Gorgeous Borges — Urth Net

Michael Straight19 Jun 1998, 13:45original as archived

Gorgeous Borges

I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those looking for Lupine precursors. The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger on. The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind me of the Soldier books. But most of all, there is that confusion about the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard). Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story? -Rostrum P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'. It was just a joke.

Pedro Jorge Romero19 Jun 1998, 21:26original as archived

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Michael Straight escribió:

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I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those looking for Lupine precursors. The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger on. The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind me of the Soldier books. But most of all, there is that confusion about the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard). Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story?

Well, the main character does not know what's really going on... till the end. I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the confusion of characters.

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P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'. It was just a joke.

Best Pedro Jorge

Michael Straight22 Jun 1998, 08:27original as archived

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On Fri, 19 Jun 1998, Pedro Jorge Romero wrote: Michael Straight escribió:

I submit Jorge Luis Borges's short story "The Immortal" for the those looking for Lupine precursors. The narrator's journey reminds me of tBotNS in ways I can't put my finger on. The fictitious manuscript and the characters from antiquity remind me of the Soldier books. But most of all, there is that confusion about the narrator's identity that Wolfe loves so much ("Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester also seems like an important story in that regard). Is anyone able to better articulate what is so Wolfeish about this story?

Well, the main character does not know what's really going on... till the end.

Also, I forgot to mention that the disposition of the immortals when the protagonist meets them reminds me somewhat of the episode of Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad where one of the constructors visits the most advanced and powerful planet in the universe. Has Wolfe ventured a public opinion of Lem's work? Is he a fan?

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I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the confusion of characters.

Mmm. Good one. It's also more witty, if I remember correctly.

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P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'. It was just a joke.

i.e. it doesn't really rhyme with 'gorgeous'. -Rostrum

Pedro Jorge Romero22 Jun 1998, 11:56original as archived

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I think "The theologians" is a much more interesting story regarding the confusion of characters.

Mmm. Good one. It's also more witty, if I remember correctly.

You do. He does not have to explain the ending like in "The inmortal"

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P.S. -- Yes, I know how to pronounce 'Borges'. It was just a joke.

i.e. it doesn't really rhyme with 'gorgeous'.

Sorry, I was thinking of a different explanation. Borges used to be called "Georgie" by his family (his mother used to called him that till a very advanced age). Best Pedro Jorge