Michael Lampasona

This story is about a lottery that takes place in Babylon. At first, the lottery seems like any other lottery - whoever wants to enter must pay a fee and is granted a chance to win a pooled prize. This lottery is run by "the Company." Eventually the lottery evolved, and those who entered were given a chance to win a pooled some or be penalized. More and more people ended up entering the lottery, because if a man did not buy a ticket he was considered to have no spirit of adventure. Eventually, the picked "loser" of the lottery was forced to serve jail time. The lottery gained popularity, and in time the reward became not being penalized - with death.

I thought this story was interesting. Borges talks about his common theme of infinity towards the end of the story. I certainly would not like to participate in this lottery, but then again if I lived in Babylon I wouldn't have a choice.

Emily Skahill

i think the stories in this book are getting better as they go on, because i really liked this book. it's probably because it reminded me of The House of Leaves and Zampano as well as Traunt's obsession with the book. Borges became obsessed with trying to figure out the novel just like Traunt's life revolved around what Zampano wrote and the way he lived his life. I really like this story, it's really interesting. i liked it so much i actually thought it was too short. i also think Borges could write another short story about someone finding the book in the library, sort of Jumanji like.

Emily Skahill

the House of Asterion is about a half man half bull thing living in a labyrinth. honestly i feel bad for the Minotaur. no one comes to visit him except for every 9 years and he runs around playing games and making up imaginary people.  i like greek mythology and it was interesting how Borges wrote it from this perspective but even so, i feel so bad for him. no one deserves to be alone! it was short though, and i loved this story for that! Borges should have never wrote anything very long, because he is a very boring writer. his readers would have been a lot better off.

Emily Skahill

i like the Zahir, much more than i've liked any of the other stories we've read. unlike a lot of the stories we read this sort of seems like it could really happen. if it did in today's world the person would be put in a mental hospital. it also sort of reminded me of the lord of the rings, the obsession with a coin. i don't really understand why the coin would bring him to god, thats a pretty out there idea in my opinion. i still don't like how Borges writes. i always have to reread everything more than once. i wish i could write more about my reactions to these, but seriously even though i liked this story there isn't much to say. 

Kristin Todd

I thought that "The Book of Sand" was really interesting.  It was really easy to follow and provided a mystery and something to think about for the reader.  It was intriguing how the book was a labyrinth to the reader- always changing.  It definitely reminded me of the labyrinth from House of Leaves because it was always changing depending on who was inside or trying to go inside.  I found that the man who bought the book wasn't that skeptical of the man selling it.  If it were me, I would have thought about buying the book longer and even trusting the man a little less.  But, then again, it probably wouldn't make a good short story.  The hyperlink was also pretty interesting.  It provided a different outlook on the story because it said that it didn't really matter what order the story was in.  The fact that the hypertext was interactive was also good because it was a puzzle that you had to figure out based on the plot.  But, like the book in the story, the pages kept changing so it made it harder to figure out the puzzle.

Kristy Medina

When first reading the title, Book of Sand, you can immediately think Borges will write about religion (even though Borges is not predicative, he is really consistent with the topics he discusses.) And anyways, I thought about why the metaphor sand for a religious book like the Bible. When the 'seller' starts describing the book, like talking about the page numbers and how they don't go in order, I immediately thought of House of Leaves and how different and innovative authors can get with these books. Also similar to House of Leaves I thought about how the set up of the book would be if the pages do not go in order...like how it would be read and how to follow it. But then it is told that the book is called the book of sand because it has no beginning, middle, or end, so it wouldn't be coherent anyways. As a reader reading a mystery story (or what I would call mysterious) I tried to guess what would happen to the narrator after buying the book because I knew it wouldn't be good and I guessed right (sort-of). I knew it was going to bring the narrator bad luck of some sorts. The book actually did lead to something bad in the narrator's life. The obsession the narrator had reminded my of Navidson's obsession with the unknowing and it was coincidental how both characters lost the people closest to them because of this obsession. In the end, Borges again leaves us with a very interesting ending about how the narrator won't even enter the street in which he left the book (also how he wouldn't burn it because the fire would infinitely burn.) The short story anyways, is really really short just like House of Asterion. I liked it a lot.

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.

Michael Lampasona

This story is about a king who hires a poet to create a poem about the history of Ireland. The poet comes back with a rehearsed poem that the king enjoys and appreciates. He gives the poet a silver mirror as a gift, and instructs him to come back with another poem. The poet comes back with a less rehearsed, stranger poem. Surprisingly, the king enjoys this poem even more, and rewards the poet with a golden mask and instructs him to come back with another poem. The poet comes back, this time with one line. He recites it to the king, and both of them are awestruck by the meaning of this line; both believe they truly heard beauty. The king gives the poet a dagger to kill himself. The poet commits suicide, and the king becomes a commoner after hearing this one line.

This story was quite deep. It makes me very curious what this one line was, or could have been about to cause such strong reactions from the king and the poet. It must have been very moving, because it changed both of their lives drastically.

Michael Lampasona

In this story, Jorge Luis Borges meets a younger version of himself while he is sitting on a bench. He is seventy years old at the time, and his younger counterpart is around twenty years old. Borges talks to the younger version of himself and tries to convince himself that this is not a dream. He tells the younger Borges facts about his life that only he would know. The younger Borges still has his doubts, however he seems convinced when the older Borges shows him an American bill with a date from the future on it. At the end, they agree to meet again, but neither shows.

I found the idea of meeting your future self interesting. It was amusing how Borges had such a hard time convincing himself that it wasn't just a dream, and he later explained how maybe it was just a dream for his younger self. This story reminded me of concepts of time travel, and it's potential problems. Overall, it was an enjoyable 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.

Victoria Gornopolskaya

“The Other,” by Jorge Luis Borges was very creative and imaginative in its context. It involves two men meeting at a park bench, only Borges feels a strange familiarity in this other man. The other man is actually turns out to be Jorge Luis Borges as well, except he is much younger. The narrator is the older, greyer Borges. The two men engage in a conversation, the older Borges offers advice to the younger Borges on his literary development and progress for the future. I find it ironic that the older man was much more affected by this phenomenon than the younger man. I thought the younger man should’ve taken more of an active interest in this encounter with his future self because he could’ve gained a lot more out of it. It’s not every day that such a phenomenon occurs. When the conversation is over the two men agree to meet at the same bench the next day, only they don’t. They both lie to one another, which is quite sad, because I would be way more enthusiastic if I had the opportunity to meet my future self.

“The Mirror and the Mask” by Jorge Luis Borges was an exciting story. It was about a king who chose a very knowledgeable poet to summarize for him a brief history of Ireland in the form of a poem. The first time, the poet’s work was very lengthy and rehearsed. The king was astounded and rewarded the poet. The second time the poet wasn’t as thorough and detailed, but the king was moved nonetheless, even more so than the first time. The third time the poet recited only a single verse and brought the king to into a standstill. He was so amazed that the poet was able to capture such a long period of time in that one line, and handed him a dagger. The poet ends up killing himself and the king becomes a commoner. It is incredible to imagine how one line of poetry could have such a profound affect on people.

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.

Natalya Gornopolskaya

Blog by Natalya Gornopolskaya
“The Other,” “The Mirror and the Mask”

This next story by Borges is a social satire between the young and old. Borges is about seventy years old; he sits in a familiar bench only to realize he is in the presence of his once former self. This other man is about twenty, he is just starting out his career as a writer, and he reads many books which he uses for inspiration. He seems so focused on his career to the extent that he fails to notice this great presence before him. The older Borges tries to guide this younger man but to no avail. The younger Borges responds in disbelief and indifference. This lack of concern is disappointing to the older Borges because he realizes there is no way to reach out to this man. Perhaps he had an important message to deliver to him concerning his future. It’s a shame that both men leave the bench feeling empty when they have such close ties to one another. Perhaps some people fear their future and choose not to get in the way of what is meant to be someday.

“The Mirror and the Mask” was very sentimental and unusual. It reminded me of a fairytale in some aspects. There was a king who appointed a poet the task of writing a manuscript for an allotted period of time. It seems that during each time when the anniversary of this day passed, the poet became less sure of his capabilities and the king just became more proud of the poet’s accomplishments. The poet was awarded a silver mirror for his first labor, a golden mask for his second and a dagger for his third, which he used to kill himself. It seems that the deteriorating quality of the poet’s work reflects how difficult times are becoming outside the realms of the kingdom. The poet mirrors the quality of life in its present state. At the end the king himself becomes a beggar, who never speaks the words of that third poem. I guess that third poem must’ve been a line that said it all, if it made the poet kill himself and turned the king into a beggar.

The Book of Sand

My first thought going into this story just from judging the title was that this story would have religious symbolism tied into the theme somehow. So far Jorge's has been consistent by communicating underlying religious issues as well as layered secrets only found in mysterious brain like seams. Jorge's held up his consistency by incorporating a bible salesman for a religious reminder and a labyrinth obstacle. These themes continue to show up throughout the book and are starting to get a little old quite frankly. The stories with new themes are becoming more intriguing due to their fresh underlying objective. This leaves me to question how much of a genius Jorge was. I think that Jorge's was so smart that he purposely implemented new themes in between repeating morals to highlight the spirits of the new stories. If Jorge's intended this, well than my goodness what a smart man. But honestly the next time I throw up will not be from alcohol but from the next Jorge labyrinth religious themed story.

The Other

The Other was so interesting, at first it crept me out because the movie The Others was very creepy. The entire scenario of the story was so interested how Borges went back to visit his younger self. The interesting point in this story is there is no clear conception as to whose perspective we are in. One self of Jorge's thinks that the rendezvous is simply a dream however the other one thinks its a reality. I think there is irony here because the younger self is the one who believes it is a dream. Usually a younger person would think something of this impossibility is a reality and an older person would simply fluff it away with some kind of scientific explanation. This has to do with sophistication. And maybe just maybe Jorge is sending a message that his younger self had the sophistication of a man. I'm sorry if I confused anyone it was kind of hard to express that in words. Overall great story.

Katherine Tesi

I really like Borges’ “The Other”. I thought the entire idea behind the story was interesting, original and intriguing. Once again, I found the story with Borges himself in it more entertaining. I was really impressed by how much he carried his use of parallel worlds throughout the story. Borges shows the parallel of locations (Cambridge and Geneva) and with the exchange of money at the end of the story. He also found a way to work deceit into the story, like a handful of his others, by mentioning how the two versions of him were unable to deceive each other because they knew one another (or themselves) too well. As the story ends Borges reveals his explanation of the encounter. He believes that the physical encounter was real however the young version of Borges spoke to him in a dream. This is the reason why the young Borges could forget the conversation but the old Borges is “tormented by the memory”. As an old man Borges comes to realize that as a young man he dreamed the unattainable date on the dollar bill. I found his explanation really interesting. I definitely had to read the last few paragraphs a few times to understand what he was saying, but once it clicked I found it to be a really remarkable idea.

Kristy Medin

Well, first, why is the title of this section "The Book of Sand?" I would guess something but I really have no idea and would be making false inferences. But to the stories: "The Other" is such a weird story about how Jorge Luis Borges meets another Jorge Luis Borges. At first you think it's him talking to himself, making conversation, bored, schizophrenic, whatever. Next you think that it is Borges at different points of his life. For example, it is Borges at the present and then a "visit" of Borges at the future. Then you keep reading and Borges himself is confused which is kind of comical. It was interesting in the sense that the older Borges knew the current Borges's future. They were talking about how many books Borges will write and that was cool. The he talks about alter egos which made it confusing because you were thinking about 4 different Borge's. It made me think about what I would ask myself if I could ever talk to myself from the future. But, then of course, Borge's "twist" in the end of the short story where can be interpreted that the Borges (younger) was visiting the Borges (older).

Julie Morvitz

I thoroughly enjoyed The Other. It wasn’t confusing to me, and I liked the idea that Borges meets his younger self. I also liked that they were unsure of how they were actually meeting- his younger self thought it was a dream, while his older self thought it was actually happening. Many of Borges’ themes were apparent in the story, and clearly that we didn’t know whether the story was reality or fantasy. One or both of them could be dreaming, or they could be in a fantasy world where these events actually do happen.
I cannot say that I liked The Mirror and the Mask quite as much. Poetry has always confused me to some extent, and this story involved a lot of poetry. I understood the main idea of the story, that the poet came every year to the king and read him a poem, but I wasn’t sure what the gifts the king gave him meant. I also don’t understand why the poet couldn’t read the poem at the end, or why the king gave him a dagger which he killed himself with.