I’ve read other books that deeply resemble the summary of The Day Tripper by James Goodhand. Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger both closely resemble this novel. At least on the surface. What new wrinkle could James Goodhand deliver to set his book apart from the others? Reviews from the trade magazines gave this novel high marks. I was excited to get into this book. Show me, Mr. Goodhand, what you’ve got.
Nathaniel Philbrick seems to get a lot of reviews in this Presidential Reading Project, with both good reasons and not so good reasons. Philbrick is a historian who tends to write a lot of books, mostly in a folksy, easy way. That’s the good and the bad in a nutshell. His book, Valiant Ambition is much like the last book review I wrote about Edward J. Lender’s book, Franklin and Washington. It is less a biography of George Washington and more a companion piece to get more into the nitty gritty of one particular event in Washington’s life.
Imagine being able to live forever. On the surface it seems like it would be a great idea. You would never die, and the world could be your oyster. Who knows what the possibilities could be. They’d be nearly endless. On the other hand, how would you love and live? Your significant others would age and die while your life marched on. The same would happen with your friends. Immortality could be very lonely. Maybe finding the love of your life could help you live out your days and end the curse of living forever. That could be the magic of true love.