We’re wrapping up the 2023 season with a final Short Story Club, this time exploring a prime example of Postmodern fiction with Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Garden of Forking Paths.” Borges is often considered one of the most important literary figures of the 20th century and credited as an early writer of magical realism, lo real maravilloso.
In today’s discussion, we take a close work at Borges’ popular story and share our interpretations on this text that begs us to stretch our concept of time and causality and consider the infinite possibilities and choices that shape history and destiny. We also share background on Jorge Luis Borges’ life as well as discuss the Argentinian writer’s contribution to the literary canon. And as always, we can’t help but talk about what texts we’ve read that use tropes and elements developed in Borges Ficciones.
If you love our extra nerdy discussion on the podcast today, we have even more content to enjoy over in our Novel Pairings Patreon community. Our Patreon is a great space to take part in public scholarship and talk about books with a smart, eclectic group of readers. Subscriptions start at just $5 a month, and yearly discounts are available. To learn more about our Patreon, visit patreon.com/novelpairings.
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92. Middlemarch by George Eliot Part One
91. Bookish superlatives from an unprecedented reading year
90. Our love/hate relationship with Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
89. Behind the scenes of the shop around the corner with Annie B. Jones
88. A new-to-us and nuanced novel of manners: There is Confusion by Jessie Redmon Fauset
87. Perfectly paired gifts for every bookworm
86. Palpable tension and shocking twists in Passing by Nella Larsen
85. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and perfectly psychological pairings
84. Literary terms, book recommendations, and learning about the horror genre with Raelyn Torngren
83. Revisiting Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
82. How to read a BIG book: an introduction to Middlemarch by George Eliot
81. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe and creepy fictional houses to explore
80. Forecasting our fall reading with anticipated backlist titles from our shelves
79. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Part Two
78. Raising Readers with biblio therapist Anne Bogel
77. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Part One
76. Our favorite tips, tricks, and insights for reading Jane Eyre
75. Wrapping up summer with our favorite reads and reflections
74. The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor and stories of friendship, community, and resilience
73. Greek mythology-inspired novels to topple your To Be Read list
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