Exhalation

About “Exhalation”

This is a 2019 short story collection by Ted Chiang. It includes nine stories, two of which are published for the first time. The collection features stories that explore deep and original questions about humanity. One story, "The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate," involves a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad who faces past mistakes through a time portal. Another, "Exhalation," follows an alien scientist who makes a discovery with universal consequences. "Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom" deals with the ability to see alternate universes and the implications for choice and free will. The collection is described as thought-provoking and revealing.