Galsworthy, Borges

Since my last post I've read a biography of Jorge Luis Borges, and a biography of John Galsworthy.

The biography of Borges was written by Emir Monegal, a Urugayan personally acquainted with Borges. I found his biography more interesting for the asides on Argentine culture, than for the life itself, which was pretty uneventful. It made me realize that I don't yet get Latin America. I've read histories of it, read all of Borges, Llosa, Marquez, and the Latin American literary renaissance, about twenty books on the Maya, and I haven't figured out the place after spending almost a month there. I got East Asia quite quickly, I think, but then it is unified by Confucianism. Is Latin America not unified by Catholicism, which I know far better than Confucianism? Possibly it is less monolithic, as Southeast Asia is less monolithic than East Asia. Anyway, I loved the play. Just like in the US, no one thinks I'm pushy, in Latin America, no one thinks I'm Intense.

As for Galsworthy, it appears his writing was poisoned by success, fame and respectability. "An artist often flourishes in adversity, and his talent withers when there is nothing for him to kick against." Is it adversity itself that is essential, or the probing and examination that comes with it? Should I be thankful for my lack of recognition in the nonfiction sphere? I also read that Galsworthy's nature was to spoil and pamper his loved one, Ada. I certainly recognized the nature of my own partner there.