Argentina | Lecturia

Julio Cortázar: House Taken Over

In “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortázar, Irene and her brother live in an old, spacious house inherited from their ancestors. The house, full of family memories, is meticulously cared for by both, who lead a routine and quiet life. Irene spends her days knitting while her brother takes care of the housework. One day, strange noises begin to be heard from the farthest part of the house, forcing the siblings to leave certain rooms. The sounds intensify, and the siblings are forced to confine themselves to a smaller section of the house, living in a state of growing unease.

Jorge Luis Borges: The Book of Sand

The Book of Sand (El libro de arena), a story by Jorge Luis Borges published in 1975, tells the story of a man who, in exchange for a valuable Bible and money, acquires a mysterious book of unknown origin and strange characters that seem to have infinite content. As the man tries to understand the nature of the book, he becomes obsessed and isolates himself, which will seriously affect his life.

Jorge Luis Borges: Death and the Compass. Summary and analysis

Death and the Compass, written by Jorge Luis Borges in 1942, is a detective story loaded with symbolism. Detective Erik Lönnrot investigates a series of murders connected by a cabalistic pattern. His obsession with logic leads him to interpret a series of clues in search of a solution to the mystery. As he deciphers the deaths, the reader is plunged into a labyrinth of mystical and mysterious concepts. With wit and a unique structure, Borges reflects on logic, chance, and the limits of human knowledge.

Jorge Luis Borges: Death and the Compass

Death and the Compass is a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, published in May 1942 in Sur magazine. It narrates the investigation of detective Erik Lönnrot into a series of apparently ritualistic crimes that seem to follow an intricate cabalistic logic. The story begins with the murder of a rabbi in a hotel, which Lönnrot connects with a mystical and symbolic background. As the crimes unfold, the detective enters a labyrinth of clues that challenge his wits and lead him to an unexpected outcome.

Jorge Luis Borges: The Library of Babel

“The Library of Babel,” a fascinating story by Jorge Luis Borges included in ‘The Garden of Forking Paths (1941)’, imagines a universe composed of an infinite library of hexagonal galleries containing all possible books. In this chaotic and vast cosmos, librarians are engaged in an endless search for absolute knowledge or a book that gives meaning to their existence. Borges explores philosophical and metaphysical concepts such as infinity, the arbitrariness of language, and the human desire to understand an essentially incomprehensible universe. This story is a meditation on the obsession with knowledge and the ultimate meaning of life in a world where everything is already written and yet nothing can be fully understood.

Jorge Luis Borges: Emma Zunz

“Emma Zunz,” a short story by Jorge Luis Borges published in the book El Aleph (1949), tells the story of Emma, a young textile factory worker. Emma receives the news that her father, who was living far away after being unjustly accused of theft, has died due to an overdose of veronal. Grief-stricken and convinced that she knows the culprit behind her father’s misfortune, Emma embarks on a meticulous plan of revenge to restore her father’s honor.