'On days of combat, the crew would mix gunpowder with their liquor'

Borges became famous as a writer of short stories that contained new realities: elaborately conceived, ingenious and gamesome precis of impossible worlds or imaginary books. In these five stories there is danger on the high seas, an ungracious teacher of etiquette and an encyclopaedia of an unknown planet - and Borges's unique imagination and intellect plays throughout.

This book includes The Widow Ching-Pirate, Monk Eastman, Purveyor of Iniquities, The Uncivil Teacher of Court Etiquette Kotsuke, Tloen, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius, Pierre Menard and Author of the Quixote.