7. The Time Keeper, Mitch Albom

If you have ever read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho, then you are sure to love “The Time Keeper” by Mitch Albom. To me, the two novels are strikingly similar. Both are written in a simple language about big notions such as destiny and time. It was also the prefect book to read after “Tinkers” by Paul Harding which also deals a lot with the idea of time. This was definitely an easy read and a book you can finish in one night.

The story starts off with the introduction of the inventor of the world’s first clock. He is a young boy names Dor who is hopelessly in love with a girl called Allie. He ends up marrying her, however instead of spending time with his wife he is fascinated by numbering tings and eventually inventing the clock. Dor is punished for trying to measure time and soon he is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more years for themselves.  Finally, after centuries of misery and with his soul nearly broken, Dor is granted his freedom, along with a mission. He gets a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

This doesn’t prove to be easy since a lot of time has one by and humans have become dominated counting time and trying to make it go faster and slower. His journey begins with two unlikely people. One is a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. In order to  save himself, Dor must save them both.

Albom creates an unforgettable story that inspired me to further contemplate the idea of time. It is a big concept to grasp so I think about how most of my days are spent. I realize how the tick tock of the clock drives most of my actions and how imprisoned this thought makes me feel. To be free seems to only be possible if we forget about the notion of time. How can we do that? Maybe on a vacation or for a day, but for longer…it doesn’t seem possible. Time is a scary thing. Either way, “The Time Keeper” is a book I would recommend. It makes me curious about the other books Albom has written. Has anyone read any of them? If so, please let me know which ones you would recommend.

“We all yearn for what we have lost. But sometimes, we forget what we have.” 
― Mitch Albom, The Time Keeper