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Cover of Exhalation by Ted ChiangExhalation
Modern · Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Stories

Exhalation

by Ted Chiang
2014 · 350 pages · Fiction
75.3Must-Read
Score Modern
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Ted Chiang, whose earlier collection inspired the film Arrival, returns with nine original stories. They explore free will, time travel, artificial beings, memory and what it means to be human, each one built around a big idea and its emotional weight.

Why it's worth reading

Chiang is one of the most admired short story writers in science fiction. Many readers consider this collection a modern classic.

You'll love it if you liked

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Good to know

The stories can be read in any order. Several are short enough for one sitting.

By the numbers

75.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers92 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller36 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Reads as

Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Moving

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

More by Ted Chiang

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Explore the best-of lists

All 36 best-of lists →
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedModern booksTop 25 · 1,573 rankedBooks of the 2010sTop 25 · 736 rankedFantasy booksTop 25 · 459 rankedMysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 rankedLiterary novelsTop 25 · 309 rankedMemoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedRomancesTop 25 · 233 ranked

Quick answers

Is Exhalation worth reading?

Yes. Chiang is one of the most admired short story writers in science fiction. It ranks #777 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Exhalation about?

Ted Chiang, whose earlier collection inspired the film Arrival, returns with nine original stories. They explore free will, time travel, artificial beings, memory and what it means to be human, each one built around a big idea and its emotional weight.

How long does it take to read Exhalation?

About 9 hours (350 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Exhalation?

If you liked it, try Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang, A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers or Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.