Borges: The Labyrinth Maker

In this incisive study Maria Barrenechea explores "the driving trend behind the symbols," the forces that give shape and coherence to Borges' resplendent world of shadows.

Borges' metaphysical preoccupations, his fascination with the intricacies of language, his very special vocabulary of doubt, and his sure mastery of structure Professor Barrenechea illuminates each of these key elements with a close and steady examination of the work itself, and especially the short stories.

The result is a book that makes available for the first time in English a detailed critical study, including a biographical sketch and an extended bibliography, of one of the most commanding writers of our time.

Professor Barrenechea's book has taught me many things about myself. . . . The tenets and opinions [an author] holds are wrought by the superficial accidents of circumstance; what really matters is the driving trend behind the symbols. The author may not wholly understand them; this is the critic's task. - from the Foreword by Jose Luis Borges

ANA MARIA BARRENECHEA IS Director of the Institute of Spanish Philology and Literature at the University of Buenos Aires. A frequent contributor to the leading Hispanic reviews, she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association de Hispanistas.