Books

First edition, sole printing, of Borges's scarce first collection of short stories, this copy preserving the seldom-seen wraparound band. The band reads: "Una muerte simbólica, una biblioteca infinita, una lotería implacable, un libro que abolirá la realidad" ("A symbolic death, an infinite library, a relentless lottery, a book that will abolish reality"). El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan was published by Ocampo under Sur's imprint and largely comprised of works first published in the magazine. It was later republished with an additional six stories as Ficciones (1944), the work that won Borges international acclaim. Many of the stories for which Borges is best remembered appear here, including "Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius" - "which may be JLB's most famous single story" (Clute & Grant, p. 128) - "Pierre Menard, autor del Quijote", "La lotería en Babilonia", and "La biblioteca de Babel". Octavo. Original blue wrappers, lettering to spine and sides in white. With wraparound band. Small bookseller's ticket of the Librería y Editorial "Fray Mocho", Buenos Aires, on verso of rear blank, sticker over printed price on rear cover. Extremities rubbed, minor loss to spine ends, wrappers slightly toned, light crease to upper portion of wrappers and book block, contents clean. A very good copy. Foster A72.1. John Clute & John Grant, The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, 1997.