I was browsing the shelves at the library, looking for a quick, light read. A thin gold book caught my eye, and the title intrigued me. This sounded like just the thing for a storyteller to read! I have to admit I was surprised to find it. The libraries generally carry popular fiction, all the usual suspects--John Grisham, Danielle Steel, Sue Grafton and that crowd. But this slim little volume was by a man I'd never heard of, and it was definitely not pop fiction.
As it turns out, the book is not easy to label, although the library had a "science fiction" label stuck to the spine. The story is written in the form of a fairy tale, being told by a merchant to a caliph. The alchemy is not what you might assume, either--rather than turning rocks to gold, this alchemist has constructed a gate that can carry a person either 20 years ahead in life, or twenty years back. The story hinges on four tales of people who passed through the gate, and what transpired.
Although it's a quick read, I find myself still thinking about the possibilities. If I went back and saw myself as I was twenty years ago, would I see the things that have led me to who I am today? Would I try to change any of it? And if I could see twenty years ahead, what would I see? Would I want to see that?
Author Ted Chiang has crafted a beautiful tale in few words, and the Baghdad setting reminds the reader that Baghdad is not only what we hear on the news--it has an ancient culture, rich with stories. In these days, that's worth remembering. I will hope that one day when I think of Baghdad I will think of this little book, and not the horrors we've come to expect on the evening news.
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