Historia universal de la infamia

Borges says that the pages of this book are the irresponsible game of a shy man who lacked the nerve to write short stories and instead amused himself by falsifying and distorting the tales of others. Tales of scoundrels: thieves, ruffians, pirates, traitors. Featured here are, among others, the atrocious Lazarus Morell, a redeemer of slaves; the impostor Tom Castro, a spurious yet tolerant son; the fierce Widow Ching, skilled at high-seas plunder; and the uncouth master of ceremonies Kotsuké no Suké, a fateful official. They are followed by "Streetcorner Man", one of the author’s most celebrated stories, and "Etcetera," a testament to his countless readings: "Sometimes I think that good readers are swans even more shadowy and singular than good authors."