Mitch Albom has a very specific voice and tone to his books. Usually I find that if I like a book by an author I like almost all of them. I can't say that about Albom's books. I either like them or I do not. I have a feeling that some of it has to do with the mood that I'm in, so I make sure I'm in the right mindset when taking on a Mitch Albom book.
The stories I've encountered thus far are not long and are fairly quick reads as a result. While the books are short, the content tends to be more profound. I have not read a Mitch Albom book that did not make me think. I often ponder the points in the book...even when a large amount of time has passed. Mitch Albom, whether I like the storyline or not, tends to stick with me. The Time Keeper is no exception to this rule.
The story is set in a much older time and in more modern times. It's not hard to follow the time hops. A man invents a rudimentary clock and tries to measure time. As punishment he becomes Father time and can only be set free if he learns the true meaning of time, as well as helps two other people realize this meaning. Of course, the two people he has to help are at opposite ends of the spectrum. One has too much time while the other not enough. How each person approaches the concept of time and what they do with their time is an interesting perspective. I feel this perspective is interesting because we tend to be singularly and internally focused. We might not think about what a concept we view in a certain light might mean to someone else. It gives a whole new meaning to, 'walk a mile in my shoes.'
The 'butterfly effect' of what Father Time started when trying to measure time was my favorite part of the book. I got to thinking, what if no one ever thought to measure time? What would our world be like today? The society I live in tends to be very driven by time and limits associated with it. How would the lack of that means of measurement change our society? Then I started to think about how the concept of time is different depending on what region you live in. The United States tends to be very time driven. However, things are slower in certain regions of the U.S. So even though we now have a unit of measurement for time, how we interpret and utilize it is dependent upon the region and the individual.
This brings us full circle. Both of the people Father Time is supposed to help have the same amount of time, as we all have 24 hours in a day, yet their interpretation of time is quite different. And both of their appreciation of, or lack of, time is different from Father Time's as well. I like that you can define something for me but how I implement the issue will be based on my interpretation and character. Does that make it incorrect?
If you want to think a little bit and get lost in a quick "historical" trip I would recommend this book.
Happy reading!!
Judi
