Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Read while home alone? yep
Tissues needed? probably not
Overall rating: 5 stars

Summary:
When did tracking time start? Who is Father Time? The Time Keeper answers these questions in a story that both dates back to the beginning of time and also tells tales of modern people with time on their minds.

In exchange for creating devices to understand time, Dor lives an eternity waiting for a chance to help others who don’t appreciate the time he marked. Dor finds himself in current day NYC to meet Victor, a wealthy businessman dying of cancer and Sarah, an unpopular high school student who has recently suffered a public humiliation. Victor and Sarah must both learn to honor and appreciate the time they are given.

Reaction:
The first Mitch Albom book I read (Tuesdays with Morrie) was a surprise to me: how could this sportscaster write so beautifully about relationships? (I guess there’s a lesson there in typecasting?) I’ve read most (all?) of Albom’s subsequent books and haven’t been disappointed in his narratives. I enjoy his imagination—the story of Father Time?! Who could come up with something plausible? But then Albom elevates the story by adding a moral that doesn’t come off as preachy: appreciate the time you have.

I tend to devour Albom’s books, though I try to savor them. They’re quick to read with short chapters (“Just one more chapter, then I’ll stop reading.” Is that familiar to anyone else?). And the story just moves along pleasantly so that I want to know what happens next. If you’re looking for a quick but thought-provoking book, this could be the one!

How often is “time” on your mind? Have you ever been surprised by an author’s second occupation?

1 comment:

  1. This sounds really interesting and I'm intrigued to find out how it is made plausible. Time (and how fast it passes) is on my mind too much!

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