My books standing there on the shelf do not know that I have written them. Jorge Luis Borges More Quotes by Jorge Luis Borges More Quotes From Jorge Luis Borges I think of reading a book as no less an experience than travelling or falling in love. Jorge Luis Borges falling-in-lovereadingbook The earth we inhabit is an error, an incompetent parody. Mirrors and paternity are abominable because they multiply and affirm it. Jorge Luis Borges errorsmirrorsearth Happy are the beloved and the lovers and those who can live without love. Jorge Luis Borges without-lovebelovedlovers I suppose every poet has his own private mythology. Maybe he's unaware of it. People tell me that I have evolved a private mythology of tigers, of blades, of labyrinths, and I"m unaware of the fact this is so. My readers are finding it all the time. But I think perhaps that is the duty of poet. Jorge Luis Borges labyrinthpeoplethinking The task of art is to transform what is continuously happening to us, to transform all of these things into symbols, into music, into something which can last in man’s memory. That is our duty. If we don’t fulfill it, we feel unhappy. Jorge Luis Borges menmemoriesart I write for myself, and perhaps for half a dozen friends. And that should be enough. And that might improve the quality of my writing. But if I were writing for thousands of people, then I would write what might please them. And as I know nothing about them, and maybe I'd have a rather low opinion of them, I don't think that would do any good to my work. Jorge Luis Borges writingpeoplethinking Reality may avoid the obligation to be interesting, but ... hypotheses may not. Jorge Luis Borges sciencerealityinteresting The visible universe was an illusion or, more precisely, a sophism. Mirrors and fatherhood are abominable because they multiply it and extend it. Jorge Luis Borges illusionfatherhoodmirrors I am not sure of anything, I know nothing . . . can you imagine that I don't even know the date of my own death? Jorge Luis Borges economicsimagineignorance I, who have been so many men in vain, want to be one man, myself alone. From out of a whirlwind the voice of God replied: I am not, either. I dreamed the world the way you dreamed your work, my Shakespeare: one of the forms of my dream was you, who, like me, are many and one. Jorge Luis Borges selfdreammen The Falklands thing was a fight between two bald men over a comb. Jorge Luis Borges fightingmentwo Personally, I am a hedonistic reader; I have never read a book merely because it was ancient. I read books for the aesthetic emotions they offer me, and I ignore the commentaries and criticism. Jorge Luis Borges criticismwritingbook Not a single star will be left in the night. The night will not be left. I will die and, with me, the weight of the intolerable universe. I shall erase the pyramids, the medallions, the continents and faces. I shall erase the accumulated past. I shall make dust of history, dust of dust. Now I am looking on the final sunset. I am hearing the last bird. I bequeath nothingness to no one. Jorge Luis Borges sunsetstarspast Writing is nothing more than a guided dream. Jorge Luis Borges dreamwriting Truly fine poetry must be read aloud. A good poem does not allow itself to be read in a low voice or silently. If we can read it silently, it is not a valid poem: a poem demands pronunciation. Poetry always remembers that it was an oral art before it was a written art. It remembers that it was first song. Jorge Luis Borges voicesongart Besides, rereading, not reading, is what counts. Jorge Luis Borges rereadingreading Heaven and hell seem out of proportion to me: the actions of men do not deserve so much. Jorge Luis Borges actionmenheaven The truth is that we live out our lives putting off all that can be put off; perhaps we all know deep down that we are immortal and that sooner or later all men will do and know all things. Jorge Luis Borges truth-isprocrastinationmen I do not write for a select minority, which means nothing to me, nor for that adulated platonic entity known as ‘The Masses’. Both abstractions, so dear to the demagogue, I disbelieve in. I write for myself and for my friends, and I write to ease the passing of time. Jorge Luis Borges minoritieswritingmean Translations are a partial and precious documentation of the changes the text suffers. Jorge Luis Borges documentationlanguagesuffering
