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I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. 💚

Exhalation is the current pick for my IRL book club. Although I can't say that I loved every story, I will say that I am still thinking about all of them.

It should be a great discussion at book club this month.

Roy Pascal wrote, "On the one side are the truths of fact, on the other the truth of the writer's feeling, and where the two coincide cannot be decided by any outside authority in advance." Our memories are private autobiographies, and that afternoon with my grandmother features prominently in mine because of the feelings associated with it.

.... I wouldn't want that jeopardized [by video footage of all his memories].

What an interesting collection this is! I like Chiang's approach of using fiction, especially sci-fi/alternate histories, to explore issues of human nature. It reminds me a little of how my math students use examples and counterexamples to reason through complex problems. "How would humans act in this situation?" Chiang seems to ask. "Or this one? Or this one?" It's the kind of writing I would like to do if I were better at writing fiction.

Science fiction still leaves me cold (the central "what if?" just doesn't engage me). That said, these stories are well-written and thought provoking, wrestling with what it means to be human and how new technologies challenge & change that. Standouts were "Lifecycle of Software Objects," "The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" and " Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom." And the title story is an artistic feat, a beautiful, spiritual meditation.

#currentread for book club. Thought-provoking and well-written stories but sci-fi always feels a bit cold to me. That said, the title story is beautiful.

I liked 2 of the like 6 stories.

I read Ted Chiang‘s “Stories of Your Life and Others” several years back and was stunned by how good it was. This collection was just as good: thought-provoking, fascinating short stories that vary widely in tone and setting but all circle around questions that made me think deeply about life, technology, and our world in new ways. I read this back in January and loved it. Thank you, @Blaire for the fantastic #NewYearWhoDis pick!

I find myself weirdly ambivalent about this book when I expected to love it? I don't know if it's just my mood or something, but the tone felt same-y, and I kinda knew where each story was going (though I'm sure I hadn't read any of them before). I'm going to let it sit a bit before writing my full review, in case something clicks.

Oh, and fills a square for #BookSpinBingo.

“People are made of stories. Our memories are not the impartial accumulation of every second we‘ve lived; they‘re the narrative that we assembled out of selected moments.”

Still finding these stories so fascinating and thought-provoking!

#NewYearWhoDis @Blaire @monalyisha

“…through the act of reading my words, the patterns that form your thoughts become an imitation of the patterns that once formed mine. And in that way I live again, through you.”

#NYWD2022 #NewYearWhoDis

“If our lives are tales that Allah tells, then we are the audience as well as the players, and it is by living these tales that we receive their lessons.”

I‘m really enjoying these stories—Chiang is such a fantastic, fascinating writer.

#NewYearWhoDis #NYWD2022

I don‘t have a stack yet for #NewYearWhoDis, since I‘m waiting for several library holds to make their way to me (Wintering and Klara & the Sun are “In Transit,” and I‘m in line for several others). But look what I unwrapped among my Christmas book gifts from my husband! So this is where I‘m going to start on my list from @Blaire —really excited to dive in.

Amazing collection of short stories. I love good sci-fi, especially good sci-fi that makes you think. I will definitely be looking for more stuff by Ted Chiang.

You can now read the full #LiteReads review of Exhalation by Ted Chiang! My apologies for the delays. I personally really enjoyed this story, which was my first experience with the author. You can read my full review on the blog (link below). Let me know in the comments what you thought of it.

New selection shortly.

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Pc

Our new #LiteReads selection is Exhalation by Ted Chiang! This award winning science fiction short story about air breathing mechanical beings was chosen with #AAPIHeritageMonth / #AsianHeritageMonth (varies based on country) in mind. You can find links to read the story through the full intro post (link below). Be sure to let me know what you think of it once you've had the chance to read it!

https://wp.me/p9KSXu-Pd

Wow! I will be thinking about this book for a long time. I don‘t think of myself as a science-fiction reader but these stories really blew me away. Every story made me think differently about how we view ourselves and other people and about the way we make decisions and live our lives. Overarching themes of what free will means, morality, and truth. I think anyone who liked The Good Place would find themselves pulled in to these stories.

While the complexity of Chiang‘s stories often left me feeling far behind, the best science fiction should do just that. I don‘t need to understand sci-fi as much as be there to explore its big questions. Questions like: In a fixed future, do our choices matter? Yes, says Exhalation. A mind, to reach its potential, needs cultivation by other minds. The choices we make for each other matter most. We must love, teach, and, of course, make Art.

Book 27 Highly recommend this collection of very philosophical, science-fiction short stories. The ideas were incredibly unique, interesting, and thought-provoking. The writing was both dense and yet concise. I never would have picked this up on my own, but I will definitely read Chiang's other collection. He'd be great to have a conversation with. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

#TBRPile 📚 An alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications not only for his own people, but for all of reality... one of the nine short stories in this collection

A collection of some of the best sci-fi short stories I‘ve ever read. For the full review, please visit http://benjamin-m-weilert.com/index.php/2021/02/24/book-exhalation-2019/

The first 2 stories were good and I really liked it but then I got to the next few stories and I quickly lost interest. So for me it was a okay read.

Some great sci fi short stories that grabbed me from the get go. I could definitely sense the influence of some of my favorite authors as Chiang navigates wildly different settings and modes of writing in his contributions to the genre. The eponymous short story is one of the most beautifully poignant examinations of entropy I have ever read, and it is in good company. Highly recommend for any fans of science fiction.

I don‘t like short stories. I generally don‘t like sci-fi. I‘m the last person this book is for but whatcha gonna do when it‘s your book club pick? The writing is amazing and I did find the less science-y stories somewhat enjoyable. Perfect pick for the sci-fi short story lover in your life.

Checking off my #DashingDecember goal of finishing my book club book!

One of the best short stories collections I have read. His ability to build a world in each story is amazing. Highly recommend. 4 🌟

Chiang focuses more on ideas than style, so some of these stories are just fun concepts that aren't fully realized. He's at his best with the stories about time travel.

Very original, thought-provoking and memorable nine short stories 🔷️🔷️🔷️ Took a few days in between to properly digest each of them

#TBRPile Day 2 📚 Now this is a book I‘m looking forward to picking up!

I'm loving this short story collection just as much as "Stories of Your Life and Others". I'm taking a break after each story as I need to absorb and process these concepts and ideas where science fiction meets philosophy and sociology...

Happy Halloween everyone! ??

(Illustration by illustratelucy on instagram)

3.5⭐️ I felt like this was a really uneven collection. The stories that worked were great, but the ones that didn‘t, really didn‘t.

Sci-fi short stories and novellas. Some of them read a bit like Black Mirror episodes, in the way they explore the effect of technology on society. A thoughtful collection that I really enjoyed.

Yes, more please! Thought-provoking and well written.

Soundtrack: Sayonara Wild Hearts

“My message to you is this: Pretend that you have free will. It‘s essential that you behave as if your decisions matter, even though you know they don‘t. The reality isn‘t important; what‘s important is your belief, and believing the lie is the only way to avoid a waking coma. Civilization now depends on self-deception. Perhaps it always has.”

With the last of my Djilba books - Exhalation for Pan Asian Author - I am not only finished Djilba/Spring but also completely finished #booked2020

Ted Chiang is of course astonishing. No need to tell any of his readers that!

#booked2020spring #panasianauthor @Cinfhen

A stormy day is a perfect day for some short stories.

While Sheba was less than enthusiastic about taking a picture, I was quite happy to finish this book. I would actually put this between a pick and so-so. Some stories I loved them others I was counting the pages until they were over. The first story was my favorite. That might be because LaVar Burton read this story on his podcast.

Honourable mention: Arthur & George by Julian Barnes

Wonderfully thought-provoking collection of SF short stories.

Chiang writes Sci-Fi for Philosophy freshmen with a sentimental bent. There are a few good ideas, but the delivery is always numbingly pedestrian.

I just finished Hugo Best Novelette and Best Novella nominees, “Omphalos“ and “Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom“ from this collection. These, like all other Ted Chiang stories I've read, are creative, though-provoking and simply brilliant. #hugoawards #hugo2020.

I'm at 10 hours and 20 minutes for the #24B4Monday readathon so far.
@Andrew65 @jb72 @SumisBooks

I wasn't aware of Ted Chiang until last year, when he read the opening of "Omphalos", a story in this collection, at WisCon; I mention this because a lot of reviews of this book compare it to an earlier collection I know nothing about, so maybe my opinion is wrong, who knows. Anyway it took me forever to actually buy/read this because I'm trash but I really enjoyed all of the stories in it which, you may be aware, does not usually happen to me.

Collection of science fiction short stories ranging in length from a few pages to over 100 pages. All the stories in this collection were fantastic, and I just picked up his previous collection to read straight away. My favorite story centered around the relationship between AI and the humans who raised and nurtured them. Highly recommend!

Ted Chiang's last book was one of the most original and compelling I've read in a long time. I'm hoping this one is even half as good.

Waiting for it, world…

Some stories are 5 stars, some are duds. Great writing and thought provoking concepts. The ones done well are so, so good; others failed to hold my attention. Overall, good collection.