A contribution to Patti Abbott Friday’s Forgotten Books
Man on Pink Corner is a short story by Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges (Buenos Aires, 24 of August of 1899 – Geneva, 14 of June of 1986). Borges was one of the greatest Spanish speaking writers of the last century. It was published several times before the final version appeared in a collection of short stories A Universal History of Infamy in 1935 and later published as A Universal History of Iniquity. Man on Pink Corner is dedicated to the Uruguayan writer, poet and journalist Enrique Amorim. The plot is simple and straightforward. The local bully is challenged by a stranger in a brothel. He rejects the fight and runs away. The stranger walks off with the woman but he is then mysteriously stabbed to death.
Caravana de Lecturas points out that the language employed by Borges in this short story is notable for its brothel-like vocabulary and insistent use of lunfardo (Buenos Aires slang)–an intent to reflect the speech of the porteños in the vernacular of the time. Follow his suggestion sit back and enjoy this story.
A Universal History of Infamy at Wikipedia
Jorge Luis Borges at Wikipedia
A Universal History of Iniquity (Penguin Modern Classics) at Amazon UK.
I’ve just realised that Todd Mason already wrote about El hombre de la esquina rosada on Friday’s Forgotten Books HERE.
A Crime is Afoot 
>Jose Ignacio – Borges was one of the truly great Spanish-speaking writers – ever. I'm so glad you featured one of his stories.
>Thanks Margot, Borges is one of my favourite writers. And it is always worthwhile to read some of his stories.
>Borges's own translation (with Norman Thomas di Giovanni) of "El hombre de las esquinas rosadas" was published as "Streetcorner Man" in THE ALEPH AND OTHER STORIES: 1933-1969 (Dutton)…the preferred English text, at least by me!
>Todd thanks for the information. Glad to know there is a Borges' own English translation. Although this will be a particular difficult text to translate.