Extra points for Understand not using the "we only use 10% of our brains" trope and actually going with something different. As might be expected, I liked some of the stories better than other, my favorites being Story of your Life and Others, which deals with the concept of language and physics, and Liking what you See, which deals with the concept and perception of beauty. They are obviously there without making it feel overdone and so my mind entered each story smoothly. This is not to say that the elements that made these stories feel outside of our world weren't there. All the worlds presented are beautifully constructed at no point did I get the feeling that what was being presented made no sense in the respective universe, and this is extremely important to me. From the concept of beauty to mathematics and even procreation, Chiang gives a new light to all of these subjects with touches of science fiction and even a bit of fantasy. However, more than just sudden change, I believe that the common thread that this collection has is preconceptions and destroying or debunking them. Goodreads describes the collection as multiple stories where the characters encounter sudden change. The fact that this time there were all written by the same person is really evident, even though the voice on each story changes quite a bit changing point of views and even presenting one as a documentary. While very different, the short stories flow nicely. Final thoughts The collection is fantastic, I wasn't even finished and I kept telling people they had to give it a try. Let me tell you, Stories of Your Life and Others might be the book that convinced me to try short stories more often. The only other collection of short stories I've read recently was METAtropolis (also in audio) and while I enjoyed it, it didn't amaze me. Second, I went with the Audio version because my library didn't have it and I decided just to go with my Audible credit. First because I haven't read a lot of short stories so I wasn't sure this collection would grab me. Originally published at: A Girl that Likes Books This was the September pick for the Sword and Laser book club First impression I have to admit that I was reluctant at first to give this book a try. A clever pastiche of news reports and interviews chronicles a college's initiative to "turn off" the human ability to recognize beauty in "Liking What You See: A Documentary." With sharp intelligence and humor, Chiang examines what it means to be alive in a world marked by uncertainty and constant change, and also by beauty and wonder.
Story of your life by ted chiang pdf download movie#
In the amazing and much-lauded title story (the basis for the 2016 movie Arrival), a grieving mother copes with divorce and the death of her daughter by drawing on her knowledge of alien languages and non-linear memory recollection.
Stories of Your Life and Others presents characters who must confront sudden change-the inevitable rise of automatons or the appearance of aliens-while striving to maintain some sense of normalcy. Combining the precision and scientific curiosity of Kim Stanley Robinson with Lorrie Moore's cool, clear love of language and narrative intricacy, this award-winning collection offers listeners the dual delights of the very, very strange and the heartbreakingly familiar. This new edition of Ted Chiang's masterful first collection, Stories of Your Life and Others, includes his first eight published stories.