The first story collection by science fiction legend Ted Chiang and the basis for the Oscar-winning film Arrival.

‘A science fiction genius . . . Ted Chiang is a superstar.’ – The Guardian

With Stories of Your Life and Others, his masterful debut collection, multiple-award-winning author Ted Chiang deftly blends human emotion and scientific rationalism in eight remarkably varied stories.

From a soaring Babylonian tower that connects a flat Earth to the firmament above, to a world where angelic visitations are a wondrous and terrifying part of everyday life; from a neural modification that eliminates the appeal of physical beauty, to an alien language that challenges our very perception of time and reality, Chiang’s unique imagination invites us to question our understanding of the universe and our place in it.

The title novella 'Story of Your Life' was the basis for the Academy Award-winning film Arrival, starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner.

‘United by a humane intelligence that speaks very directly to the reader, and makes us experience each story with immediacy and Chiang’s calm passion’ – China Miéville, author of The City & The City

Part of the Picador Collection, a series showcasing the best of modern literateure.

"United by a humane intelligence that speaks very directly to the reader, and makes us experience each story with immediacy and Chiang's calm passion." - The Guardian

"Chiang writes seldom, but his almost unfathomably wonderful stories tick away with the precision of a Swiss watch – and explode in your awareness with shocking, devastating force." - Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

"He puts the science back in science fiction – brilliantly." - Booklist (Starred Review)

"[Chiang] confirms that blending science and fine art at this length can produce touching works, tales as intimate as our own blood cells, with the structural strength of just-discovered industrial alloys." - Seattle Times

"His stories mirror the process of scientific discovery: complex ideas emerge from the measured, methodical accumulation of information until epiphany strikes. . . . The best science fiction inspires awe for the natural properties of the universe . . . Mr Chiang's writing manages all of this." - The Economist blog

"Chiang derides lazy thinking, weasels it out of its hiding place, and leaves it cowering." - Washington Post

"The stories range widely in time, subject and style but are united by a patient but ruthless fascination with the limits of knowledge." - Los Angeles Times

"It will not take readers new to these stories very long to appreciate their quality and beauty." - https://www.sfsite.com

"I think Chiang is one of the great science fiction short story writers of all time . . . it's not often these days that I have that "What? What? Wow!" experience. Chiang does it for me practically every time. There's no wonder he keeps winning awards – he really is just that good. I generally try not to simply burble incoherently that things are brilliant and you have to read them, but faced with stories this awesome, that's pretty much all I can do." - Tor.com

"A science fiction genius . . . Ted Chiang is a superstar." - The Guardian