The Egg (2009) • Hacker News Board

I think it works out fine here. You have one path through all lives, you can't be adam and eve at the same time but you can interact with yourself as either of them at some point in your path. Of course i think original sin should come pretty early in your path ;)

Re: The Egg (2009)

#15

Post by sillysaurus2 » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 12:55 AM UTC

I wonder when this was written?

Re: The Egg (2009)

#16

Post by NhanH » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 12:56 AM UTC

I'd strongly suggest "Sum: 40 tales from the after lives" for anyone enjoy this story. It's a lovely collection of short stories with very similar writing style and theme.

Re: The Egg (2009)

#17

Post by rosser » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 12:57 AM UTC

I've read this several times before, and this bit always gets me, as they say, "right in the feels":

“Don’t worry,” I said. “They’ll be fine. Your kids will remember you as perfect in every way. They didn’t have time to grow contempt for you. Your wife will cry on the outside, but will be secretly relieved. To be fair, your marriage was falling apart. If it’s any consolation, she’ll feel very guilty for feeling relieved.”

It's just so human. It's almost confrontational in its degree of, "That's just how shit is sometimes," but it's delivered with utter compassion. That juxtaposition captures so much of how I feel about the human condition.

Re: The Egg (2009)

#18

Post by dhughes » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 1:03 AM UTC

Another good short story similar to this is Asimov's "The Last Question." http://filer.case.edu/dts8/thelastq.htm

Re: The Egg (2009)

#19

Post by jafaku » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 1:05 AM UTC

crntaylor wrote: post #4

This would have been a significantly more enjoyable experience if the title of the submission didn't give away the ending.

Seriously OP, why would you put the end in the title?

Re: The Egg (2009)

#20

Post by phhh » Sun, Feb 09, 2014, 1:06 AM UTC

Old. Seriously who hasn't read this by now.