I have an addiction to audiobooks, and difficulty saying “no” for Stephen King. My former roommate and youth ministry guru Trevor Harrison turned me on to 11.22.63.
The book asks the question “if you could change the future, would you?” The main character, Jake Epping, finds a Narnia-esque wormhole that takes him to 1959. His hope is that by killing Lee Harvey Oswald he can prevent the race riots, Vietnam, and the subsequent assassination of RFK and MLK. The story may be nothing new to sci-fi fans, but it’s the narration and the setting that make the book a fun read.
Jake Epping is a (like usual) a stand-in for King himself, the man he would have been if he’d kept teaching high school and never wrote Carrie. This allows him to make unnecessary, but fun references to literature and AA. Much of the book is reminiscences on “the good old days” of the 50s, with cigarette smoke, modest dress and talk and richer flavors in the foods.
Epping’s main opponent isn’t Oswald, but the past itself, which is “obdurate” and doesn’t want to change. He is side tracked by those who wish him harm and those who come to love him. As he continues toward his goal, he is most derailed by developing a meaningful life. This is probably King’s point: what price are you willing to pay to achieve your goals?
Exciting side note: it appears that J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot are working on a film adaptation.
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