could be a first hand account of an event. We also find a theme of religion within this story in that the stranger is selling Bibles and Borges has a collection of Bibles. Throughout all of the time that Borges has spent referring to the infinite and labyrinths, I have found it increasingly interesting as the stories have progressed. I really do enjoy how many of his stories portray an idea similar to this one; if a person becomes obsessive about the infinite in any aspect of life, it will surely drive them insane. In the stories which have been read during class, we find that the characters are temporarily consumed by this obsession but they seem to always return to reality.

Julie Morvitz

I really liked The Book of Sand. It reminded me a lot of The Zahir, because the narrator becomes obsessed with the book, just like the narrator becomes obsessed with the Zahir. The difference in these stories is that in The Zahir, the narrator couldn’t stop thinking about the Zahir even after he got rid of it, and I don’t think it ever left him. We don’t really know if the narrator is still obsessed with the book after he leaves it in the library, but it seems more like he can move on with his life, even if he can’t walk on the street where the library is. The story, like many other Borges short stories, includes the idea of the labyrinth. I liked the idea of a never ending book, but there was no way of actually reading the book. Besides it not having a beginning page or an end page, there was no consistency in the middle and none of the pages were in order. Nonetheless, I liked the story.

Carly Cooper

I think this story was a really good one to be the last story we read in this class. It integrates like all the themes we have been discussing, it is a perfect example of the kinda of fictional stories that Jorge Luis Borges always writes. The theme of obsession is one that has been repetitive throughout the semester and again here the narrator has an unexplained obsession with this book and has isolated himself just like both main characters in House of Leaves. Another aspect of Borges' writing is that he keep talking about the story or book a hundred and one nights which still is a question i have as to why he constantly references it. 

I also really liked this story, i have really enjoyed the stories toward the end of the book and i am better able to understand them. I thought it was really intriguing though I don't understand why he feels obligated to hide the book and not share its mysteriousness with the world.

Michael Lampasona

This story is about a man who visits Jorge Luis Borges to attempt to sell him a Bible. Borges tells the man that he has plenty of bibles, and that he is not interested. The man then shows Borges the Book of Sand. This book is limitless, and the beginning and end of it can never be reached. This fascinates Borges, who then desperately wants to purchase the book. He buys it from the man, and soon becomes obsessed with it. The story ends with Borges hiding the infinite book at the basement of a library, to end his obsession. However, he still refuses to walk down the street of that library.

This story had themes that are common in Borges' works - infinity and obsession. Borges becomes obsessed with the never ending, labyrinth of a book. Luckily, he is able to get rid of it, but not after it has altered his life. This was a very typical Borges short story.

Victoria Gornopolskaya

When reading this story I imagine a circular sort of novel in which the pages are scattered over a 360 degree angle. A book which contains bits of every story that was ever told is what “The Book of Sand” represents to me. Borges attempts to put together this infinite creation only to become obsessed and enslaved by this tedious labor. At least he was able to recognize that he had a problem, which he fixed by getting rid of the book. However, I do think that Borges finding the man who traded him the book and demanding a refund would have been a far superior ending because it would involve more plot driven action. Overall it was pretty safe but I do appreciate it for its imaginative qualities.

Natalya Gornopolskaya

Blog by Natalya Gornopolskaya
“The Book of Sand”

“The Book of Sand” is the story of how Borges came to be the owner of a vast infinite novel called The Book of Sand. This story focuses on the theme of a labyrinth which is prominent throughout this entire book. A poor bible salesman comes into Borges’s apartment hoping to sell him something. When Borges shows no interest in purchasing a Bible the man pulls out The Book of Sand, a rare, limitless novel which contains no beginning or end. Borges is intrigued by this book and makes a quick trade in exchange for the novel. The novel turns out to be a menace to Borges. The only thing he can do is attempt to find order in his very disorderly new novel. He has been at it for months and to no avail. Borges’s obsession draws a parallel to Johnny Truant, who also works tirelessly to complete a disorganized manuscript. This book now taunts and debilitates him. Because he can’t grasp the power this book has over him, he decides that the best thing to do is to hide it high in the shelf of a library. Though he still feels anxious when he walks near this library, his decision was made for the best. I thought this story was very straightforward and interesting. I think it would be wonderful to find such a book even if it is impossible to read, it can still do something powerful to the mind.

Elisabeth Jeremko

"The Book of Sand" seemed to be a blend of themes and commentary already issued forth in Borges' other stories. For this reason, I found the story repetitive, even annoying. Borges sounded rather arrogant in relation to the Bible salesman, seeming to think himself more worldly and more able to handle such a book. Much symbolism can be drawn from the nature of the characters...the Bible salesman does not have grand curiosity to keep the book. For those who find comfort in their faiths (such as Christianity and the Word of the Bible), complex mysteries and unexplainable energies cannot be ventured towards in curiosity pursuits. The Bible salesman finds much more value in a straightforward Wyclif, whereas Borges insists on tackling the great labyrinth-like nature of the Book of Sand. The idea of Edward Said's "Orientalism" shows up here, again. The Book of Sand seems exotic and full of unearthed secrets, much of because it is foreign. I found similarities in this story to other stories. Like "The Zahir", Borges becomes restless and disturbingly obsessed with the Book. This also reminds me of Johnny Truant and Zampano in "House of Leaves". Like "The Library of Babel", concepts of infinity and secret knowledge needing to be found are brought up. The story did not seem unique to me, in relation to his other stories. Also, with his hyperbolic descriptions of his relation of events, Borges starts to sound like a drama queen. I could believe the immensity of the effects from meeting himself in "The Other" or obsessing over "The Zahir". But now that panicky obsession is just becoming too repetitive for me. "I now feel a little better, but I refuse to even walk down the street the library's on" is what Borges says of his hiding place for the book. Perhaps this melodramatic recruitment on the behalf of Borges helps usher in his themes, but my curious reaction to this state of panicky unsettledness is not as exhilarating or new to me as a reader now.