Time and Again by Jack Finney
Since I was young I’ve daydreamed of somehow traveling back in time, and just walking through my hometown for an afternoon in the 1940s; not doing anything earth shattering, necessarily, just having a leisurely look around.
I’m not sure why the ‘40s exactly, but that’s the way the fantasy always goes. Maybe it’s as far back as I can take it, before things become radically different? Any earlier and you start to get the grim clothing, the weird hats, the ludicrous facial hair, the underwear with buttons…
And I can’t have that.
No, I believe the 1940s is as far as I could go in my imaginary time machine, and still feel I have a connection to the place. I think I could blend-in there, with little trouble. I’d just have to remember to say things like “And how!” whenever someone mentioned they were hungry, or whatever.
But decades have passed, and as far as I know they haven’t made even the slightest advancement in time travel technology. Not even that creepy Virgin Records guy in the hot air balloon. Wotta rip-off!
I have a feeling this book is as close as any of us are ever going to get. It’s not the same, of course, but it’s pretty good. Especially when you consider this particular time machine is constructed of nothing but ink and paper…
Time and Again is supposedly science-fiction, but I’m not convinced it technically qualifies. The sci-fi aspect of it really only serves to explain how (and why) the main character, Si Morley, travels back and forth between “modern-day” New York City (the book was originally published in 1970, so its modern-day was almost forty years ago), and the New York City of 1882. Once Si arrives in the past, none of that matters much.
Indeed, the plot isn’t what you’ll remember about the book. And it has little to do with the fact Time and Again has never gone out-of-print, or enjoys an enthusiastic cult following to this day. It’s all about a modern man being dropped into an earlier time, and just having a leisurely look around.
The author, Jack Finney, was obviously fascinated with the
Some complain there is, in fact, too much information, that parts of the book are dragged down by it all. Others, including myself, believe just the opposite. Because we recognize in Si Morley the same kind of curiosity we’d exhibit if placed in such a fantastic situation.
I’ve read more than my share of time-travel books, and this one is the most satisfying; it’s simple and pure, and deals with human reactions to amazing discoveries. It’s also atmospheric, and causes the reader to feel they’re along for the adventure. I read it every five years or so, and think of it as comfort food at this point.
The Suggestaholic suggests Time and Again, because it’s as close as any of us are ever going to get.
There is actually a sequel to this book - From Time to Time.