From Conversations, a collection of dialogues conducted in 1984 and 1985 between Jorge Luis Borges and the Argentine poet Osvaldo Ferrari, out next month from Seagull Books. Translated from the Spanish by Jason Wilson.

OSVALDO FERRARI: In many of our conversations we approach, unawares, the National Library on México Street, where you were the director.
JORGE LUIS BORGES: Yes.
FERRARI: For a long time I have wanted to know the journey that brought you to that library — that is, the libraries you…