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gmerganser 's review for:
Stories of Your Life and Others
by Ted Chiang
So good! I started this collection mostly for the "Arrival" story, but they're all worth reading. Obviously, "Stories of your Life" is original and compelling. There are two others that I especially enjoyed: the one about "lookism" and the one about a world where angels visit Earth.
Re: the first, you're kidding yourself if you don't think that physical attractiveness doesn't play a big role in who is successful in society and who is not, but it is rarely, if ever, talked about. I instinctively recoil at the tech discussed as the solution, but Chiang covers the ethical issues around both it and "lookism" well. I especially liked the account of the person who embraces radical ugly-ism. Re: the second, on God and justice, what an ending! Frankly, that world is horrifying; almost a religious 1984.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrators have fantastic "explaining scientist" and "college student" impressions. Overall? Thought-provoking and fun.
Re: the first, you're kidding yourself if you don't think that physical attractiveness doesn't play a big role in who is successful in society and who is not, but it is rarely, if ever, talked about. I instinctively recoil at the tech discussed as the solution, but Chiang covers the ethical issues around both it and "lookism" well. I especially liked the account of the person who embraces radical ugly-ism. Re: the second, on God and justice, what an ending! Frankly, that world is horrifying; almost a religious 1984.
I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrators have fantastic "explaining scientist" and "college student" impressions. Overall? Thought-provoking and fun.