By PopRockz
Jorge Luis Borges was born in Buenos Aires In 1899. Educated in Europe, he was a
widely-acclaimed prolific writer who died in 1986. He received the Annual Literary Award, the
fifth biennial Jerusalem Prize, the Alfonso Reyes Prize, and shared the International Publishers’
prize and the Cervantes Prize.
“The Garden of Forking Paths” is about a German spy in Britain who needs to
communicate a message to his leader over the hullabaloo of World War I. The spy, whose name
is Yu Tsun, is racing against time to complete his mission before he is captured by his British
arresting officer. He escapes on a train and finds a famous Sinologist named Stephen Albert, who
has no idea of the part he will be playing in Tsun’s mission. The two of them discuss a labyrinth
which Ts’ui Pen, Tsun’s ancestor, had created long ago. They delve into the mystery of an
infinite novel, an impossible maze, and a long-dead man whose genius was not appreciated in his
lifetime. When the puzzle pieces come together, Tsun is somehow left with infinite choices yet
perhaps none at all...
This short story was very well written and well thought out. However, it was also
extremely complex and confusing. I recommend this story if you’re seeking to read something
that gets your mind going. If you just want a quick read or something simple, I do not
recommend this story. It is somewhat abstract and convoluted.
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