In the mid 1950s, Jack Finney released his classic time travel novel “Time and Again.” This historical novel follows the story of Si Morley, a middle-aged protagonist from New York City in the 1970s. Si is recruited into “Project Retrograde,” a secretive government experiment which promises to transport him back to the 19th century. Si, who eagerly volunteered for the project for financial reasons, soon discovers the dangers of time travel that he had not anticipated.
The book begins with Si being called in to the mysterious “Project Retrograde” which is being funded by a mysterious benefactor. The team of scientists that head the project have discovered a way to transport someone back in time through an elaborate environmental and psychological system set up in their secret New York apartment. Si is eager to be chosen for the project and decides to partake.
Si's journey takes him back to New York City in 1882 where he discovers a contemporary city very much different from the one he had left. No cars honk, the streets are remarkably quite, and the shops are full of posh merchandise. Si is able to move aroundNew York anonymously, but feels he is being watched.
Although Si Morley enjoys his time in the past, he soon learns of the true purpose of his mission. Some mysterious force is deliberately tampering with history, and it is up to Si to figure out who is responsible and how to prevent it. Along his journey, Si meets a variety of historical figures including Oscar Wilde, Thomas Edison, Walt Whitman, Theodore Dreiser, and Juliette Low. These figures both guide Si in his mission and help bring the past to life.
Si eventually discovers that his mission is to stop a mysterious force that is trying to manipulate the future and prevent a great change from happening. Ultimately, Si succeeds in his mission and returns to the present day. As he says goodbye to the past, he realizes that even though his time traveling experience has made him the odd man out in his own time, the friends he made in the past live on and enhance his modern life.
Time and Again is an adventurous and witty novel with an engaging plot and colorful characters. Jack Finney’s vivid storytelling brings the 19th century alive and immerses readers in an unforgettable adventure. In addition to Si’s thrilling mission, the novel also contains a fair amount of historical detail about the people and places of that era. The book’s end result is a compelling read with an engaging story.
