In a perfect pairing of talent, this volume blends twenty illustrations by Peter Sís with Jorge Luis Borges's 1957 compilation of 116 "strange creatures conceived through time and space by the human imagination," from dragons and centaurs to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat and the Morlocks of H. G. Wells's The Time Machine. A lavish feast of exotica brought vividly to life with art commissioned specifically for this volume, The Book of Imaginary Beings will delight readers of classic fantasy as well as Borges's many admirers.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The master, writing with sometime collaborator Guerrero, compiled 82 one- and two-page descriptions of everything from "The Borametz" (a Chinese "plant shaped like a lamb, covered with golden fleece") to "The Simurgh" ("an immortal bird that makes its nest in the tree of science") and "The Zaratan" (a particularly cunning whale) in An Anthology of Fantastic Zoology in 1954. He added 34 more (and illustrations) for a 1967 edition, giving it the present title, and it was published in English in 1969. This edition, with fresh translations from Borges's Collected Fictions translator Hurley, and new illustrations from Caldecott-winner Sís, gives the beings new life. They prove the perfect foils for classic Borgesian musings on everything from biblical etymology to the underworld, giving the creatures particularly (and, via Sís, whimsically) vivid and perfectly scaled shape. "We do not know what the dragon means, just as we do not know the meaning of the universe," Borges (1899–1986) and Guerrero write in a preface, and the genius of this book is that it seems to easily contain the latter within it. (On sale Nov. 7)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Of all the Latin American authors in this century, [Borges] is the most universal. (Harold Bloom)
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33 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Borges has compiled a zoology of the imagination under the title The Book of Imaginary Beings. He arranges these fantastical creatures from world literature alphabetically, but urges the reader to skip around, looking for subjects of interest. Some are familiar creatures: centaurs, nymphs, harpies, sirens, banshee, phoenix, hippogriffs, minotaur, mandrakes, and unicorns. Others I failed to recognize: A Bao A Qu, lamed wufniks, kujata, nagas, odradek, catoblepas, and others.
Ctesias, physician to the Persian emperor Artaxerxes Mnemon, compiled a deficient description of distant India in the fourth century B.C., in which he mentions the crocotta, a blend of a dog and a wolf. The Roman writer Pliny expands on this work by describing a cross between the hyena and antelope.
Kafka tells about an unnamed creature, that is half cat and half lamb, not only in appearance, but also in behavior. C. S. Lewis describes chilling monsters in his fantasy fiction Perelandra. Dante paints a vivid, horrifying picture of Cerberus, a creature with clawed hands that rip the skin of the souls of the damned as they file past him. In The Time Machine H. G. Wells predicts the future split of mankind into the weak, aristocratic Eloi living on the surface, and the carnivorous Morlocks, a race of underground proletarians that feast on the Eloi.
While I enjoyed perusing The Book of Imaginary Beings, this little collection is not among his best works. Perhaps, his structured approach, that of assembling accurate depictions of creatures from literature, unduely prevented Borges from freely exercising his own uniquely creative imagination. Nonetheless, the reader familiar with Borges will find this little book an interesting addition to a larger collection of his works. The Book of Imaginary Beings was co-authored with Margarita Guerrero.
The first edition with 82 topics was published in Mexico in 1957 and titled Handbook of Fantastic Zoology. In 1967 a second edition with 34 additional entries was published in Buenos Aires. My 1969 yellowed paperback edition (Penguin Books, UK) is slightly larger with 120 subjects. Newer editions are available.
In 1971-72 Robert Parris composed a chamber work, a suite of seven musical portraits and a final reprise, based on this book and sharing the same title, The Book of Imaginary Beings. The first performance was on May 7, 1972 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. during the American Music Festival under the direction of Richard Bales.
Ctesias, physician to the Persian emperor Artaxerxes Mnemon, compiled a deficient description of distant India in the fourth century B.C., in which he mentions the crocotta, a blend of a dog and a wolf. The Roman writer Pliny expands on this work by describing a cross between the hyena and antelope.
Kafka tells about an unnamed creature, that is half cat and half lamb, not only in appearance, but also in behavior. C. S. Lewis describes chilling monsters in his fantasy fiction Perelandra. Dante paints a vivid, horrifying picture of Cerberus, a creature with clawed hands that rip the skin of the souls of the damned as they file past him. In The Time Machine H. G. Wells predicts the future split of mankind into the weak, aristocratic Eloi living on the surface, and the carnivorous Morlocks, a race of underground proletarians that feast on the Eloi.
While I enjoyed perusing The Book of Imaginary Beings, this little collection is not among his best works. Perhaps, his structured approach, that of assembling accurate depictions of creatures from literature, unduely prevented Borges from freely exercising his own uniquely creative imagination. Nonetheless, the reader familiar with Borges will find this little book an interesting addition to a larger collection of his works. The Book of Imaginary Beings was co-authored with Margarita Guerrero.
The first edition with 82 topics was published in Mexico in 1957 and titled Handbook of Fantastic Zoology. In 1967 a second edition with 34 additional entries was published in Buenos Aires. My 1969 yellowed paperback edition (Penguin Books, UK) is slightly larger with 120 subjects. Newer editions are available.
In 1971-72 Robert Parris composed a chamber work, a suite of seven musical portraits and a final reprise, based on this book and sharing the same title, The Book of Imaginary Beings. The first performance was on May 7, 1972 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. during the American Music Festival under the direction of Richard Bales.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By Jason Fisher
Format:Hardcover
Other reviewers have commented that Borges is too far removed here, or that it's a "minor work from a major author" -- all of which is true. If you're looking for serious *Borges*, this may not be of much interest. But if what you're looking for is a bestiary in the medieval tradition (with roots going back even further, to the 2nd Century Greek Physiologus), this is a great addition to the literature.
Wry and clever on some pages, deliciously ambiguous and foggy on others, Borges' compendium of curious creatures makes for enjoyable perusal. The only thing missing, of course, is more creatures. Borges himself begins the work with a disclaimer that any such undertaking can never be complete, yet there was plenty of room for more here. Some omissions are surprising. But in any case, for what it is (and not for what it's not), I can recommend the book without reservation.
Wry and clever on some pages, deliciously ambiguous and foggy on others, Borges' compendium of curious creatures makes for enjoyable perusal. The only thing missing, of course, is more creatures. Borges himself begins the work with a disclaimer that any such undertaking can never be complete, yet there was plenty of room for more here. Some omissions are surprising. But in any case, for what it is (and not for what it's not), I can recommend the book without reservation.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A much more full and informative review of this book is made by a Mr.Wischmeyer on the Amazon site. I recommend it.
I remember reading this book with disappointment. It seemed to me as dictionary- like works often do constructed in a formula- like fashion. Of course it has Borges tremendous learning, and his capacity to search through literatures no one else gets to , to find for the reader certain treats and insights. Yet on the whole like the fantastic creatures themselves the work does not have real life, and the deepest kind of human feeling. A minor work of a great master.
I remember reading this book with disappointment. It seemed to me as dictionary- like works often do constructed in a formula- like fashion. Of course it has Borges tremendous learning, and his capacity to search through literatures no one else gets to , to find for the reader certain treats and insights. Yet on the whole like the fantastic creatures themselves the work does not have real life, and the deepest kind of human feeling. A minor work of a great master.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Decent Bestiary
Most of the entries are quite short. The list is not inexhaustible, and this book could easily be read in one sitting. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Piglet2
5.0 out of 5 stars
Imaginary Beings
This book is amazing. You really learn where all of these imaginary beings originate and what they are considered to be and to symbolize. Some are even illustrated. Great book.
Published 9 months ago by Jennilee Garcia-green
5.0 out of 5 stars
Borges is Always Unique...
One of Borges' excellent books to really enjoy. Fantastic by all aspects. The best writer of Spanish America. A treasure.
Published 20 months ago by AdeP
3.0 out of 5 stars
A letdown
I just finished Borges's Ficciones, and found it filled with thoughtful, intelligent fantasy - a brilliant experience. Read more
Published on August 14, 2010 by wiredweird
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning book...truly a must-have!
A collection of mythological creatures, written with Borges' wit and charm. Great for when you don't have much time to read, but you want something interesting to think about or... Read more
Published on October 1, 2009 by Erica Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Modern Day Bestiary
In addition to being a brilliant and talented author, Jorge Luis Borges also had a strong interest in mythology, fantasy and philosophy. Read more
Published on December 2, 2007 by Zekeriyah
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic reference book on Imaginary Beings
This book may not have all of the imaginary beings ever known, but it tries. A terrific book to read and use as a reference.
Published on July 31, 2007 by Beaker 63
3.0 out of 5 stars
Literary Compilation by Borges - A Zoology of the Imagination
Jorge Luis Borges was a remarkable linguist, familiar with several modern European languages as well as Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and medieval Italian; this unusual zoological... Read more
Published on May 19, 2007 by Michael Wischmeyer
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bestiary of the imagination
"The Book of Imaginary Creatures" seems like kind of a flimsy book for a great author like Jorge Luis Borges -- a bestiary of creatures from myth, religion and literature. Read more
Published on February 3, 2007 by E. A Solinas
3.0 out of 5 stars
I really wanted to love this book
I love monsters and myhthology. I love reading Borges. You put together you have.... a tedious reading experience. If you want to buy this books for kids, dont'. Read more
Published on August 10, 2006 by Travis Pelt
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