# Is "Ficciones (Spanish first)" by Jorge Luis Borges a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Ficciones (Spanish first) by Jorge Luis Borges (Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires, 1944) is identified by: Issued 1944 as Ficciones (1935–1944) by Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires, in printed wrappers, comprising 'El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan' plus 'Artificios'. The 1944 Sur edition precedes all others; the commonly seen 1956 Emecé is expanded by three stories.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- World true first
- Issued 1944 as Ficciones (1935–1944) by Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires, in printed wrappers, comprising 'El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan' plus 'Artificios'
- The 1956 Emecé edition added three stories to Artificios ('El fin', 'El Sur', and 'La secta del Fénix') and is a second, expanded state, not the true first
- Publisher imprint reads Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Jorge Luis Borges |
| Publisher | Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires |
| Year | 1944 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | World true first |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
World true first. Issued 1944 as Ficciones (1935–1944) by Editorial Sur, Buenos Aires, in printed wrappers, comprising 'El jardín de senderos que se bifurcan' plus 'Artificios'. The 1956 Emecé edition added three stories to Artificios ('El fin', 'El Sur', and 'La secta del Fénix') and is a second, expanded state, not the true first.

## Is this the true first?
The 1944 Sur edition precedes all others; the commonly seen 1956 Emecé is expanded by three stories. Collectors distinguish the two carefully.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The 1956 Emecé and later Emecé printings are expanded reissues, not the 1944 Sur first.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Ficciones (Spanish first)* by Jorge Luis Borges a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/ficciones-spanish-first
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.