FiccionesFicciones
Score Classic
What it's about
Jorge Luis Borges's collection of short stories reads like a set of puzzles and thought experiments. In one, an encyclopedia entry about an invented country slowly rewrites the real world. In another, a library holds every possible book. A man remembers absolutely everything and can't think because of it; a writer sets out to produce Don Quixote word for word without copying it; a spy finds a labyrinth made of time. Most stories are only a few pages long and dense with ideas.
Why it's worth reading
It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century and the Bokklubben World Library of the greatest books ever written. Borges influenced writers from Umberto Eco to Christopher Nolan, and these stories invented much of what we now call postmodern fiction.
You'll love it if you liked
The Name of the Rose
Pale Fire
The Master and MargaritaGood to know
It's short but demanding. Read one or two stories at a time, and start with "The Library of Babel" or "The Garden of Forking Paths."
By the numbers
- Readers96 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller41 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #25 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #61 of the 762 classics we rank
- #190 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Foundation
Rendezvous with Rama
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Gods Themselves
UbikExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Ficciones worth reading?
Yes. It's on Le Monde's list of the books of the century and the Bokklubben World Library of the greatest books ever written. It ranks #190 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Ficciones about?
Jorge Luis Borges's collection of short stories reads like a set of puzzles and thought experiments. In one, an encyclopedia entry about an invented country slowly rewrites the real world. In another, a library holds every possible book. A man remembers absolutely everything and can't think because of it; a writer sets out to produce Don Quixote word for word without copying it; a spy finds a labyrinth made of time. Most stories are only a few pages long and dense with ideas.
How long does it take to read Ficciones?
About 5 hours (192 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Ficciones?
If you liked it, try The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov or The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.