Labyrinths

Selected Stories & Other Writings

By: Jorge Luis Borges

Narrated by: Dominic Keating

Now, new in audio and completely unabridged, the collection that made Borges a household name in the English-speaking world.

The groundbreaking trans-genre work of Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) has been insinuating itself into the structure, stance, and very breath of world literature for well over half a century. Multi-layered, self-referential, elusive, and allusive writing is now frequently labelled Borgesian.

Umberto Eco's international best seller The Name of the Rose is, on one level, an elaborate improvisation on Borges' fiction "The Library", which American readers first encountered in the original 1962 New Directions publication of Labyrinths.

This new edition of Labyrinths, the classic representative selection of Borges' writing edited by Donald A. Yates and James E. Irby (in translations by themselves and others), includes the text of the original edition (as augmented in 1964) as well as Irby's biographical and critical essay, a poignant tribute by André Maurois, and a chronology of the author's life. Borges enthusiast William Gibson has contributed a new introduction, bringing Borges' influence and importance into the 21st century.

©1962, 1964, 2007 New Directions Publishing Corporation (P)2019 New Directions Publishing Corporation

Stimulating book, but what's with that narrator?

I especially enjoyed the essays, but the narrator mispronounced so many words, including names, that I wonder whether some deliberate Borges joke was in play.

Poor editing

This is a very nice introduction to Borges. The narrator speaks clearly and in a good tempo, but his myriad mispronunciations are distracting and disconcerting. He mispronounces nearly every foreign name and messes up a fair number of English words as well. I don’t blame the narrator as much as the editor—all the mispronunciations could easily have been avoided by recourse to a dictionary or the internet. I still would recommend the audiobook, but I must decry the many avoidable errors.

Bizarre pronunciation

I'm not sure whether some of the very odd and offputting pronunciations of some words, at times to the point of near-incomprensibility, are due to the narrator's dialect of English or unfamiliarity with particular words. In most cases this problem does not detract from the understanding of the narrative in a serious way, but it's distracting nonetheless. His German pronunciation is also generally atrocious; I cannot speak to his handling of the many brief passages, phrases and names in French and Spanish, but these seem okay to my untrained ear.

Superb narration by Dominic Keating

"I would say this Fabulous book has the significance of scripture." Phil F.
Superb narration, as It fits perfect with Borges style like a path within the Labyrinth. Clear and precise grammer is spoken here. I've had no problem understanding any words spoken by Dominic Keating, not just in his articulation but also in the pacing, context and tone. I have listened to this audiobook a few times, and have not heard any mis-pronounciations or other grammatical anomalies. This review was written 12/12/2023.
Note: being able to adjust the speed of the narration is crucial in all audiobooks so as to attune to each individuals taste.
If you have not read Borges or Pessoa, you are missing out on literature at its best. If your reading interest are in philosphy, mythology, fringe, decadent, if you appreciate true art ,...I would wholly suggest Borges and Pessoa

Look, this is Borges

Borges is fantastic, in many ways. Truly superb writing and thinking--but why have it read by a narrator who can't pronounce the words? Narrators should read the book in advance, make notes and find out how to pronounce the foreign names and words, or else it becomes a travesty. Audible should set standards of how to approach such a task, instead of just putting somebody in front of a microphone. I mean, we're speaking of one of the greatest authors ever.

Better Living Through Audio

This work attempts to unpack a lifetime dedicated to the exploration of writing and purpose. The audio helps greatly with the freedom to simply "scrub" back and forth when the density becomes illusive or problematic. This allowed me to listen completely as I drove about; and still I want to explore the book further, dig through notes, to travel a sort of astral landscape. Inspiration similar to a great musical album. This is the first audiobook that may live on my phone rent free.

Spoken in just the tone I like to hear Borges.

The translation is superb, and I and wish it were a more extensive group of stories. He has been imitated by so many South American writers yet none can duplicate his talent. The story “Return of The Gods” reminds me of Kafka.

Brilliant Borges

The stories and essays are so philosophically and artistically stimulating, that it makes it well worth the reading. it’s a don’t miss, that is if you can put up with the narration. Somewhat bizarrely the narrator doesn’t read this as stories and literature, but simply announces it with a declamatory style filled with odd rhythms and pacings that do not match up with the sentence structure. I finally got used to it, so I encourage people to hang in there because the stories and essays are so wonderful.

What a shame

Borges is a genius but the way these stories were read, “declaimed” is a better description, takes away all the charm and mystery. Borges deserves better.

Scriptural in significance

I would say this Fabulous book has the significance of a scripture. I’m sucked in. I while Audible offered the complete stories. To bad it is I Spanish.