Published by Scribner on November 8th, 2011
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 866
Format: eBook
Source: My Kindle
Goodreads
On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force.
Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment—a real life moment—when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.
Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.
Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life – a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.
A tribute to a simpler era and a devastating exercise in escalating suspense, 11/22/63 is Stephen King at his epic best.
Synopsis: Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk.
Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination. So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.
“That is the curse of the reading class – We can be seduced by a good story even at the least opportune moments.”
Since the first publication of 11/22/63 in 2011, there has been written numerous reviews and comments on this exceptionally well crafted novel by Stephen King. I am most definitely not an expert on the works of Stephen King (I’ve only “discovered” the King in my 30’s), but to me – this is his best novel (my frame of reference is not very big, please feel free to correct me!). Therefore, I am not going to add to the number of reviews – I will much rather give you 10 reasons why you really should read this book:
1. It’s a new spin on an old history lesson
You must really live under a rock not to be aware of the assassination of JFK or even the whole Kennedy Dynasty. I’m also quite sure that more South Africans know the name Lee Harvey Oswald than they know the name Dimitri Tsafendas (the guy who assassinated South African Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd in 1966 – Verwoerd assassination).
2. It’s infinitely Google-able
Yes, I am aware that ‘Google-able’ is not a word. Although it ought to be one. Somethings are just so ‘Google-able’. You can Google for all eternity on events; people; places; cars; towns; music; fashion etc as depicted in 11/22/63.
Seconds from disaster |
3. It’s time-travelling at it’s best
We live in a bookish era of Time-travelling. It is an increasingly popular genre and we all love being ‘transported’ to another time and era. Stephen King’s “Land of Ago” is a tribute to a simpler era. The air was fresher, the food tasted better, ‘trust’ was a way of living and not a bunch of assets. While reading this book, I felt part of the 1960’s and loved it.
4. You get stuck in the Story
5. You can use it as a doorstop
Thankfully I was reading this novel in Kindle format and didn’t have to travel with the paperback/hardcover. At a whopping 849 pages the printed novel would have filled-up my suitcase like the story filled-up my senses. But please don’t let the large page count dissuade you. I wouldn’t have minded if it was even longer. Just go and buy the book, if you don’t also get obsessed with the story – you can use it as a doorstop. No harm done.
6. It’s the perfect novel for the indecisive reader
Don’t know what you feel like reading next? Historical novel, romance, horror, time-travel, science fiction….?? Then don’t look any further! This is the novel for you. At 849 pages, you only need to buy or borrow and pack this novel for your summer vacation.
7. It is written by the King of all weirdly talk-able things
8. It lets sleeping dogs lie
“The past fought change because it was destructive to the future.”
I’ve rewinded the following clip a thousand or more times back in the good old days of VCR’s and Will & Grace and Cher. “If (only) I could turn back time, If (only) I could find a way….”
9. The TV Mini-Series isn’t bad at all (but read the book first)
10. James Franco
[…] through her older reviews in order to update them to this site. She came across her review for 11/22/63 by Stephen King. It reminded her that we still have the following book on our bookshelf and we’ve been meaning […]
I like that term – Google-able book. This was one I wish I had bought on Kindle but my favorite used book store had it for on;y $6. Hardcover. Big, fat time to drag around!
I like your review and this was a good book,I am always recommending it.
I love Google-able! Yea – you have the best doorstop in the world!
I know right? Thanks for visiting and I'm so happy to meet a kindred spirit!
I have gifted 11/22/63 to more people than I can count and I recommend it to pretty much everyone I meet. Even if you didn't grow-up in that time there is something relatable about the book, which sounds odd considering the subject matter. Anyway, I could not agree with your reasons more, particularly the first four and besides, who doesn't love a Google-able book?