Jorge Luis Borges was an Argentine writer and philosopher born in 1899 in Buenos Aires. He published his first works in the 1920s and went on to write short stories and essays that explored themes of reality, time, language, and infinity. Borges spent his career working in libraries and as a professor, and received many honors for his writing including the Cervantes Prize, despite becoming completely blind in his later years due to a hereditary condition.
2. Jorge Luis
Borges
Born: August 24, 1899 in
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: June 14, 1986
Lived in: Sicilly
Occupation: Writer and
Philosopher
3. The Life of...
He was taught both English and
Spanish, and lived in Palermo; a
suburb like area.
A blind man
In 1914 he traveled to Europe with I do not know what face is looking back
his family and, settling in whenever I look at the face in the mirror;
I do not know what old face seeks its image
Switzerland, learned both French in silent and already weary anger.
and German. Slow in my blindness, with my hand I feel
the contours of my face. A flash of light
gets through to me. I have made out your
hair,
His father, who had taught him color of ash and at the same time, gold.
philosophy, died in 1938, and Borges I say again that I have lost no more
than the inconsequential skin of things.
almost died later that same year. These wise words come from Milton, and are
noble,
but then I think of letters and of roses.
I think, too, that if I could see my features,
I would know who I am, this precious
afternoon.
4. The Life of...(Cont.)
He published his first poem in 1919.
He said that each of his family members
somehow influenced his writings in some way.
He was an introverted child growing up and
spent his time mostly on his own or with his
family members.
Borges was picked on in school because he was
very different and that included being at a
higher intellectual level than the other
students.
5. People in His Life
Some important people
he knew throughout his
life were: Macedonio
Fernandez, Aldolfo Bioy
Casares, Samuel Beckett,
and Gerado Diego.
He was married twice.
First to Elsa Asete de
Millán in 1967(divorced
in 1970), Then to Maria
Kodama two months
before his death.
6. His Occupations
“I cannot sleep unless I am surrounded by books.”
In1937, he was appointed the post of assistant librarian at a small library in Buenos Aires.
In1946, having opposed Juan Perón in his speeches and non-literary writings, he was removed from his post as
librarian and offered a job as a chicken inspector.
In 1955, with Juan Perón overthrown; he was made director of the National Library in Buenos Aires.
In 1956, he accepted the Chair of English and North American Literature at the University of Buenos Aires.
In 1963, he toured Europe and England, lecturing on literary topics.
In 1973, when Juan Perón returns to presidency; he retires from his position as director of the National
7. Some of His Writings
Fictions (Ficciones) (1944), collection of short stories.
The Fervor of Buenos Aires (Fervor de
Buenos Aires) (1923), Borges's first book
of poetry. The Aleph (El Aleph) (1949), Borges' second
collection of short stories continuing his
exploration of themes of the universal, the
Inquisitions (Inquisiciones) (1925), his first mystical, immortality, memory, enlightenment, and
book of essays. the idea of infinity.
Universal History of Infamy (Historia Other Inquisitions (Otras inquisiciones) (1952), collection
universal de la infamia) (1935), his of Borges' essays dealing with a variety of topics.
first attempt at prose fiction.
Dreamtigers (El Hacedor) (1960), collection of short
The Garden of Forking Paths (El jardín de prose and poetry considered by Borges himself to
senderos que se bifurcan) (1941), be his best and most personal work.
collection of eight short stories
dealing with the nature of reality,
time, philosophy, metaphysics, Labyrinths (1962), his first book in English, including
language, and literature. stories and other writings.
8. His Awards
“The mind was dreaming. The world was its dream.”
1961, shares the International Publishers' Formentor Prize ($10,000) with Samuel Beckett.
1963, tours Europe and England, lecturing on literary topics; travels to Colombia and
receives an honorary degree from the University of Los Andes.
1971, becomes an honorary member of both the American Academy and the National
Institute of Arts and Letters; awarded honorary degrees by Columbia University and
Oxford University.
1980, shares Spain's Cervantes Literary Prize with the Spanish poet Gerardo Diego.
1983, awarded the French Legion of Honor.
9. The Most
Amazing
Part
Jorge Luis Borges spent his life
slowly going blind due to a
hereditary condition.
He was completely blind by his
late fifties.
