Exhalation
by Ted Chiang · first published 2014
77% recommend23% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Short science-fiction collection of idea-driven stories on meaning, technology, and what life requires; the title story, about air-based beings studying their own brains, stands out. Suits readers of literary SF.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR • Nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories—two published for the very first time—all from the mind of the incomparable author of Stories of Your Life and Others Tackling some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine, these stories will change the way you think, feel, and see the world. They are Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic, revelatory. Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only he could imagine. In “
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2010–2026Stories of Your Life and Others
Ted Chiang
Recommended by 66 · mentioned by 8066 recommend · 80 mention66 recommend · 8066 recommend
2013–2026The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate
Ted Chiang
Recommended by 22 · mentioned by 3022 recommend · 30 mention22 recommend · 3022 recommend
2011–2026The Lifecycle of Software Objects
Ted Chiang
Recommended by 33 · mentioned by 5433 recommend · 54 mention33 recommend · 5433 recommend
2022–2023Beautiful Country
Qian Julie Wang
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
2019–2022Lost Children Archive
Valeria Luiselli
Recommended by 1 · mentioned by 31 recommend · 3 mention1 recommend · 31 recommend
2023–2024Last plane to Heaven
Jay Lake
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 22 recommend · 2 mention2 recommend · 22 recommend
Years Best Science Fiction
Gardner Dozois
Recommended by 1 · mentioned by 21 recommend · 2 mention1 recommend · 21 recommend
For me it was: * Exhalation by Ted Chiang * Ride of a lifetime by Bob Iger was a close second
on “Ask HN: What is the best book you read in 2020?” ↗…collection of short stories I've ever read. If you like that, you might also enjoy The Lifecycle of Software Objects, an absolutely heartbreaking novella about simulated children, and his follow-up collection Exhalation. Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game is fantastic, and it's follow-up, Speaker for the Dead is even better, and my favorite science fiction novel of all time. They won back to back Hugo and Nebula awards.…
on “Ask HN: I only read tech/business books – recommend me some fiction?” ↗…in the Sky by Vernor Vinge * A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge * Hyperion by Dan Simmons * The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons * Endymion by Dan Simmons * The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons * Exhalation by Ted Chiang
on “Ask HN: What Books Do You Recommend Reading for 2022?” ↗Didn't know this story was originally published in Nature. I read it in his excellent short story book Exhalation and loved it like I did many others in that collection. Chiang is like Kafka and Borges in that he writes plain prose that blows your mind.
on “What’s expected of us (2005)” ↗…collections. Story stories are maybe the perfect format for science fiction, since it lets brilliant ideas play out rapidly. Check out “The Best of Kim Stanley Robinson”, “Stories of Your Life and Others” and “Exhalation” by Ted Chiang, “Pump Six and Other Stories” by Paolo Bacigalupi, and “Burning Chrome” by William Gibson.
on “Neal Stephenson – Announcing Termination Shock” ↗You should read Exhalation by Ted Chiang mild spoiler, but it is almost exactly what you're talking about, and a beautiful piece of writing.
on “Longevity FAQ: A beginner's guide to longevity research” ↗"Exhalation" by Ted Chiang is, I think, a great literary exploration of this topic and brings the essence of what is required for life, though it doesn't get into what life is as opposed to other phenomena. For those…
on “Can a Living Creature Be as Big as a Galaxy?” ↗…"page-turner". The summaries / back-cover marketing copy can't do it justice. Florida - Lauren Groff Sublime, poetic, haunting collection of short stories. Stories of Your Life and Others - Ted Chiang Exhalation - Ted Chiang Being released in May 2019 (I got an advance copy), but many of the stories are previously published and/or available online. "The Lifecycle of Software Objects" is just wonderful. Ted Chiang's…
on “Ask HN: Favorite fiction books of 2018?” ↗Some of the books in my 2020 to be read basket: Cultural Amnesia by Clive James Exhalation by Ted Chiang Silver, Sword & Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story by Maria Arana The World As I Found It by Bruce Duffy Alice And Bob Meet The Wall Of Fire edited by Thomas Lin Masscult…
on “Ask HN: Books you plan to read in 2020?” ↗For a good piece of fiction that explores this idea, read the short story Exhalation by Ted Chiang.
on “Entropy and Life” ↗Exhalation by Ted Chiang. About halfway through this, kind of like a novel form of black mirror (although less dystopian imo). Full of interesting short stories, always thought provoking and entertaining.
on “Ask HN: Which are the most interesting books you have read in 2022?” ↗It's quite amusing what this is the second time this week when I recommend 'Exhalation' by Ted Chiang. [0] https://archive.org/details/ExhalationByTedChiang [0] https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/exhalation/
on “How We Knew Space Was a Vacuum” ↗Andy Weir's The Egg is another excellent short story: [1] http://www.galactanet.com/oneoff/theegg_mod.html If you're looking for more short stories, I highly recommend the following: • Ted Chiang's Exhalation • Ted Chiang's Story of Your Life and Others • Ken Liu's Paper Menagerie • Borges's Ficciones • Smullyan's What is the Name of This Book? • Smullyan's Lady or the Tiger? • Douglas Adams's God's…
on “They're Made Out of Meat” ↗Just finished reading Exhalation by Ted Chiang, and can't recommend it enough. It's a collection of short stories - so easy entry point for beginners as well.
on “Permutation City (1994)” ↗I love Ted Chiang, and enjoyed Exhalation, but personally I would recommend Stories of Your Life and Others as the first book of short stories. I found it had a higher percentage of home runs.
on “Permutation City (1994)” ↗