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biolexicon's review against another edition
3.0
Borges is absolutely delightful. The scenes between the author and Borges were a joy to read, as the author did a great job of portraying Borges as lively and showing how Borges changes him as their interactions progress.
Beyond that, parts of the book dragged for me. The romance specifically, I wasn't invested in it at all.
I did enjoy getting to see a time I didn't live through (the Vietnam war) and I perspective I've never had (dealing with registering or being a part of the draft) as well.
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Beyond that, parts of the book dragged for me. The romance specifically, I wasn't invested in it at all.
I did enjoy getting to see a time I didn't live through (the Vietnam war) and I perspective I've never had (dealing with registering or being a part of the draft) as well.
I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
ericfheiman's review
2.0
The groovy cover and the promise of firsthand travels-with-Borges anecdotes were catnip enough for me to give this book a try. Alas (and especially since Parini is also a poet), I was disappointed by its prosaic prose. Maybe my expectations were unrealistic, but Borges and Me stays earthbound in ways Borges never would, let alone tolerate.
margaret21's review against another edition
4.0
A romp of a read - a lightly fictionalised account of Parini's encounter with Borges: a writer whose work I, like Parini, have never (so far) read. Jay Parini, an American, was a post-graduate student at St. Andrew's University, dodging the draft to the Vietnam War. He's going through young-man-angst about the subject for his thesis (his supervisor doesn't seem keen on Parini's choice of poet Mackay Brown), his draft-dodging and his (lack of) love life. When a friend of his, Alistair, is called out of town on a family emergency, Parini is called in to house-sit Alistair's guest, the blind and elderly post-modernist writer Borges. Almost immediately, at Borges' request, they embark on a road trip round Scotland for which Parini is expected to be Borges' 'eyes'. Shambolic and unpredictable, Borges is also a fount of dizzying literary talk. This is a trip to savour. A book which is a funny and wry account of an unlikely and thoroughly Quixotic journey: indeed Borges names Parini's ancient Morris Minor after Quixote's horse Rocinante. And it's persuaded me too, that it's about time I read some of Borges' writing.
dannymason_1's review
5.0
Magical. The story of the time an elderly, blind Borges visited Scotland and Parini, through a series of unexpected events, ends up taking him on a tour of the Scottish Highlands. The book reads more like a novel than a memoir and in true Borgesian fashion breaks down the wall between genres and blurs the line between fact and fiction. It's beautifully written, funny, charming and deeply moving, the type of book that will restore your faith in the world, the people in it, and the power of literature.
lizardking_no1's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
angelayoung's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A friend gave me this book, I doubt I'd ever have found it if she hadn't and I was intrigued by it. The true story of a young American poet (Parini) escorting an ageing, blind Argentinian (Borges) on a short trip through the Scottish highlands is funny, poignant, exasperating (to Parini) and enlightening to both of them. The images of the great Borges with his labyrinthine library of a mind and his extraordinary memory for words juxtaposed with Parini's attempts to keep his volatile charge out of lochs, roads and safe - while learning at the speed of light about poetry - he's an aspiring poet - and poets, is captivating. A quote to intruige you too (I hope):
'Nessie [the loch ness monster] is a myth,' I said.
'Mythos, in Greek,' said Borges, 'is not a story that is false, it's a story that is more than true. Myth is a tear in the fabric of reality, and immense energies pour through these holy fissures. Our stories, our poems, are rips in this fabric as well, however slight. Think of Beowulf. The protoype for Nessie lies there, in the figure of Grendel, a fallen angel. Envious of the light, he lived with his difficult mother in a cave. You and I have lived in this cave as well, with our difficult and exacting mothers. We bear the marks of our captivity, but we survive.'
'I hardly feel like I'm surviving,' I said.
A few pages later, bellowing Grendel's story while standing up in a small rowing boat on Loch Ness, Borges falls onto Parini (who's rowing) and in his attempts to save Borges, Parini capsizes the boat and they're both thrown into the water ... . It's funny and frightening (will they survive?) and a perfect metaphor for their rocky relationship. It's a great read, I recommend it.
'Nessie [the loch ness monster] is a myth,' I said.
'Mythos, in Greek,' said Borges, 'is not a story that is false, it's a story that is more than true. Myth is a tear in the fabric of reality, and immense energies pour through these holy fissures. Our stories, our poems, are rips in this fabric as well, however slight. Think of Beowulf. The protoype for Nessie lies there, in the figure of Grendel, a fallen angel. Envious of the light, he lived with his difficult mother in a cave. You and I have lived in this cave as well, with our difficult and exacting mothers. We bear the marks of our captivity, but we survive.'
'I hardly feel like I'm surviving,' I said.
A few pages later, bellowing Grendel's story while standing up in a small rowing boat on Loch Ness, Borges falls onto Parini (who's rowing) and in his attempts to save Borges, Parini capsizes the boat and they're both thrown into the water ... . It's funny and frightening (will they survive?) and a perfect metaphor for their rocky relationship. It's a great read, I recommend it.