Jorge Luis Borges was a world-class writer who knew the rules of writing and how and when to break them.
He is a magician of language, like all the best jugglers and poets. Once the trick is revealed and the poem comes out, he will make us feel that this has always been there, somewhere in our hearts, but we have not been able to express it.
In the spring of 1971, Borges was invited to lecture at a writing class at Columbia University. He analyzed his own work and used examples to help others improve theirs. Each lecture focuses on a theme: talking about writing novels, talking about writing poetry, and talking about translation. Everyone present was given Borges's short story "The Duel (Part Two)" and six of his poems, as well as examples of different translations of Borges's works. Borges commented line by line and explained the creative process in detail.
Reader comments
The writing style of this book is very unique. Borges uses simple language to tell profound truths. I like the writing skills he shared in the book, as well as his interpretation of his own works, which benefited me a lot. In particular, his line-by-line review of "The Duel (Part Two)" allowed me to see the creative process of a master. This book is like a kind teacher and has given me a lot of inspiration.
Spanning many books and many people, those emotions are hidden in words. Translation may not be able to fully express them, but it allows more people to see, understand and think about them.
I like the vast world, the beautiful scenery, and the characters in the book. One day, I will also go to see more of the world and appreciate the charm of language.
The writing style of this book is very unique. Borges uses simple language to tell profound truths. I like the writing skills he shared in the book, as well as his interpretation of his own works, which benefited me a lot. In particular, his line-by-line review of "The Duel (Part Two)" allowed me to see the creative process of a master. This book is like a kind teacher and has given me a lot of inspiration.
Spanning many books and many people, those emotions are hidden in words. Translation may not be able to fully express them, but it allows more people to see, understand and think about them. I like the vast world, the beautiful scenery, and the characters in the book. One day, I will also go to see more of the world and appreciate the charm of language.