Borges And The Eternal Orang-Utans

Vogelstein translated one of Borges's stories for a Portuguese magazine but he changed some aspects of the story to fit his own preference for how the story should proceed. Of course, Borges, upon learning of the travesty, was furious. They eventually exchanged letters, which was the start of Vogelstein's literary hero worship.

But even before the conference was to start, a murder of one of the speakers took place. The murder victim was found, in true Borgesian fashion, in front of a mirror — his body's position was such that it formed a letter from the alphabet, a clue that could point to the solution of the crime. Borges and Vogelstein were enlisted to help uncover the identity of the killer. The ensuing investigation was a riot of literary speculations, invoking the mystery stories of Poe, the Kabbalah, Necronomicon book of the dead, et cetera.

This novel was criminally funny. I'm sure there were some in-jokes Borgian, Poe-ic, Lovecrafty that went past me, but it was altogether a solid detective work, if a bit too neat the way it all tied up, in a postmodern postmortem, in the end. Verissimo was nonetheless guilty of leading the reader into a maze of intertextual pleasures. There's a chance that a fan of Borges or Poe or Lovecraft will revel in the games and gimmickry of the Brazilian writer Luis Fernando Verissimo.

The short novel was translated by Margaret Jull Costa who was probably in top form the way she came up with words to describe the murder weapon: You mentioned that Palermo, the part of Buenos Aires where you were brought up, had been a violent place full of bohemians and bandits. There they had two names for the knife, "the blade" and "the slicer".

Borges and the Eternal Orangutans - Luis Fernando Verissimo

The two names described the same object, but "the blade" was the thing itself, and "the slicer" its function. Whether it's "the knife" instrument or "the blade" form or "the slicer" function , the essence of light and dark comedy here cuts through like any sharp object. First posted in my blog. View all 4 comments. Jan 18, David rated it it was amazing Shelves: Okay you guys who've been pushing all those "bizarro" novels: Even as a fictional character.

Borges wrote what's called "magical realism" nowadays, but while his fans may think "fantasy" is too undignified a label, Borges himself was a huge fan of science fiction, fantasy, and pulp fiction. The murder takes place at the Israfel Society Conference Edgar Allen Poe was one of Borges's favorites , so you have Okay you guys who've been pushing all those "bizarro" novels: The murder takes place at the Israfel Society Conference Edgar Allen Poe was one of Borges's favorites , so you have Borges a real person fictionally attending a fictional conference studying a real author whom Borges really numbered among his influences.

This book is a tribute to Borges and Borges's fiction, and Verissimo actually has the cajones to use Borges as a character in his Borges homage. In fact, the narrator is an author, addressing his narrative to Borges, and in the end, Borges answers back.

Borges and the Eternal Orangutans

Under all this meta-fiction, the book is a locked-room murder mystery with an unreliable narrator, another Poe element , and you can read it on that level, but you won't come close to appreciating it unless you've read a few of Borges's short stories. Brazilian author Luis Fernando Verissimo totally nails the feel of a Borges story, and while this is a novel Borges famously only ever wrote short stories; he wrote no novels , it's a short one, which also makes it more believable as what could have been just a really long short story by Borges.

Since Borges writes the ending If you haven't read anything by Borges, you are missing a treat. Go read Labyrinths or Ficciones. Then read this book. Then read some Poe or Lovecraft. Not necessarily in that order.

Excerpt: 'Borges and the Eternal Orangutans'

Jul 01, George K. Sep 16, Tyler Jones rated it it was amazing Shelves: An absolutely fatastic, multi-faceted gem of a story. When Vogelstein, an obscure translator and would be writer, decides to attend a Poe society convention in Beunos Aires it marks a departure from his reclusive world of words. On his first night he meets his literary idol, Jorge Luis Borges, and is enmeshed in a murder as gruesome and puzzling as any found in the works of Poe. Soon he finds he finds himself a guest in the library of Borges as the two of them, along with the criminologist Cuervo An absolutely fatastic, multi-faceted gem of a story.

Soon he finds he finds himself a guest in the library of Borges as the two of them, along with the criminologist Cuervo, try to decode the clues and solve the mystery.

A pitch-perfect mirror-image, if you like story of the type that Borges himself was famous for- full of symbolism, doppelgangers, iconography and powerful secret societies. Above all it is about the ultimate power of words; a power that can create and possibly destroy the universe. A charming hommage to Borges that could stand alongside the works of the master himself. Jan 26, Lamski Kikita rated it it was amazing. After reading the Club of Angels, I thought an author could not possibly do better, but on my, this was such a riveting read.

The narration as a letter is very engaging, the plot is mysterious and just has you on the edge of your seat, the characters interesting, the events mesmerizing, and the interpretations and conversations simply magical. If you think one cannot combine Borjes, Poe, and Lovecraft in pages, you are sorely mistaken. This book is enticing and has me running to the bookshe After reading the Club of Angels, I thought an author could not possibly do better, but on my, this was such a riveting read.

This book is enticing and has me running to the bookshelf gasping for some Borges.

I will also be reading Poe and Lovecraft this year, all because of this wonderful book. Who ever thought writers were boring? Jun 17, Meg rated it really liked it Shelves: Borges and the Eternal Orangutans was a delight. Short and sweet, it was the palate cleanser I so desperately needed just now.

This novella is a literary whodunit that's also a homage to Poe, Lovecraft, and above all, Borges. The narrator Vogelstein was quite funny and I definitely had a dumb grin on my face on the train while I was reading this. There are so many literary allusions and hints some of which I certainty didn't catch lovingly stitched into the pages, and passages that will delight Borges and the Eternal Orangutans was a delight.

There are so many literary allusions and hints some of which I certainty didn't catch lovingly stitched into the pages, and passages that will delight those who love puzzles, language, words, and of course, Borges. It was just really refreshing to read a book about books and literature that doesn't take itself too seriously but is a good mix of comedy and intellectual detective-ing. Some quotes I liked: The mother of all vowels. That which has neither beginning nor end. It must be a pictogram of the Sun. Our patron saint, Vogelstein. We write in order to remember, but those memories might belong to other people.

We could be creating universes, like Akhenaten's god, merely to amuse ourselves. We might unwittingly be placing monsters in the world. And without even leaving our chairs. Nov 28, Marne Wilson rated it really liked it. Lovecraft, John Dee, and many other figures of occult literature. Apr 12, Michael Sanderson-green rated it really liked it. Great title for a book. Great story that is full of academic, comic and mysterious elements. Although a bit too erudite for me a times it all comes clear at the end.

Worth more than one read. Mar 21, Julia rated it really liked it Shelves: At pages, this little gem came up as a recommendation in one of my goodreads groups, and I read it in an hour. Borges and the Eternal Orangutans is written by Luis Fernando Verissimo and translated by Margaret Jull Costa , who has won several awards for her elegant translations. The Amazon blurb says: Suddenly, fate grabs hold of his insignificant life and carries him off to Buenos Aires, to a conference on Edgar Allan Poe , the inventor At pages, this little gem came up as a recommendation in one of my goodreads groups, and I read it in an hour.

Suddenly, fate grabs hold of his insignificant life and carries him off to Buenos Aires, to a conference on Edgar Allan Poe , the inventor of the modern detective story. There Vogelstein meets his idol, Jorge Luis Borges , and for reasons that a mere passion for literature cannot explain, he finds himself at the center of a murder investigation that involves arcane demons, the mysteries of the Kaballah, the possible destruction of the world, and the Elizabethan magus John Dee's theory of the "Eternal Orangutan," which, given all the time in the world, would end up writing all the known books in the cosmos.

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Verissimo fills this tiny book with many allusions to Borges, as well as to Poe and H. Lovecraft , so those who are familiar with these three writers will get the "in-jokes" sprinkled through this charming novella. The reference to John Dee led me to seek some more information about him. Verissimo captures that hunger for magic and mystery which motivated all three authors--Borges, Poe, and Lovecraft. Aug 18, Jigar Brahmbhatt rated it really liked it. Brilliant in its conception, this is a kind of book I can devour in a single sitting. It is set during the annual meet of the Israfel Society an organization devoted to the study of Edger Allen Poe.

Among the attendees is the great Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges.

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But soon, it is clear that the meeting of Poe affectionados can never be devoid of a murder. Borges, as expected, assumes the role of a detective. Filled with philosophical speculations, this novel is a caricature of the classic Brilliant in its conception, this is a kind of book I can devour in a single sitting. Filled with philosophical speculations, this novel is a caricature of the classic murder mystery, but in the end it emerges as a clever mystery in itself.

The sole pleasure of the book is in its nudge-nudge-wink-wink narration, which often jumps into meta-fiction, and in the vague hint that the narrator, who revers Borges, is aware that they are in a story. I decided to improve it. I added a few lugubrious Poe-like touches to the plot and a completely new surprise ending that belied everything that had gone before, including the author's account of events.

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Borges didn't take too kindly to this, and a correspondence ensued -- with Borges soon cutting it off, but Vogelstein continuing to awkwardly and futilely try to set things right and apologise. At the conference their paths cross again, though Borges doesn't seem to remember him. The conference doesn't go quite as expected: Appropriately, it's a puzzling, Poe-like locked-room murder: Vogelstein was one of the last to speak with Rotkopf, and one of those who found him.

Borges is fascinated by the puzzle, and he invites Vogelstein to share his observations as eyewitness and conference participant and speculate on how the crime might have been accomplished, and by who. One confusing trail after another emerges, in part because Vogelstein keeps remembering the position of the body differently, and both he and Borges read a great deal into various clues. There are a number of suspects, but while there are no shortage of motives, the murder still appears to be an impossible one.

It's an entertaining if somewhat awkwardly twisting mystery for much of the way, as Poe-allusions and 16th century mysticism both of which have to do with the orangutans of the title also play a role. The fawning fan, Vogelstein, presents the material fairly nicely, only occasionally getting bogged down in Borges-like erudition and philosophy which doesn't work quite as well. But it's all worth it in the end; it should come as no surprise, but the book takes a wildly different turn in its conclusion, as Vogelstein hand off the story to Borges and allows him to finish it -- which Verissimo does with great aplomb.

The solution and resolution is fantastic, no question: The end is very satisfying, but it nearly overwhelms the book: