Phenomenal…
When I decided to read Time and Again by Jack Finney, I was unaware that this book had been originally released in 1970. (Of course, I wouldn’t have known that since its first release date was before my time).
After taking time to read the ‘about’ blurb, I was aware that this tale featured time travel (a concept I find fascinating) and a New York City of yesteryear. 1882 to be exact… Being that I’m a history buff as well as a Science Fiction fan, I decided this novel would be worth the read. The only thing that gave me pause was the knowledge that there were photographs throughout this book. (I usually only see those in works of non-fiction).
My copy of Time and Again finally arrived and I began to read. The opening chapter is an explanatory look into the life of Simon Morley, the novel’s main character. Simon, or Si as he prefers to be called, is an artist who sketches for LIFE Magazine. He resides in New York City, and the year (I believe) is sometime during the mid-1950s. Si has a decent job, the respect of his peers and a woman he could see himself becoming attached to. All in all, a fairly normal, if somewhat unremarkable, life; yet, unbeknownst to Si, he is poised on the precipice of significant change. In but a few short days, his view of the world around him will never be the same again.
On a cooler fall afternoon, a stranger who answers to the name Rube stops at the Life building to invite Si to lunch. There are matters this man wishes to discuss with Si; things that will change Si’s life forever. The catch (because there’s always a catch) is that this knowledge is “Top Secret.” Rube cannot disclose anything about the mysterious information he knows unless Si agrees to work with his company; sight unseen. Si’s curiosity is piqued. After mulling this ‘opportunity’ over for several days; he finally agrees to the odd request. It’s at this point that the real story within Time and Again begins. With that said, I definitely don’t want to ruin this tale by giving away any of its secrets. I can only tell you that Si does complete some varied and rigorous training and he does manage to step into the past.
Moving on to the author… Jack Finney has written an amazing novel and I cannot stress that enough. Time and Again is a well-written, highly interesting, informative, and historically accurate work of literary art. At the beginning of this review, I did comment about the unusualness of the inclusion of photographs, yet as I read, these pictures helped make Time and Again even more realistic. Everyone has their own view on what makes a ‘good’ story ‘great’ – for me, it’s that precise moment when I find myself wishing a tale were true. This wish rarely presents itself, but it did repeatedly as I made my way through this book’s pages.
In Summary, Time and Again is a five-star-plus read. Readers who enjoy the concept of time travel, or who want to view New York City from an 1882 perspective (or those who simply enjoy reading great works of fiction) should add Time and Again to their list of ‘must’ reads.