El ALEPH. Signed [Signed 1st Edition ]

Edition: 1st Edition

Book Description

Buenos Aires: Editorial Losada, 1949 Inscribed by Borges to his close friend, one of the important Argentine poet, Vicente Barbieri. First edition. A very good or better copy in the original printed wrappers - The spine with a bit of preservation treatment common to books from South America. Original printed wrappers otherwise in very good or better condition.[Helft p.72; Becco 37], 8vo. The presentation inscription reads: "Para el colega Vicente Barbieri con la amistad de / Jorge Luis Borges" - [For the colleague Vicente Barbieri with the friendship of / Jorge Luis Borges]. Front cover vignette by Attilio Rossi. In Borges' own words: "Ficciones y El Aleph (1949 y 1952) son, según creo, mis libros más importantes". (Autobiografía pp.111-112). The Borgesian quest for the Verb , the Word, which is all words, for the absolute Book, which is all books, takes flesh in El Aleph: the One that contains All, exemplified in the last tale of this collection. On page 139 Borges begins to enumerate his vision through the Aleph he has found in the cellar of Carlos Argentino Danieri. "En ese instante gigantesco, he visto millones de actos deleitables o atroces; ninguno me asombró como el hecho de que todos ocuparan el mismo punto, sin superposición y sin transparencia". (In this gigantic instant, I saw millions of acts, delightful or cruel; none astonished me more than the fact that they all occupied the same place, without superposition or transparency "Borges enumerates 37 points in all, each beginning with "vi " (I saw ): "Vi el populoso mar - Vi el alba y la tarde Vi las muchedumbres de América - Vi un laberinto roto (era Londres) Marvelous Literary Association Copy.. 1st Edition.