'About Time: 12 Short Stories' by Jack Finney is a collection of quirky time travel stories with light, humorous, and nostalgic elements. The stories often feature modern characters yearning for a golden age prior to World War I, exploring themes of second chances, alternate realities, and the allure of the past. Finney's writing style is described as whimsical, slightly humorous, and filled with vivid descriptions that transport readers to different eras and settings. The book seamlessly blends time travel with a sense of nostalgia, offering readers entertaining tales that often end with unexpected twists reminiscent of classic Twilight Zone episodes.

Characters:

Characters in the stories are relatable, embodying a longing for the past, and often possess quirky traits that enhance the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is whimsical and humorous, characterized by vivid descriptions and an engaging narrative that maintains a gentle, light-hearted tone.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features quirky and humorous time travel stories that evoke nostalgia, focusing on characters' desires to revert to a simpler, often idealized past.

Setting:

The setting primarily reflects modern 1950s and 60s America, filled with nostalgic elements that contrast the simplicity of the past with modern complexities.

Pacing:

The pacing is easy and enjoyable, making for quick reads, although themes can become repetitive, suggesting a more sporadic reading approach.

The presidents of the New York Central and the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroads will swear on a stack of timetables that there are only two. But I say there are three, because I've been on t...

Notes:

The collection contains 12 short stories that blend humor, nostalgia, and time travel themes.

Many stories reflect a yearning for a simpler past before World War I.

Popular stories include "Second Chance," where a restored car shares a journey with Model T's, and "The Third Level," which features a time-warping floor in Grand Central Station.

"Such Interesting Neighbors" showcases a quirky family living next door to the narrator.

Time travel in these stories often comes with a twist ending and explores the consequences of changing the past.

Jack Finney also wrote the well-known novel "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," but many consider his short stories his best work.

The stories were originally published in the 1950s and 1960s, creating a double sense of nostalgia for that era.

Readers often compare Finney's work to classic episodes of "The Twilight Zone."

Finney's writing style balances whimsy and relatable experiences, making his stories easy and enjoyable to read.

Some critics note that the themes can feel repetitive when reading the collection back-to-back.

Has Romance?

There are elements of romance in the stories, often linked to nostalgia and personal connections.

From The Publisher:

About Time offers a delightful return to the world of time travel and light comedy that distinguished Jack Finney's all-time classic Time and Again. The protagonists of these twelve stories are well-meaning but at odds with their surroundings and their lives. The time to which they escape-through time travel-doesn't always fulfill their expectations in the way they had hoped, but sometimes, they can still find their dreams.

What can you read after
About Time: 12 Short Stories?

See the list (18 books)

About the Author:

Jack Finney (1911-1995) was the author of the much-loved and critically acclaimed novel Time and Again, as well as its sequel, From Time to Time. Best known for his thrillers and science fiction, a number of his books-including Invasion of the Body Snatchers-have been made into movies.

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About Time: 12 Short Stories

Jack Finney

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