The Garden of Forking Paths - May 2024

[Bob, Short Story Classics]

The Garden of Forking Paths by Jorge Luis Borges is our May 2024 Short Story/Novella Read.

This discussion will open on May 1

Beware Short Story Discussions will have Spoilers

[Lynn]

I read this short story a couple of months ago. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but once I got the concept of a book with the properties discussed I found it intriguing. It is a very interesting concept for a story.

[Brenda]

Fabulous read! I’m struck by his pointing out that Ts'ui Pen was a man of letters, a man whose philosophical obsession with the concept of time explains his seemingly chaotic novel. Perhaps this could be something of an autobiographical observation? Perhaps the idea touches on the distinction between ‘literary fiction’ and ‘popular fiction’? A parallel might be classical music and pop music; one speaks to the soul, the other simply entertains, both serving a need. At any rate, should we look at Borge’s own work here through the same lens as that through which Albert viewed Pen’s?

[Gini]

Just discovered I have a copy of this in Labyrinths, and that means I read it sometime or other. Haven't visited Borge in a long time. Think I'll do that this PM.

[Gini]

That has more story in those few pages than some full length novels I've read. Opens with a murder, end with one. The intensity of pursuit and the slow development of the maze portion meet in a flash moment. Doesn't get much better. And even the post script denounement meld.
So what was that maze that none escape? I'll never tell. At least not in this life.

[Anetq]

I just reread this - and I still love Borges :)

Super short notes here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Laurie]

This was such a fascinating story. I agree this has more to it in so few pages than many novels. Of course the idea of endless parallel and future times or forking paths of time is so interesting to contemplate. I've never read Borges before, but I enjoyed the style of this short story so I plan to read more.

[J_BlueFlower]

Laurie wrote: " I've never read Borges before..."

I am glad it wasn’t the first Borges story I have read. The start must have been confusing.

A nice story. Maybe the long discussion of mazes was for the end to be more sudden and surprising?

I did not find this story as mind blowing as some of his others like The Library of Babel