11/22/63 by Stephen King

Stephen King is one of my favorite authors--he never fails to entertain me with his page turners. Normally he writes horror and as I'm turning the pages, unable to put the books down, my hair is standing on end. 11/22/63 isn't horror--unless you count Kennedy's assassination, how the simple things you do can affect the future and the general hateful ignorance of some people. This was a time travel book and he really pulled it off!

Jake Epping is a caring English teacher recovering from an unpleasant divorce. Al, owner of a diner, has decided that Jake fits his bill nicely and takes him into his confidence. Al's become mysteriously very ill and asks Jake to meet him at the diner. He has some kind of wormhole in the back that takes you back to the same September day in 1958 every time you use it. Jake of course is very skeptical so Al has him give it a shot.

Jake comes back amazed and even more curious. Why is Al telling him all this? It turns out there's a method to Al's madness. He's been time travelling in an attempt to stop the assassination of President Kennedy. The problem is, he's become seriously ill with cancer and can no longer pursue his goal. Enter Jake, a single man with no children and no real attachments.

The whole thing seems so crazy and yet Jake is drawn to the idea. Maybe if Kennedy had lived, we wouldn't have suffered such terrible events as more assassinations, the war in Viet Nam, and the near depression. Jake decides it's worth a try.

Will he succeed? Time resists change. It might not be so easy to change things. If he succeeds, what happens to the country as a result of President Kennedy surviving the assassination attempt by Lee Harvey Oswald? What changes occur just because Jake is wandering around in the past? What happens if love comes along to complicate things?

Read to find out. You won't regret it and will enjoy the ride back in time!