The Borges and I & [ ] Project
a series of interviews inspired by Borges’ essay “Borges y yo”
by
José L. Martí
INTRODUCTION / ENGLISH
I always have felt a great curiosity for the intriguing lives of others – maybe that was the reason for me becoming a teacher of Spanish language and literature. During the last few years, I have been thinking on interviewing some individuals who have achieved a measure of professional success who, in spite of their degree of notoriety, intrigue me very deeply. The first of them, from the day I read “Borges and I” and after 40 years of studying him, enjoying his writings, and sharing that privilege with my students, was Borges. The second, Gabriel García Márquez. Others on my list are: Noam Chomsky, María Kodama, Javier Bardem, Jimmy Carter, Steve Murray, Toni Morrison, Meryl Streep, José Tomás, John Waters, Oliver Stone, Pedro Almodóvar, Doctor Geobel Marin, Joaquín Sabina, George Will, Miguel Angel Martín–Delgado, Stathis Giallelis, Marta Belenguer, Martha Ryan, Isabel Allende and some other famous but unknown individuals. I believe that all of them have been disfigured by fame, that is why I would try to talk to each one of them about any imaginable theme ... not related with their professions, most of the time the cause of their deceiving fame. I would ask my questions —most of them related to “Borges and I” —to Meryl, Javier, Oliver, Pedro and Marta ignoring films, Oscars, and other irrelevant topics; to Jose without bulls; to John without his thin mustache behind which to hide; to Miguel Angel without the Royal Academy of Sciences; to Sabinas without his guitar and bowler hat; to Stathis without AMERICA, AMERICA… I would love to be able to talk to all of them as I would have done with Borges, García Márquez and Morrison - speaking with Jorge Luís, Gabriel and Toni ignoring the writers (with Borges it would have been almost impossible, I admit) - trying to learn something else about those special human beings disfigured and almost annulled by public perception.
José L Martí
INTRODUCCIÓN / ESPAÑOL
Toda mi vida he sentido una gran curiosidad por determinadas vidas ajenas, quizás por eso me hice profesor de literatura. Desde que me jubilé, le he estado dando vueltas en mi cabeza a entrevistar a algunos profesionales de éxito que, al margen y a pesar de su mayor o menor popularidad, me intrigan profundamente. El primero de ellos, y después de 40 años de estudiarlo, saborearlo y compartirlo con mis estudiantes, fue Borges. El segundo, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Otros en mi lista son Noam Chomsky, María Kodama, Javier Bardém, Jimmy Carter, Steve Murray, Toni Morrison, Meryl Streep, George Will, José Tomás, Dr. Geobel Marín, Joaquín Sabina, John Waters, Oliver Stone, Pedro Almodóvar, Miguel Angel Martín-Delgado, Stathis Giallelis, Marta Belenguer, Martha Ryan, Isabel Allende y algunos otros que son famosos pero desconocidos. Pienso que todos ellos han sido desfigurados por la fama, por eso yo intentaría dialogar con cada uno de todo lo imaginable … menos de su profesión, causa la mayoría de las veces, de su engañosa fama. Haría mis preguntas — casi todas relacionadas con “Borges y yo”— a Meryl, Javier, Oliver, Pedro y Marta al margen de películas, guiones, Oscars y demás impertinencias; a José sin toros; a John sin bigotito detrás del que ocultarse; a Miguel Angel sin el Real Academia de las Ciencias ni Quantum Effects; a Sabinas sin guitarra ni hongo; a Stathis sin AMERICA, AMERICA… Me encantaría dialogar con todos ellos como lo habría hecho con Borges, García Márquez y Morrison – con Jorge Luís, Gabriel y Toni ignorando a los escritores – (con Borges, habria sido imposible, lo reconozco) – intentando saber algo más de esos seres desfigurados o hasta casi anulados por la opinión publica.
José L Martí
