How to Stop Time: Matt Haig

I've previously read a few books by this author - love some of them and really like the others. This one had passed by me though and I picked it up now having recently read The Midnight Library (not my favourite but loved the premise). This book was first published in 2017.The book is 325 pages in 5 parts, each containing multiple chapters which jump about in time, always going back from the present day.I've read several books that have time travel at their core and structure/rules are always the key to their success. Matt Haig manages these impossibilities very strongly and I quickly forgot that this was not a reality.On starting the book, I did get the feeling that I had read it before although definitely hadn't which was very strange. I decided that, as I had had a recommendation, the details of the description from my friend had stuck in my head.The structure is really clear and I was swept along with the fantasy, never questioning the many difficult practical details.Extreme longevity is a very clever way to explore loneliness and that is a recurring theme that runs through all of the book. Tom, the main character and narrator, looks into his own soul, considering how to best live his life. The limits on his existence are constraining and he struggles to deal with their effects, meaning he continually analyses his actions in his attempts to "stop time".I was absorbed into Tom's world easily and completely believed the dilemmas that he faced, understanding how he tried to solve them.Various periods in past are visited and they are addressed in a way that is very natural. The detail is subtle with the descriptions never threatening to take away focus from the characters and the plot.Whilst the narrative jumps around in time frequently, we are always in Tom's head and the book is written in such a smooth style that is never jarring.Amongst all the life lessons that Tom considers there is plenty to be considered by those reading the book as well.This book is entertaining, emotional and thought provoking. I felt that I had learnt a lot about Tom by the end and thoroughly enjoyed sharing his journey of realisation.

So, I heard about this book on BBC Radio Two. The premise of it attracted me. People living for perhaps a millennium! Not a new idea (read the bible for long lived individuals) but all the same fascinating. The central character, a man born in the middle ages who falls in love, but doesn't seemingly age once he has reached adulthood. He falls in love and, as they say the course of love is never...Obviously he outlives his wife and he live his life through different times, having to move every so often as people are on the verge of realising he isn't ageing. He gets in scrapes, meets historical characters along the way and becomes involved in a secret society that aids people like him. But there, not all is as it seems. He has a daughter and she is also an Alba (long lived person, named after the albatross) and he wants to find her.Anyway, enough of the story. Except to say it's the story here that captures your interest. You do become involved in the plot and the central character and there's certainly a pull for the reader to discover the eventual outcome. It is, indeed, a good read.But is it perfect? Not really. There are a number of areas I would point to there. As our intrepid hero lives through the centuries, he meets historical characters, fairly improbably I thought sometimes. I have to say it reminded me a bit of Forest Gump meeting the presidents. The storyline jumps from the present to previous centuries too. Probably a necessary tool to tell this story, but at each jump, there's the risk of losing the reader's interest and having to engage again. The story, at times descends in to reflective mode and interest can wane there too. But I didn't find this terminal. Actually, in perspective, I think I'm nit-picking about what I found to be in the end, a good, engaging book.Freddie Mercury once sang "Who Wants To Live Forever?" No doubt whilst painfully aware of his own mortality. Who was he kidding? Despite the problems illustrated in this book, I'd give it a go. As, indeed, you should give reading this book a go.

Tender and true, a truly unique book, this is one of the finest insights to the human condition you will ever read. It is love story, reflection on life and the living of it, thriller and family saga, all in one. The characters leap off the page - even the emotionally damaged dog - and the central character. Tom Hazard, is someone who will live in the memory for a long time.For Tom was born 439 years ago, having a condition that means he ages very slowly. He has to change his identity and home every eight years so no-one recognises that he is not ageing and changing like everyone around him and that he is special, different, unusual; a lonely, long and detached life that is destroying his soul. So he decides to stop the madness, and be ordinary. He becomes a role he is best suited for - a history teacher. But in Tower Hamlets, where he meets a French teacher and life becomes even more complex.This is a book you want to read quickly because it is so gripping and absorbing, yet delicate, moving, delightful....but also a book you want to read slowly because it is so heartfelt and populated with such true and human characters.The answer is to read on to the last page, go away for a quick blub....and then start again at the beginning. .This is Matt Haig;s gift. To bring the world to the individual, see the sublime in the sensible, the immortal in the everyday.Oh, this is such a wonderful book! Buy it, read it, learn wisdom, tell the world.I eagerly await the film to be made by SunnyMarch, and the insight and wisdom Benedict Cumberbatch will uniquely bring to this unique book as Tom.. ,

Wow! Wow! Wow!If ever a book deserved 5 stars it's this one. I devoured this book and struggled to tear myself away from it but the kids needed feeding, the boyfriend needs attention & I suppose I had to sleep 😒This book was so well written that I had to keep reminding myself I was reading a work of fiction and not an autobiography. I got completely caught up in Tom and his story. The author effortlessly took the story from present day to varying times in Tom's life but it never felt confusing or strange. You totally believed it.The voice and atmosphere of each point in history was captured vividly and I could really see Tom there doing those things. Those little details, minute touches of information about things that actually happened, made it all the more real.I loved this book so much I was genuinely sad for it to end. I could've kept reading about Tom's life for much longer. This is one of those rare books that changes your perception, makes you think about life in a different and stays with you long after you've read it. I know this is a book I'll read many times over.

As its cheeky title suggests, this is not a novel that takes itself too seriously. The prose and structure are both simple and beautiful. The characterisation is sophisticated and economical, the pace well-measured throughout. It’s a page turner from from beginning to end. A great one if you fancy something from the more literary end of science fiction. As could be expected of a story about a man who lives on and on as his loved ones die, there is an underlying Sartre-esque despair to the narrative, which is played with ironically by the inclusion of a French teacher as the love interest. Haig’s novel is thoroughly British, however: self-doubt, subtle irony, Shakespeare, Tudor cottages, scenes of deprivation and poverty...Sounds like Python doesn’t it. And despite its somewhat heavyweight themes there is an edge of farcical satire. It all works, and is at times very funny. This is the second time I've read it and will most likely be coming back again, so I obviously like it. Why the missing star, then? There is a lack of tension and grit. It's somewhere between a novel and a self-help book. But that's OK if you're in the right mood and ultimately How to Stop Time is an excellent read. Recommended to lovers, grievers and time obsessives.

As an initial disclaimer - I gave up on this book at around the half way point. I know many people think this means I shouldn't write a review - and maybe they're right - but I think the fact that this hadn't engaged me by the half way point says something.Parts I liked:First - the good stuff. The historical sections were really interesting and opened up worlds I didn't know about; the part about the witch hunts and his mother were especially haunting and engaging. The premise is interesting and novel, almost like time-travel but without the narrative problems often encountered in time travel stories. It's an effective but simple concept that really makes you want to read it to find out what happens. Some of the writing is very beautiful and touching and there were parts which genuinely moved me - I found the part towards the beginning where Rose dies really heartbreaking.The not so much parts:Despite the good points, I often found it a chore to read. I can't really put my finger on exactly why - I just didn't really care about most of the characters (aside from what I've mentioned above). The main character in particular is exceptionally whiny. The premise is a good one but I don't think it has been executed in a very engaging way. I find with Matt Haig's writing I am often very aware of the authorial voice, which slips into ponderous/pretentious at numerous points. He is determined to tell the reader how to approach life, and he does this in quite a clunky way. Some of the lines are clearly meant to be breathtaking "oh I never thought of it like that" type lines, but I think this just takes the reader out of the story. All these added up to me giving up on the book - not really deliberately, but I just picked it up more and more infrequently and found it a chore whenever I did so, until eventually I just stopped picking it up. I like Matt Haig and I like some of his other books (in particular "Reasons to Stay Alive" which is wonderful). This just didn't do it for me, sorry.

Well I can honestly say that I loved this book. Matt Haig has written a great story with a theme that fascinated me and a telling that captured every emotion.Tom’s secret is that he has been alive for centuries; he ages very slowly. He hides this having learnt a long time ago the dangers of revealing his condition, which to him is a curse. He reinvents himself over and over again as the decades pass, as his reflection in the mirror stays the same.This book is about time, and how it can overwhelm and terrify but is also a thing we pursue. Its other major theme is love and how we cope losing those we love. Tom is fearful of engaging with the world, with life, but he knows he is not truly living until he can find the courage to feel again.This is my favourite book of 2017 so far, so thought provoking I can’t get it out of my head! A real flash of brilliance. It has shades of Geraldine Brooks, part historical, part modern day. Haig manages to bring the past to life giving time a tangible, stretchy feel. From the witch trials of 1600’s to the the secret organizations this book appealed to me in every way. A big 5 stars!

Matt Haig's 'How To Stop Time' is the kind of story that comes along once in a blue moon. This is a lovely piece of creation that reminded me how wonderful, humorous and versatile some books can be, A book that simply begins and evolves throughout into the kind of book that gives so much, it's simply wonderful on every level.This is not so much of a review but praise for the style and intelligence and kindness of style that Matt Haig writes with. He has enthusiasm and compassion as a writer that illuminates with every sentence. This is the kind of novel that harbours a very cool idea and delivers it in such a manner that it left this reader speechless.Pretty much, this is timeless and the sort of book you would love people of all ages to read. I found myself not wanting the story of Tom Hazard to end and would have given it 6 stars or even more if I could. Do yourself a favour and get a copy, knowing that it's the work of a truly breath-taking writer. Highly recommended.

Esta novela me llamó la atención por el título (todo lo que tiene que ver con el tiempo me mueve mucho, para bien y para no tan bien), además ya había leído otra novela del autor, por lo que supuse que esta me gustaría. Y sí. ✨🤩 Fue un libro propuesto para el BookClub 📕 pero definitivamente el estilo y los temas del autor, me gustan mucho.En resumen, esta historia va de un hombre de 400 años de edad que vive y existe a través del tiempo, se mueve cuidando no revelar su verdadera identidad pues tiene esta condición de "envejecer" de una forma muy distinta, a su ritmo. En el libro te cuenta de sus múltiples vidas, de las personas célebres a quienes conoce como Shakespeare o Fitzgerald, de su primer amor, y hasta de un segundo amor a quien conoce en el presente, porque a sus 400 años decide ser maestro de historia. La aventura va de contar todas sus "vidas" y la incansable búqueda de Marion (su hija perdida en el tiempo).El protagonista vive con "miedo", huyendo de sí mismo, de cuidar que no descubran su condición, y evita crear vínculos y disfrutar el aquí y ahora. Porque ya vio a su gran amor morir, a su familia y a personas a las que quiso y admiró. Porque saber que las personas a su alrededor son temporales, es doloroso. ❤️‍🩹Te lleva a preguntarte si vale la pena preocuparse por los demás y por el futuro, o por qué creemos que los otros están tan al pendiente de cómo vivimos o de lo que hacemos, o si un segundo de amor y conexión real vale la pena comparado con toda una vida de esconderse y huir de tu pasado, de quien eres, de tus sentimientos o de la realidad. Pasamos mucho tiempo pensando en lo que será o podría ser, en vez de enfocarnos en el presente, que es el único lugar en el que estamos viviendo y del cuál podemos tener certeza. 🤍Love is where you find the meaning. 🫶🏻

First book I’ve read by this author. Beautifully written! Did not want it to end. It stays with you long after you finish reading it.

A hugely enjoyable read,its a captivating book you will not be able to put down.A love story across the ages and for the ages about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to learn how to live...Nothing can beat thisastounding love story that lasts 400 years...Matt Haig takes on this challenge with gusto in How to Stop Time.This novel is a bighearted, wildly original story about losing and finding yourself, the inevitability of change, and how with enough time to learn, we just might find happiness, Matt has been gifted with a rare ability, which is to make even the ridiculously far fetched seem so believable.The story is about Tom Hazard who has a dangerous secret. He may look like an ordinary 41year old, but owing to a rare condition, he’s been alive for centuries.For every 13 or 14 human years, he ages one year. But far from bringing him godlike pleasure, his condition places him at a mournful distance from the rest of humanity, doomed to see everyone he loves age and die.Tom Hazard serves as an excellent guide to the most recent 400-odd years of human history.Haig writes with a great deal of panache, and it’s clear that he’s having a lot of fun with his story.Tom has lived history performing with Shakespeare, exploring the high seas with Captain Cook, and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald. Now, he just wants an ordinary life.So Tom moves back his to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher,the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city’s history first hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: Never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behavior of the Society’s watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can’t have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past, or finally begin living in the present.The idea of a character who lives for centuries, finding himself in the right place at the right time to interact with significant historical figures, has been used to examine the notion of time itself and our relationship to it, the fear of ageing, of death and, occasionally, the problems associated with not dying at all.the most interesting element of the book, however, is the philosophical one that Tom asks of himself: What is the point of living when you have no one to live for? As his loneliness continues, only the possibility of a relationship with another teacher and his search for his daughter keep him going, and when it seems that both will end in failure it’s easy to understand why he, to employ one of Haig’s earlier titles, might run out of reasons to stay alive.How to Stop Time is a worthy addition to the time travel canon,hugely entertaining,quietly funny and,at its best moments, contemplative and brooding.

I went on a binge and read all of his books because the first one got me in. I wasn’t disappointed. This man has a way that’s easy to read while being very insightful and enlightening. I simply didn’t want it to end!This story has everything I love in a good read. Great characters, interesting setting, fantastic story line, unpredictable. And his insights into people are worthy of a book on their own. He never waffles on, in fact there’s some, actually many, one sentence lines that are so amazing I had to stop and let them sink in for quite some time so I wouldn’t loose their intense meaning, their simplistic beauty. He’s a very clever writer and now up there on my favourites list.

“Midnight Library” yi almıştım fena değildi, o yüzden bunu aldım. Dili çok sade akıcı, bilinmeyen kelimeye pek rastlamıyorsunuz. “Midnight Library” den daha zengin geldi bana, yolculukta okumak için alıyorum. Tek şikayetim; kitabın kağıt kalitesi 3.hamur ama fiyatı birinci sınıf (çok pahalı)