Ficciones [Fictions]

London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1962. First Edition. Hardcover. Fine-/Fine-. First Impression, translated from the Spanish, of this "landmark of modern literature." (Diefendorf) Edited and with an introduction by Anthony Kerrigan. Crown 8vo (190 x 121mm): [6],7-174pp. Publisher's grey coarsely woven cloth, spine lettered in gilt, typographic dust jacket priced 21s. About Fine lightly read copy, square and tight with former owner's name neatly penned on front fly-leaf; about Fine jacket, the fugitive pinks and yellows still vibrant, spine panel without usual heavy toning, lightly soiled back panel, very short closed tear to lower left front panel. A sharp copy of the uncommon British edition. Diefendorf (NYPL Books of the Century), p. 29. Foster A56.6. A collection of essays and short stories, and the first of Borges books to be translated into English. Ficciones "is composed of two distinct sections, The Garden of Forking Paths and Artifices. The former was first published in 1941, in Spanish, as a stand-alone collection of eight short stories, and republished with the latter under the title Ficciones in 1944. With The Aleph (1949), it is one of the twin pillars upholding Borges's reputation as one of the greatest literary artists of the twentieth century. . . . The stories of Ficciones [some of Borges's best known pieces, including "Pierre Menard, Author of the Quixote," "The Garden of Forking Paths," "The Library of Babel," "Death and the Compass," and "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius"] had a seismic impact on the development of world literature; its aftershocks can still be felt today." (Literary Encyclopedia) N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).