Rating: 
Summary: Time to Read this Book
Review: A delightful dozen stories, each with a little twist. Jack Finney has a way of making time travel seem possible, and romantic. A perfect compact book to take on a plane trip, as it will keep you interested and entertained, and give you some things to think about as you are dropping off to sleep in your hotel. Might possibly want to read it again on the return trip!
Rating:
Summary: Time to Read this Book
Review: A delightful dozen stories, each with a little twist. Jack Finney has a way of making time travel seem possible, and romantic. A perfect compact book to take on a plane trip, as it will keep you interested and entertained, and give you some things to think about as you are dropping off to sleep in your hotel. Might possibly want to read it again on the return trip!
Rating: 
Summary: Fun read but a little disappointing
Review: After reading "Time and Again", From Time to Time", and "Forgotten News" I was little disappointed with this book. What I love about Jack Finney is his rich and detailed descriptions of the past. The reader, in a sense, becomes the time traveler. These stories are more of a play on the time travel theme with little of the vivid detail and character that I found in the other books.That said, "About Time" is definitely a fun read. The stories reminded me of Twilight Zone episodes. "The Face in the Photo" in particular was my favorite where a detective finds his most "at-large" criminals in pictures and newsreels from the past.
Rating: 
Summary: Quiet, nice stories . . . and that's okay sometimes
Review: Finney is sort of the Clifford Simak of time travel, as best expressed in his classic novel, _Time and Again_. The shorter pieces in this volume originally appeared in _The Third Level_ and _I Love Galesburg in the Springtime,_ and have been reprinted many times elsewhere, as well, but they're still perfect reading for that warm summer Sunday afternoon in the hammock. The "furniture" in these stories -- the social commentary, the cultural backdrop of the 1950s -- may seem rather dated, but all of them share a wistfulness that transcends the period in which they were written. In "The Coin Collector" (also published as "The Woodrow Wilson Dime"), a man finds an odd bit of coinage in his pocket change, an artifact of a closely parallel world, in which he married a different girl and took a different job, and in which Mark Twain wrote another Huck Finn novel. He finds it all very exciting -- for a while. "Of Missing Persons" is about the opportunity to *really* get away from it all, and how to blow your only chance. "The Third Level" is about being able to catch a train back into a quieter, happier past. One definitely gets the impression that Finney would rather have been anywhere else than the mid-20th century -- a feeling most of us probably share from time to time, but we forget that the "Good Old Days" never really happened. So these stories might be considered naive -- but still, they're very pleasant reading.
Rating:
Summary: If you loved "Time and Again", you will love these stories
Review: I have read this book twice - so far. Some truly charming stories that, as was the case in the novel "Time and Again", encourage one to see the past with new eyes. I can honestly say that my perception of the past (and, consequently, the present) has been enriched by these stories. I especially loved the stories of the house that received a second chance, and of the car vintage car that gives its riders a second chance. I have recommended this book to many of my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Goosebumps
Review: If you are a fan of "The Twilight Zone" then Finney's stories might be right up your alley. His tales are wonderfully eerie and thought provoking. I'd say each story is between 5 -15 pages. Nice quick diversions. I read this book in one sitting non-stop and enjoyed every page.
Rating:
Summary: Goosebumps
Review: If you are a fan of "The Twilight Zone" then Finney's stories might be right up your alley. His tales are wonderfully eerie and thought provoking. I'd say each story is between 5 -15 pages. Nice quick diversions. I read this book in one sitting non-stop and enjoyed every page.
Rating:
Summary: 12 short stories from a master storyteller
Review: Jack Finney is a remarkably talented writer. He manages to balance whimsy and passion in a narrative voice that is authentically Everyman, and his descriptions are vivid and lush, whether he's depicting a character's apartment or a milieu in the past. You won't find many more talented writers in any genre, and the fact that he's writing time paradoxes only increases your pleasure. These 12 stories are a lot of fun. While I think Finney, writing circa 1950s, excelled in the novel(la) format because he could fully indulge his gift for description, these shorts are enjoyable because they make great reads when you have less time -- in more ways than one. These stories were originally collected in two anthologies: The Third Level (1957/1976) and I Love Galesburg in the Springtime (1962), though those collections may be difficult to find. All are great, but my favorites are: "Such Interesting Neighbors", about the rather strange Hellenbek family who lives next door; "Lunch-Hour Magic", about the lengths one will go to find love (or lust); "The Face in the Photo", about a novel escape for criminals; and "Of Missing Persons", about getting a second chance at Paradise. "The Third Level" is a classic that you may well have read in other anthologies, and "The Coin Collector" was later expanded into novella-length "The Woodrow Wilson Dime" -- a treatment most of these wonderful stories could sustain. The latter features a wonderful passage about books written by authors, including Mark Twain, who lived longer in the alternate reality in which the narrator finds himself. Each story ends with a twist that would roll off Rod Serling's tongue. If you enjoy time travel stories (though not hard sf), great storytelling or endings with a wink, this is a collection you must have. Finney is a marvel! Give yourself a treat!
Rating:
Summary: 12 short stories from a master storyteller
Review: Jack Finney is a remarkably talented writer. He manages to balance whimsy and passion in a narrative voice that is authentically Everyman, and his descriptions are vivid and lush, whether he's depicting a character's apartment or a milieu in the past. You won't find many more talented writers in any genre, and the fact that he's writing time paradoxes only increases your pleasure. These 12 stories are a lot of fun. While I think Finney, writing circa 1950s, excelled in the novel(la) format because he could fully indulge his gift for description, these shorts are enjoyable because they make great reads when you have less time -- in more ways than one. These stories were originally collected in two anthologies: The Third Level (1957/1976) and I Love Galesburg in the Springtime (1962), though those collections may be difficult to find. All are great, but my favorites are: "Such Interesting Neighbors", about the rather strange Hellenbek family who lives next door; "Lunch-Hour Magic", about the lengths one will go to find love (or lust); "The Face in the Photo", about a novel escape for criminals; and "Of Missing Persons", about getting a second chance at Paradise. "The Third Level" is a classic that you may well have read in other anthologies, and "The Coin Collector" was later expanded into novella-length "The Woodrow Wilson Dime" -- a treatment most of these wonderful stories could sustain. The latter features a wonderful passage about books written by authors, including Mark Twain, who lived longer in the alternate reality in which the narrator finds himself. Each story ends with a twist that would roll off Rod Serling's tongue. If you enjoy time travel stories (though not hard sf), great storytelling or endings with a wink, this is a collection you must have. Finney is a marvel! Give yourself a treat!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: Jack Finney's short stories on time and the characters that occupy it are a fascinating pleasure. Savor each one as the gift that it is, and take the journey through time. I couldn't put it down - and think of it often.
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