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graciegrace1178's review
5.0
My god. This author has seen heaven, and it’s as expansive as we dare imagine, as full of knowledge as we hope, and as apathetic as we fear.
PT: short stories, LIBRARIES!, architecture and mathematical thought experiments
As a preface to this all: normally when I write these reviews, I spend a few minutes collecting my thoughts, scratching down a few main points I'd like to convey, and then writing it. I don't spend much time (if any) rereading or editing these things. They're sort of a casual conversation/first impression collection of thoughts. But god. This heccin short story. I've been trying to figure out how to say what I wanna say in this for like a solid 5 hours. There's just?? So much??? I have so many thoughts on this just as a whole that dissecting it feels like an injustice. Gahhhh here goes anyway. I'm so not editing this. Enjoy this stream of consciousness that reflects the 17 consecutive existential crises I experienced both during and immediately after reading this five-star short story.
WIL
1) Nihilism in the Age of Technology/RELEVANCE. In an age where knowledge is seemingly infinite and replicated, this 1941 allegory has never been more appropriate. Content is duplicated, erroneous, and altogether meaningless as more and more information is stacked in an endless pile. To search for truth feels increasingly futile, and those of us who try just end up going crazy like the like-minded Babel librarians. We live, we consume media in some form or another, we die. End of story. We can create fantasies all we want. We can search for truth and meaning to our heart’s content. But once we find it, we’re right back to square one of the library of Babel: too much knowledge overwhelms us. The fact that we can’t absorb it all is exhausting and all-consuming. Cue the depression and suicides. Cue the new search for meaning. My point being, this guy Borges has got the cyclical nature of knowledge and mystery down to an art. His conclusion is optimistic, sure, but it’s deluded. It doesn’t acknowledge the full cycle of knowledge/mystery attainment. The truth is bloody depressing. Life and death are meaningless when knowledge is nearly infinite as it is now. There’s nothing left to contribute. Nothing to discover except that which has already been written. Nothing to find except false prophecy of the far past or distant future. So why are we here?
At this point, you might be thinking, "gee, whatta ray of sunshine" and "this doesn't sound like a positive point???" To which I say: this has crushed my soul like a soda can in the Marianas Trench and somehow this is still a GOOD thing because it's so fricking relevant. It gave me some much needed (and terribly depressing!) perspective.
2) Nihilism as Freedom. (Cont. 1) That said... the point is to be as fantastical as we want. If nothing matters, then... nothing matters. Screw it all. Imma heck off and live in a bloody cave in the mountains til I die from malnutrition. Cool. Whatever. Doesn’t even matter because what’s the alternative? Live by the rule of law in an uncaring universe where my role has been diminished to that of a lowly bystander? Destined for nothing but passive observation of content that either whirrs by inconsequentially in the grand scheme or that has already been established by greater minds than I? Nah bruh. Catch me dying in a cave by firelight. I’m not up for a game of permanent catch up. Moral of the story: because there's so much to choose from, we get to be discerning with our content consumption and recognize its futility in the grand scheme. We get to construct whatever reality we want BECAUSE there's so much content to pick from and so many directions we can go. That's great! I love stories that promote detachment as a means towards freedom of expectation!
3) architecture! Already mentioned this in PT, but worth mentioning separately here. The PLANS for this place?? The ARRANGEMENT??? It's so so so much like the setting of the Neitherlands in The Magicians (Lev Grossman --> Syfy series)
Infinite replications of the same basic format with literally endless end destinations (in the case of the library, the end destinations are the meme states of imagination). Conceptually, that's amazing enough. But the actual SKETCHES for this library??
Even MORE incredible. Hexagonal shape + arches + the elevation differences on the shelves + the emphasis on the circle/omphalos... each adds so much. My brain exploded. I could write ESSAYS on each of those artistic choices and their values individually and as part of the larger whole. SO well-thought-out.
WIDL
1) existential crisis. It was the best of times it was the worst of times. I've never done cocaine but I imagine that cocaine would leave me feeling much the same as I did at the end of this story. Heck, based on that description of cocaine usage in To Shake the Sleeping Self, cocaine might actually be more forgiving than this architectural nightmare sequence of infinite meaninglessness.
NEUTRAL GROUND
1) Matrix. Honestly, this version of reality has to be more subtle about its stealing of my thoughts and projecting them into 1941 short stories from famous Argentinian authors.
PT: short stories, LIBRARIES!, architecture and mathematical thought experiments
As a preface to this all: normally when I write these reviews, I spend a few minutes collecting my thoughts, scratching down a few main points I'd like to convey, and then writing it. I don't spend much time (if any) rereading or editing these things. They're sort of a casual conversation/first impression collection of thoughts. But god. This heccin short story. I've been trying to figure out how to say what I wanna say in this for like a solid 5 hours. There's just?? So much??? I have so many thoughts on this just as a whole that dissecting it feels like an injustice. Gahhhh here goes anyway. I'm so not editing this. Enjoy this stream of consciousness that reflects the 17 consecutive existential crises I experienced both during and immediately after reading this five-star short story.
WIL
1) Nihilism in the Age of Technology/RELEVANCE. In an age where knowledge is seemingly infinite and replicated, this 1941 allegory has never been more appropriate. Content is duplicated, erroneous, and altogether meaningless as more and more information is stacked in an endless pile. To search for truth feels increasingly futile, and those of us who try just end up going crazy like the like-minded Babel librarians. We live, we consume media in some form or another, we die. End of story. We can create fantasies all we want. We can search for truth and meaning to our heart’s content. But once we find it, we’re right back to square one of the library of Babel: too much knowledge overwhelms us. The fact that we can’t absorb it all is exhausting and all-consuming. Cue the depression and suicides. Cue the new search for meaning. My point being, this guy Borges has got the cyclical nature of knowledge and mystery down to an art. His conclusion is optimistic, sure, but it’s deluded. It doesn’t acknowledge the full cycle of knowledge/mystery attainment. The truth is bloody depressing. Life and death are meaningless when knowledge is nearly infinite as it is now. There’s nothing left to contribute. Nothing to discover except that which has already been written. Nothing to find except false prophecy of the far past or distant future. So why are we here?
At this point, you might be thinking, "gee, whatta ray of sunshine" and "this doesn't sound like a positive point???" To which I say: this has crushed my soul like a soda can in the Marianas Trench and somehow this is still a GOOD thing because it's so fricking relevant. It gave me some much needed (and terribly depressing!) perspective.
2) Nihilism as Freedom. (Cont. 1) That said... the point is to be as fantastical as we want. If nothing matters, then... nothing matters. Screw it all. Imma heck off and live in a bloody cave in the mountains til I die from malnutrition. Cool. Whatever. Doesn’t even matter because what’s the alternative? Live by the rule of law in an uncaring universe where my role has been diminished to that of a lowly bystander? Destined for nothing but passive observation of content that either whirrs by inconsequentially in the grand scheme or that has already been established by greater minds than I? Nah bruh. Catch me dying in a cave by firelight. I’m not up for a game of permanent catch up. Moral of the story: because there's so much to choose from, we get to be discerning with our content consumption and recognize its futility in the grand scheme. We get to construct whatever reality we want BECAUSE there's so much content to pick from and so many directions we can go. That's great! I love stories that promote detachment as a means towards freedom of expectation!
3) architecture! Already mentioned this in PT, but worth mentioning separately here. The PLANS for this place?? The ARRANGEMENT??? It's so so so much like the setting of the Neitherlands in The Magicians (Lev Grossman --> Syfy series)
Infinite replications of the same basic format with literally endless end destinations (in the case of the library, the end destinations are the meme states of imagination). Conceptually, that's amazing enough. But the actual SKETCHES for this library??
Even MORE incredible. Hexagonal shape + arches + the elevation differences on the shelves + the emphasis on the circle/omphalos... each adds so much. My brain exploded. I could write ESSAYS on each of those artistic choices and their values individually and as part of the larger whole. SO well-thought-out.
WIDL
1) existential crisis. It was the best of times it was the worst of times. I've never done cocaine but I imagine that cocaine would leave me feeling much the same as I did at the end of this story. Heck, based on that description of cocaine usage in To Shake the Sleeping Self, cocaine might actually be more forgiving than this architectural nightmare sequence of infinite meaninglessness.
NEUTRAL GROUND
1) Matrix. Honestly, this version of reality has to be more subtle about its stealing of my thoughts and projecting them into 1941 short stories from famous Argentinian authors.
deep_in_the_reads's review
5.0
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manglitter's review
4.0
"The Library is unlimited and cyclical. If an eternal traveler were to cross it in any direction, after centuries he would see that the same volumes were rpeated in the same disorder(which, thus repeated,would be an order:the order). My solitude is gladdened by this elegant hope."
Can we call it a short allegorical story or an essay, is it fiction or metafiction? I don't know. This was written in 1941 during the WWII by a man of great intellect who has read a great deal of books and seen a lot more during his life. He was a librarian for much of his life and fond of kafka which we might remark its influence in this work. It's so abstract and might be interpreted in different ways and views.
The idea of The Library of Babel is so confusing and so intriguing at the same time like the concept of eternity and infinity of the universe behind the library's hexagonal shape. Humanity trying to find the truth of all truths to the point of harming itself but can really this truth be found or is it just a futile quest, for the truth belongs to god only. Also, the idea of whatever new is written has already been written, so it's useless for we will never be able to grasp the infinite complexity of the universe...etc.
It is short but it has a large meaning. I don't know if this is really what the author meant when he wrote this essay. In what mood was he in when he wrote these words? We can only read it and see if what we understood from it has any meaning or does it add anything precious to our lives? We all have our questions about life and our existence in this vast universe and each one of us expresses this inquiry in a different way and this is perhaps just Borges way.
Can we call it a short allegorical story or an essay, is it fiction or metafiction? I don't know. This was written in 1941 during the WWII by a man of great intellect who has read a great deal of books and seen a lot more during his life. He was a librarian for much of his life and fond of kafka which we might remark its influence in this work. It's so abstract and might be interpreted in different ways and views.
The idea of The Library of Babel is so confusing and so intriguing at the same time like the concept of eternity and infinity of the universe behind the library's hexagonal shape. Humanity trying to find the truth of all truths to the point of harming itself but can really this truth be found or is it just a futile quest, for the truth belongs to god only. Also, the idea of whatever new is written has already been written, so it's useless for we will never be able to grasp the infinite complexity of the universe...etc.
It is short but it has a large meaning. I don't know if this is really what the author meant when he wrote this essay. In what mood was he in when he wrote these words? We can only read it and see if what we understood from it has any meaning or does it add anything precious to our lives? We all have our questions about life and our existence in this vast universe and each one of us expresses this inquiry in a different way and this is perhaps just Borges way.
texasted73's review
I get what you're trying to say but I am very bad at math. Can you explain that one more time?
branwynnemay's review
2.5
Dense, yet… thin? The language felt overly complex and the meaning fairly uninspiring.
The last couple sentences are beautiful. The art is fun. The whole idea is cool. But… hunh.
The last couple sentences are beautiful. The art is fun. The whole idea is cool. But… hunh.
jo_zeh_fin's review
“The library will endure; it is the universe. As for us, everything has not been written; we are not turning into phantoms. We walk the corridors, searching the shelves and rearranging them, looking for lines of meaning amid leagues of cacophony and incoherence, reading the history of the past and our future, collecting our thoughts and collecting the thoughts of others, and every so often glimpsing mirrors, in which we may recognize creatures of the information.”
mariattp_'s review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
lemon3139's review
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mindthebook's review
2.0
Londonvän skickade länk om Libreria, nyöppnad bokhandel i Östra London, "its layout inspired by a Jorge Luis Borges short story"!!!
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/bookshops-are-back-because-you-cant-meet-a-lover-on-your-kindle-a6893841.html
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/21/libreria-bookshop-rohan-silva-second-home-interview
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/bookshops-are-back-because-you-cant-meet-a-lover-on-your-kindle-a6893841.html
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/21/libreria-bookshop-rohan-silva-second-home-interview