Since Borges became a popular author in the United States in the early 1960s, many of his individual works have been translated into English. The Aleph and Other Stories (1969) contains some of his most famous fictions, such as the title story; it also includes a long autobiographical essay and the author's useful commentary on the stories in the collection. A Personal Anthology (1967) is a rich source of Borgesian prose and poetry as is In Praise of Darkness (1974; Elogio de la sombra, 1969). The Book of Sand (1977; El libro de arena, 1975), his last, is comprised of thirteen stories written, the author stated, for himself and his friends, and "to ease the passing of time."