The best books to contemplate for a time

Chronicling the early days of the Dutch presence in Manhattan, New York, the book is full of rich stories from the earliest days of the colony; encounters with wildlife, Indians, and other Europeans. I have read this book three times, captivated by the multi-ethnic beginnings of New York, a characteristic that defines the city even today. Tidbits like how facets of the Dutch language have been incorporated into English, such as the words “boss,” “cole slaw,” and “cookie.” The orange colour in the New York Mets uniform is an homage to Dutch heritage. What if the Dutch had been able to repel the British invaders? Would we all be speaking Dutch? Don’t wooden shoes cause blisters? But take off those shoes, put your feet up and read, an excellent read.

As an author, my genre is historical fiction and, presently, time travel, with a side-trip to steampunk. This classic novella is the quintessential time travel tale from the grandfather of science fiction itself and steampunk. As in my books, a young chrononaut (time traveller) travels through time. Unlike my books, this chrononaut travels into the future, not the past, and comes across a dwindling planet inhabited by two strange species, evolved from humanity. A quick read that leaves you wanting more trips on the steampunk time machine.

I am an ex-railroader. During my university days, I worked as both a sectionman (repairing and maintaining a section of track) and a brakeman (riding “shotgun” and calling signals in the lead unit with the engineer). I also worked as a patrolman, operating a “speeder” in front of and behind a train. In front, I was looking for rocks and trees that might fall on the tracks. Following a train, my job was to put out any fires that may start as a result of sparks flying from heated brake pads. So, the classic story of the building of the trans-Canada railroad is appealing to me. The characters that were involved at the time – Sir John A. McDonald, Louis Riel, William Van Horne, and Sir Sandford Fleming – were Alpha personalities that were usually on a collision course. A classic piece of Canadiana, enjoyable for anyone. They even made a movie – a miniseries – about it in the early 1970s.

The first in a series, Pillars sets the stage for subsequent Follett masterpieces. I devoured this huge page-turner in no time at all. The graphic violence of the time contrasts its tender love-making. I shared Tom Builder’s angst when he returns to find his abandoned baby gone. Follett seems to be a wanna-be architect as he describes in glorious detail 12th Century churches and buildings. As a budding author, I learned a lot reading this book and its sequels. I’m still learning.

I write about time; the ticking of the clock and the passage through it. But when thinking about time zones and what time it is here or there, I still have to rely on imagining the sun at noon, here at home, and where in the sky that sun would be in the place in question. Time, the fourth dimension, is a confusing concept! While this book may shed some light on that concept, it asks more questions; about circadian rhythms, global regulation of time, and time as a social, and thus temporary, function. Not an easy read, Why Time Flies may take you some to complete, but it is worth the effort.