In the foreword of this book Borges states that two of his stories, "The Elder Lady" and "The Duel" were patterned after Henry James. The majority, however, seem fully Borgesian, the product of many years' reflection and hard work. Borges believed, and so stated in the foreword that by the time he wrote it, being over the age of seventy, he had found his own voice. He then added: "My now advanced age has taught me to resign myself to being Borges."