Book Review: STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS by Ted Chiang

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I feel like I have arrived late to the Ted Chiang bandwagon. But what a glorious place to be in!

(Incidentally, ARRIVAL - the movie starring Amy Adams - was my first introduction to his work, although I didn't realize it until I saw the cover of the book which advertised the fact that he had written the short story the film was based on.)

Eight short stories are in this volume, his first collection... each one a masterful gem. No sentence is out of place, these are brilliantly concise and well-constructed. AND TO THINK THIS IS HIS FIRST BOOK!!!! How dare you, Sir. How. Dare. You. Be. This. Good.

So I tried summarizing them in one sentence each:

"Tower of Babylon" brings us to ancient times where men dared to build a tower that would pierce the vault of heaven itself.  

"Understand" tells of a miracle drug user who uses his newfound superhuman intelligence to literally undo another person... with just one word.

"Division by Zero" is the story of a mathematician who makes a discovery that disproves most of mathematics, and struggles to live with that knowledge.

"Story of Your Life" is the one that ARRIVAL was based on. On the surface, it's about a linguist's attempt to understand an alien race's language. But it's actually about free will and determinism, and asks: "If you knew what would happen, would you do it anyway?"

"Seventy-Two Letters" brings us to an alternative Victorian England where secret societies work with golems and kabbalists in a morbid struggle to contain and defeat man's impending doom (this would make a WONDERFUL movie!!!!!).

"The Evolution of Human Science" is a horror story writ in three pages, masquerading as a science journal editorial piece.

In "Hell is the Absence of God," angelic visitations are as commonplace as natural disasters, and sometimes the earth becomes transparent and people can see who is in Hell, and who ascends to Heaven.  

"Liking What You See: A Documentary" reads like the transcript of a documentary about a future world that can turn off a person's reaction to physical beauty. All sides of the debate on "lookism" are mentioned, plus a story of young love embedded therein.

Ted Chiang manages to condense incredibly complicated scientific and mathematical terms in almost accessible language. Haha! There's effort on the part of the reader, to be sure, because they require reflection and at times feel like one is studying for an exam (especially with SOYL). But he also manages to change his tone for the changing settings, which is not easy to do!

Hard to pick a favorite, but I think I liked the first story best for its optimism and simply told absolute truths.

"We live on the road to heaven; all the work that we do is to extend it further."

This book, then, is a celebration of the power of language. Of how words shape thought and destiny. And this is as good as books come.

From now on, Ted Chiang is a must-buy!!! I shall be reflecting on his stories for many weeks to come.



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