The Life of Jorge Luis Borges: Author Profile

Jorge Luis Borges, often called the “father of Latin American literature,” is one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. Though he never wrote a novel, his short stories, poems, and essays inspired generations of Latin American authors, including Gabriel García Márquez and Julio Cortázar. 

Despite losing his sight by age 55, Borges crafted a uniquely imaginative style that blends philosophy, fantasy, science fiction, and detective fiction.

Biography

Jorge Luis Borges was born on August 24, 1899, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He grew up in a middle-class, bilingual household where both Spanish and English were spoken fluently. The Borges family owned a library of more than 1,000 books in both languages, and Borges would later remark, “If I were asked to name the chief event in my life, I should say my father’s library.”

In 1914, the family moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where Borges completed his education and learned French, Latin, and German. They remained in neutral Switzerland during World War I before spending several years living in Spain.

The Borges family returned to Buenos Aires in 1921. It was here that Borges began seriously pursuing writing. Around this time, he began losing his eyesight due to a hereditary condition. When he could no longer read or write, he dictated his stories aloud to his mother, who transcribed them for him – a method he would rely on for the rest of his life.

Throughout the 1930s and ’40s, Borges published the short fiction that would define his career. His early collections were gathered into Ficciones (1944), and five years later he released El Aleph (1949). These works remain his most influential and celebrated contributions to world literature.

During World War II, Borges openly supported the Allies and democracy. In response, Argentina’s authoritarian government stripped him of his job and placed him under regular police surveillance.

Despite his growing reputation in Latin America, Borges remained relatively unknown internationally until 1961, when he received the Prix Formentor Prize for outstanding literary achievement. The award led to widespread translations, international lecture tours, and his appointment as director of the Argentine National Library.

Although nominated numerous times, Borges never received the Nobel Prize in Literature – an omission widely regarded as one of the most surprising in the award’s history. Many believe the committee passed him over for political reasons.

Borges moved back to Geneva in 1985 and died there of liver cancer on June 14, 1986.

Influences

Borges’ gradual loss of sight – beginning in his late twenties – had a profound impact on both his life and his writing. His fiction frequently explores metaphysical questions about time, space, memory, and identity, often blurring the boundaries between reality and imagination. This fascination with the abstract helped shape his signature style: stories that challenge readers to question how they perceive the world.

His deep love of literature also shaped his work. At just nine years old, his translation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince” appeared in a local newspaper. Throughout his career, he translated major authors into Spanish, including Walt Whitman, Edgar Allan Poe, James Joyce, William Faulkner, Virginia Woolf, and Franz Kafka.

Borges’ multicultural background further enriched his imagination. Raised in a multilingual household with a British grandmother, he spoke Spanish, English, French, German, and Latin fluently. His years living abroad in Switzerland and Spain broadened his worldview and exposed him to a wide range of artistic and cultural traditions.

Across his works, Borges continually returned to themes such as labyrinths, the infinite, mirrors, dreams, and the instability of identity – ideas that now define his lasting legacy in world literature.

Famous Collections