Why people recommend it
Time and Again by Jack Finney is an imaginative and immersive time travel thriller that transports readers back into the rich historical atmosphere of old New York. Sarah Lyall featured the novel prominently on The Book Review podcast on August 5, 2026, while discussing the 50 best thrillers of the 21st century. During the broadcast, Lyall explained that she personally loves time travel thrillers because of the clever and intriguing ways such stories play with reality, human agency, and the profound consequences of what a person might choose to change. Because of these brilliant narrative mechanics, Lyall stated that she would always point people back to Jack Finney's classic work, emphasizing that the book carries the wonderful added benefit of being set in a vividly detailed historical New York. Her endorsement highlights the enduring fascination with speculative fiction that blends historical settings with alternate realities, proving that well-crafted plots questioning the nature of time and space continue to captivate contemporary readers and critics alike who appreciate intelligent pacing, atmospheric world-building, and meticulous attention to historical detail.
Who recommended it
- Sarah Lyall Recommended
Sarah Lyall — 2 mentions
“I love a time travel thriller because how it plays with reality and what you can change and and so I would always point people back to The Great Time and Again by Jack Finney, which has the benefit also of being set in old New York.”
“I love a time travel thriller because how it plays with reality and what you can change and and so I would always point people back to The Great Time and Again by Jack Finney, which has the benefit also of being set in old New York.”