“Stories of Your Life and Others”, Ted Chiang
Published July 5, 2002
What if men built a tower from Earth to Heaven-and broke through to Heaven's other side? What if we discovered that the fundamentals of mathematics were arbitrary and inconsistent? What if there were a science of naming things that calls life into being from inanimate matter? What if exposure to an alien language forever changed our perception of time? What if all the beliefs of fundamentalist Christianity were literally true, and the sight of sinners being swallowed into fiery pits were a routine event on city streets?
I loved this book so much that I gifted my first copy (with the Arrival movie poster cover) to my cousin’s boyfriend for Christmas. Strange, I know—you’d think I’d want to keep and treasure the book forever, but I truly enjoyed Ted Chiang’s writing to the point that I absolutely needed to spread the word. And what better way to do that than gift my copy to a reader who is also into science fiction? Besides, I had already eyed a used copy at my local Half Price Books. This gave me an excuse to purchase the edition with my preferred cover.
My first copy’s cover was the poster image for the movie Arrival—amazing film, but there is something about movie/TV show covers on books that rub me the wrong way. The book title was also renamed “Arrival”, which…I did not agree with. I much preferred the pre-movie edition.
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In this story, the Earth is flat, and along with the Sun and Moon, it is covered by a celestial vault. In ancient Babylon, humanity has spent centuries building a tower to reach the vault of heaven in hopes of entering Yahweh’s domain.
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A man who suffered brain damage after nearly drowning is given an experimental drug. He becomes exponentially smarter and skilled, until he is pursued by government agencies.
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A mathematician becomes depressed and suicidal after she inadvertently proves the inconsistency of arithmetic.
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The basis for the movie “Arrival”. A linguist recounts the coming of aliens (heptapods), deciphering their language, and narrates the future and life of her daughter.
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This steampunk novella is about a world where science and technology are based on Kabbalistic names embedded upon golems, and the grim discovery that the human generation is destined to die out within 100 years.
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Human has split into two classes: ordinary people and genetically modified metahumans.
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The existence of God, Heaven, Hell, souls, and angels are indisputable in this world. Angelic visitations are common and chaotic events that usually result in casualties and supernatural maiming. The story follows the multiple characters after they experience a visitation with varying effects on their lives—from miraculous to disastrous.
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A reversible, non-invasive medical procedure eliminates a person’s ability to perceive physical beauty. The novelette is told is the form of a series of interviews with people who underwent their procedure.
Content Warnings
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of content and trigger warnings.
suicidal thoughts • death of a child
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Owned: thrifted paperback