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40 Best Time Travel Books To Read Right Now (2024)

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Travel back in time with the best time travel books, including engrossing thrillers, romance, contemporary lit, and mind-bending sci-fi.

Table of Contents

Best Time Travel Books

Books about time travel promise to not only transport you across time periods and space – Doctor Who-style – but also tesser you into new dimensions and around the world. Most readers already know about classics like The Time Traveler’s Wife , A Christmas Carol , and The Time Machine .

For romance time travel, grab In A Holidaze or One Last Stop . For contemporary and new time travel books, Haig’s The Midnight Library and Serle’s In Five Years captivated our hearts and minds.

Recursion re-kindled our love for science fiction, and Ruby Red transported us to 18th-century London. Books like Displacement promise intuitive and raw commentary about generational trauma and racism in graphic novel form.

Below, find the best time travel novels across genres for adults and teens, including history, romance, classics, sci-fi, YA, and thrilling fiction. Get ready to travel in the blink of an eye, and be sure to let us know your favorites in the comments. Let’s get started!

Contemporary & Literary Fiction

If you enjoy contemporary and literary fiction filled with strong main characters, these are some of the best books in the time travel genre. Uncover new releases as well as books on the bestseller lists. Of course, we’ll share a few lesser-known gems too.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

Would your life change if you had one seemingly real dream or premonition? What if some key facts were missing but you had no idea? Can we change the future?

One of the best books about time travel and friendship, don’t skip In Five Years . In fact, we read this New York City-based novel in half a day. Have the tissue box ready.

Dannie nails an important job interview and is hoping to get engaged. Of course, this is all a part of her perfect 5-year plan. Dannie has arranged every minute of her life ever since her brother died in a drunk driving accident.

On the night of Dannie’s “scheduled” engagement, she falls asleep only to have a vision of herself 5 years into the future in the arms of another man. Did she just time travel or could this be a dream? When Dannie arrives back in 2020, her life goes back to normal. …That is until she meets the man from her dream.

We were expecting In Five Years to be a time travel romance story; however, this is a different type of love and one of the best books about strong friendships .

Read In Five Years : Amazon | Goodreads

Before the coffee gets cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Translated by Geoffrey Trousselot | We just love Japanese literature . One of the most debated time travel books among our readers – you’ll either love it or hate it – Before the coffee gets cold takes place at a cafe in Tokyo, Japan.

Along with coffee, this 140-year-old, back-alley cafe lets visitors travel back in time. Four visitors at the cafe are hoping to time travel to see someone for the last (or first) time. The way each patron views the cafe says a lot about them. The details and repetition are everything.

True to the title, visits may only last as long as it takes for the coffee to grow cold. If they don’t finish their coffee in time, there are ghostly consequences.

Before the coffee gets cold asks, who would you want to see one last time, and what issues you would confront?

Along with the many rules of time travel, these visitors are warned that the present will not change. Would you still travel back knowing this? Can something, anything, still change – even within you?

The story has a drop of humor with a beautiful message. We shed a tear or two. Discover even more terrific and thought-provoking Japanese fantasy novels here .

Read Before the coffee gets cold : Amazon | Goodreads

If you are looking for the most inspiring take on time travel in books, Haig’s The Midnight Library is it. This is one of those profound stories that make you think more deeply . TWs for pet death (early on) and suicide ideation.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

Imagine if you could see your other possible lives and fix your regrets. Would that path be better? Would these changes make you happier?

Set in Bedford, England, and at a library , Nora answers these questions as she intentionally overdoses on pills. Caught in the Midnight Library – a purgatory of sorts – Nora explores books filled with the ways her life could have turned out. She tries on these alternative lives, pursuing different dreams, marrying different people, and realizing that some parts of her root life were not as they seemed on the surface.

Find hope and simplicity in one of the most authentic and heaviest time travel novels on this list. Haig addresses mental health through a new lens that is both beautiful and moving.

With a team full of avid readers and librarians, discover our top selections featuring more books about books .

Read The Midnight Library : Amazon | Goodreads

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Some of the best time travel books are those with alternate realities, including The Two Lives of Lydia Bird . There are content warnings for prescription pill addiction and more.

Set in England, Lydia and Freddie are planning their marriage when the unthinkable happens. Freddie dies in a car accident on the way to Lydia’s birthday dinner. In a matter of seconds, Lydia’s world falls apart. She isn’t sure how she will survive. When Lydia starts taking magical pink sleeping pills, she enters an alternate universe where Freddie is alive and well.

Caught between her dream world and real life, Lydia must decide if she will give in to her addiction – living in a temporary fantasy world – or give it up completely.

While the repetitive and predictable plot drags a bit – slightly hurting the pacing – the overall story shows emotional growth and the nature of healing after loss. And, as Lydia soon learns via her dreams, no love is perfect. Maybe her future was destined to be different anyway, which is reminiscent of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library .

Read The Two Lives of Lydia Bird Jose Silver : Amazon | Goodreads

The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August by Claire North

If you are looking for more suspenseful books about time travel and like Groundhog Day , check out The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. However, this is not just one day on repeat; instead, this is a lifetime.

Harry August is repeatedly reborn into the same life, retaining his memories each time. No matter what Harry does or says, when he lands on his deathbed, he always returns back to his childhood, again and again. On the verge of his eleventh death, though, a girl changes the course of his life. He must use his accumulated wisdom to prevent catastrophe.

Read The First Fifteen Lives Of Harry August : Amazon | Goodreads

An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim

When it comes to time travel books, An Ocean of Minutes is one of the most original takes about time travel’s effects on alternate history.

Polly and Frank are deeply in love in 1981 when a pandemic devastates the planet. By the end of 1981, time travel (invented in this alternate reality in 1993) has been made available.

Because of this invention, individuals can sign on to work for the TimeRaiser corporation in order to escape or save their loved ones in the present. Due to a flaw in the technology, though, they can only transport people for 12 years. This prevents them from stopping the pandemic by just 6 months.

When Frank gets ill, Polly signs up, both agreeing they will meet back up in 1993. Now alone in the future, Polly has to learn to navigate a world she has less than zero preparation for. In this world, she is a time refugee, bonded to TimeRaiser without a physical cent to her name.

Lim uses the time travel mechanic to cleverly explore the subject of immigration, forcing the reader to follow Polly blindly into a world they should know, but don’t. This is what makes An Ocean of Minutes one of the most unique time travel novels on this reading list.

Read An Ocean of Minutes : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel In Science Fiction

For fantasy and sci-fi lovers, take a quantum leap into fictional worlds, quantum physics, possible futures, black holes, and endless possibilities. See if you can tell the difference between the real world and new dimensions.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

Recursion is one of our all-time favorite time travel books to gift to dads who love sci-fi. Can you tell what we gave our dad for Christmas one year?

In Recursion, no one actually physically time travels – well, sort of. Instead, memories become the time-traveling reality.

Detective Barry Sutton is investigating False Memory Syndrome. Neuroscientist Helena Smith might have the answers he needs. The disease drives people crazy – and to their deaths – by causing them to remember entire lives that aren’t theirs. Or are they!?

All goes to heck when the government gets its hands on this mind-blowing technology. Can Barry and Helena stop this endless loop?

Recursion is also a (2019) Goodreads Best Book for Science Fiction.

Read Recursion : Amazon | Goodreads

This Is How You Lose The War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar 

A Goodreads runner-up for one of the best science fiction novels (of 2019) – and one of the shortest time travel novels on this list – This Is How You Lose The Time War follows two warring time-traveling agents falling in love through a letter exchange.

Red and Blue have nothing in common except that they travel across time and space and are alone. Their growing and forbidden love is punishable by death and their agencies might be onto them.

In a somewhat beautiful yet bizarre story, we watch as Red and Blue slowly fall for each other and confess their love. They engage in playful banter and nicknames. Every shade of red and blue reminds them of each other.

The first half of the novel is a bit abstract. You might wonder what the heck you’ve gotten yourself into. However, once you get your feet planted firmly on the ground of the plot, the story picks up and starts making more sense.

We can’t promise you’ll love or even understand This Is How You Lose The Time War – we aren’t sure we do. However, this is truly one of the most unique sci-fi and LGBTQ+ time travel romance books on this reading list – written by two authors. Also, maybe crack out the dictionary…

Explore even more of the best LGBTQ+ fantasy books to read next.

Read This Is How You Lose The War : Amazon | Goodreads

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

A debut novel, All Our Wrong Todays is both a humorous and entertaining time travel book that speaks to how we become who we are.

In 2016, technology perfected the world for Tom Barren. However, we all know that perfection doesn’t equate to happiness. Barren has lost his girlfriend, and he just happens to own a time machine… Now, Barren has to decide if he wants to keep his new, manipulated future or if he just wants to go back home to his depressing but normal life.

Read All Our Wrong Todays : Amazon | Goodreads

Here And Now And Then by Mike Chen

Imagine getting trapped in time and starting over. That’s exactly what happens to IT worker, Kin Stewart, in one of the bestselling science fiction time travel books, Here And Now And Then .

Stewart has two lives since he is a displaced time-traveling agent stuck in San Francisco in the 1990s. He has a family that knows nothing about his past; or, should we say future. When a rescue team arrives to take him back, Stewart has to decide what he is willing to risk for his new family.

Here And Now And Then is a time travel book filled with emotional depth surrounding themes of bonds, identity, and sacrifice. Find even more books set in San Francisco, California (and more!).

Read Here And Now And Then : Amazon | Goodreads

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is one of the most unusual books about time travel out there.

Our protagonist Charles Yu lives in a world where time travel exists and is readily available to the average person. And yes, he is named after the author, and yes, it is as meta as it sounds; and yes, this is just the beginning of this speculative fiction time travel book.

Charles Yu’s day job is spent repairing time machines for Time Warner Time. But in his free time, he tries to help the people who use time travel to do so safely and to counsel them if things have gone wrong.

It’s no surprise that Charles’ entire life revolves around time travel since his father invented the technology many years ago. And then he disappeared. In fact, Charles is also trying to find out just what happened to his dad, and where – or when – he’s gone.

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe won’t be for everyone, but it’s one of the best time travel books if you want delightfully meta, fantastically non-linear, and very very weird.

Read How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe : Amazon | Goodreads

The Vanished Birds by Simon Jimenez

For beautiful, lyrical time travel novels about found family and love, The Vanished Birds is a must-read.

Nia Imani exists outside of time and space. She travels in and out of the world through a pocket of time with her space crew. They emerge to trade or sell goods every eight months. But eight months for them is 15 years for everyone else.

She has lived this way for hundreds of years. Though she has her crew, and there are people she shares connections with sporadically throughout their lives, she is lonely. And although she barely ages, she watches friends and lovers grow old and die.

One such person is Kaeda, who meets Nia for the first time when he is 7. The next time he sees her, he has aged 15 years, while she is only months older. She continues to come every 15 years of his life, always looking the same.

Then one day a mysterious, mute boy falls from the sky into Nia’s life. His name is Ahro, and there’s something extra special about him. Something that could revolutionize space travel forever. And now there might be people after Ahro who won’t love him the way Nia does.

If you love a character-driven book with exquisite prose – and a few time warps – this is one of the best time travel books for you.

Read The Vanished Birds : Amazon | Goodreads

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Night Watch is one of the most fun and thrilling books about time travel. It’s also a bit ridiculous and very very British.

Why can’t policing just be simple? All Sam Vimes wanted to do was capture and arrest a dangerous murderer. But thanks to those damned wizards and their experiments, he and the killer have both been accidentally thrown back in time thirty years.

And to top it off, the man who would have become a mentor to young Sam Vimes in the past has been killed in the process! How’s Vimes going to get this all sorted out?

The City Watch he’s spent years improving is just a bunch of semi-competent volunteers at this point. He’s got no money, no clothes, and no friends. But at least he’s making enemies fast. Can he catch the killer, stop history from not repeating itself, and get home to his family? Oh, and the city’s about to dissolve into civil war. Typical.

Night Watch is perfect if you prefer your time travel books to be fantasy-based.

P.S. There may be mild spoilers for previous books in the Discworld series, but this can be read as a standalone. And if you only ever read one Discworld novel, this is one of the best there is – and so far the only one of the Discworld books with time travel!

Read Night Watch : Amazon | Goodreads

The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitz

The Future of Another Timeline is one of the few time travel books to explore history through a feminist lens.

In 1992, Beth – a high school senior – and her friends Heather, Lizzy, and Soojin attend a riot grrl concert with Heather’s boyfriend Scott. But afterward, one of Scott’s not-so-funny sexist jokes gets out of hand and Lizzy accidentally kills him. Now they’re on the run, and the bodies just keep piling up.

Meanwhile, in 2022, Tess is part of a group of women and non-binary people working together to change history. They have the use of five time devices which only allow them to travel backward and back to the present day – but never forwards.

Beth and Tess come from two wildly different times (1992, and 2022, respectively). But, while Beth is busy making history, Tess is quite literally trying to change it. However, both of them want the same thing: a better world. When their worlds collide, will they be able to save each other – and the world?

The Future of Another Timeline is a time travel fiction celebration of feminism and queerness with lots of sci-fi and punk rock thrown in. This is one of the best time travel novels for those who enjoy stellar women making history .

Read The Future of Another Timeline : Amazon | Goodreads

The Kingdoms by Natasha Pulley

The Kingdoms is wildly imaginative and sure to enchant fans of time travel books, alternative history stories, and tales about parallel universes.

In 1898 Joe Tournier steps off a train and suddenly can’t remember anything that comes before that moment. The world he now finds himself in is as foreign to him as it is to us: an alternate history/reality where the UK lost the Battle of Trafalgar and is now a French colony.

In this world, the British are kept as slaves. Napoleon is a popular name for pets, and tartan is outlawed. Since Joe arrives on a train from Glasgow speaking English and wearing tartan, there is some speculation he might be from The Saints, a terrorist group based in Edinburgh fighting for freedom.

But all Joe remembers is the fading image of a woman and the name Madeline. Although he is identified by his owner and brought “home,” Joe is determined to find this Madeline. And his resolve is only strengthened when he receives a postcard signed ‘– M’ and dated 90 years in the past.

Discover even more books about Scottish culture, history, and everyday life.

Read The Kingdoms : Amazon | Goodreads

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

The Light Brigade is one of the best time travel stories for anyone who loves character-driven tales or books about war and conflict.

As war wages on Mars, the military has devised the perfect soldier to fight on the frontlines: being made of light. The Light Brigade, as they’re called back home, is made up of soldiers who have undergone a procedure that breaks them down into atoms capable of traveling at the speed of light. They are the perfect soldiers, but broken people.

The book follows one such soldier, Dietz, an eager new recruit who is experiencing battle out of sync with everyone else. Because of this, she – and we – see a different reality of the war than the one presented by the Corporate Corps. As Dietz becomes more and more unstuck in time, she becomes more and more unsure of her own sanity and the role she is playing in this war.

Read The Light Brigade : Amazon | Goodreads

The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way

You Look Like Death Volume 1 | Now a popular (and excellent) Netflix TV show, The Umbrella Academy is one of the best time travel books of all time.

One day, forty-seven children are suddenly and inexplicably born to women who were not previously pregnant. Eccentric millionaire Reginald Hargreeves goes around the world buying as many of the surviving children as he possibly can. He is able to get seven.

These children, it turns out, all have superpowers (except, it seems, for the unremarkable Number Seven aka Vanya). They become the crime-fighting group: The Umbrella Academy.

Fast forward several years, and Number Five, whose special power is that he can travel in time a few seconds or minutes per go, has mysteriously appeared after Hargreeves dies. And now he brings warning of an apocalypse – one which he insists none of his siblings will survive.

The Umbrella Academy series currently has three volumes, all packed with tales of time travel, parallel worlds, family drama, and lots of epic battles. We’ve absolutely loved this time travel book series so far; we can’t wait to see what Gerard Way does with future installments.

Discover even more great books with music, musicians, and bands.

Read The Umbrella Academy : Amazon | Goodreads

Historical Fiction

Travel back in time to witness wars and history. See what happens if you try to rewrite the future. Many of these historical fiction books with time travel promise to teach you more.

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton

We have a plethora of Agatha Christie fans amongst our Uncorked Readers , and Turton’s The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evenlyn Hardcastle is inspired by Christie.

Similar to Levithan’s Every Day , each day, Aiden wakes up in a different body from the guests of the Blackheath Manor. Trapped in a time loop, Aiden must solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder to escape. In the process, he navigates the tangled web of secrets, lies, and interconnected lives of the guests. Can he identify the killer and break the cycle?

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle is an award-winning historical thriller and one of the best time travel novels if you enjoy Downton Abbey and Groundhog’s Day . Discover even more great books set at hotels, mansions, and more.

Read The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle : Amazon | Goodreads

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Travel back in time to Scotland in one of the most well-known time travel book series (and now TV series) of all time. Outlander is a part of pop culture. A New York Times bestseller and one of the top 10 most loved books according to The Great America Read, get ready to enter Scotland in 1743.

Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, walks through an ancient circle of stones and is transported into a world of love, death, and war. This is a place of political intrigue, clan conflicts, and romantic entanglements. Claire must navigate the unfamiliar landscape while grappling with her feelings for the dashing Jamie Fraser.

Encounter even more cult-classic books from the ’90s like A Game Of Thrones , which is perfect for fantasy map lovers .

Read Outlander : Amazon | Goodreads

11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King

Written by bestselling author, Stephen King, 11/22/63 is one of the best award-winning time travel books for historical fiction lovers. Set in 1963 when President Kennedy is shot, 11/22/63 begs the question: what if you could go back in time and change history?

Enter Jake Epping in Lisbon Falls, Maine.  Epping asks his students to write about a time that altered the course of their lives. Inspired by one of those haunting essays, Epping enlists to prevent Kennedy’s assassination.  How is this time travel possible? With the discovery of a time portal in a local diner’s storeroom…

11/22/63 is one of the most thrilling and realistic books about time travel, according to both critics and readers.

Read 11/22/63 : Amazon | Goodreads

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

If you are looking for historical fiction novels about time travel that address slavery and racism, be sure to check out Butler’s Kindred. This is also one of the best books published in the 1970s .

One minute Dana is celebrating her birthday in modern-day California. The next, she finds herself in the Antebellum South on a Pre-Civil War Maryland plantation. Dana is expected to save the plantation owner’s son from drowning. Each time Dana finds herself back in this time period as well as the slave quarters, her stays grow longer and longer as well as more dangerous.

Examine the haunting legacy and trauma of slavery across time. For younger readers, there is also a graphic novel adaptation . Discover more books that will transport you to the South .

Read Kindred : Amazon | Goodreads

What The Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

A bestseller and Goodreads top choice book, if you devour historical Irish fiction, What The Wind Knows will transport you to Ireland in the 1920s.

Anne Gallagher heads to Ireland to spread her grandfather’s ashes. Devastated, her grief pulls her into another time. Ireland is on the verge of entering a war, and Anne embraces a case of mistaken identity. She finds herself pulled into Ireland’s fight for Independence at the risk of losing her future life. She also falls for another main character and doctor, Thomas Smith.

What The Wind Knows is one of the best time travel novels that both romance and fantasy readers can appreciate. Witness connections that transcend time.

Read What The Wind Knows : Amazon | Goodreads

The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes

Known for being one of the best time travel books for thriller lovers, The Shining Girls also has the reputation as the spookiest novel on this reading list.

Kirby Mazrachi is the last shining girl – a girl with a future and so much potential. Harper Curtis is a murderer from the past meant to kill Mazrachi. However, Kirby is not about to easily go out without a fight, leading her on one violent quantum leap through multiple decades.

As Kirby races against time to track down a serial killer and unravel the mysteries of the House, encounter themes of resilience, fate, and the shining spirit that can transcend even the darkest forces.

Read The Shining Girls : Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel Romance Books

We love a good time-travel romance novel, but we also understand how hard it can be to hold onto love when time is so unstable. From queer love stories set on trains to holiday celebrations, fall in love across time with these books.

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston

From bestselling author, Casey McQuiston of Red, White, & Royal Blue – one of our favorite LGBTQ+ books for new adults – don’t miss the most-talked-about book (from 2021), One Last Stop.

Twenty-three-year-old August is quite the cynic and living in New York City. Up until now, August has jumped schools and towns as often as you change a pair of socks. August has also never been in a serious relationship and wants to find “her person.” August’s life suddenly changes, though, when she meets a beautiful and mysterious woman on the train.

Jane looks a little…out of date… and for good reason; she’s from the 1970s and trapped in the train’s energy. August wants nothing more than to help Jane leave the train, but does that mean leaving her too?

A feel-good, older coming-of-age story, laugh out loud and be utterly dazzled as you follow love across time and space. You’ll cozy (and drink) up in the parties and community surrounding August. One Last Stop is one of the all-time best LGBTQ+ time travel books – and perfect if you enjoy books that take place on trains .

Read One Last Stop : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

The Time Traveler’s Wife is one the top time travel romance novels – and not just because the story features a librarian . We are so biased.

Henry and Clare have loved each other pretty much forever. Unfortunately, Henry has Chrono-Displacement Disorder, sporadically misplacing him in time. Of course, this time-traveling dilemma makes Clare’s and Henry’s marriage and future together pretty darn interesting.

Grab some Kleenex as they attempt to live normal lives and survive impending devastation. The Time Traveler’s Wife has also been made into a romantic movie classic . Watch even more fantasy movies with romance .

Read The Time Traveler’s Wife : Amazon | Goodreads

In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren

If you are looking for a sweet and sexy holiday rom-com set in Utah, grab In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren.

Mae leaves her family and friend’s Christmas vacation home after drunkenly making out with an old childhood friend. Blame the spiked eggnog. Unfortunately, Mae’s secretly in love with her best friend’s brother, Andrew. On the ride to the airport, Mae wishes for happiness just as a truck hits her parent’s car. 

Mae lands in a time-travel loop where her dreams start coming true.  Is it too good to last?   What happens when she isn’t happy once again? Is she trapped?

For holiday books about time travel, this one is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit if you enjoy movies like Holidates  or  Groundhog’s Day . It’s light with a happy ending – typical of this author duo. We also recommend In A Holidaze if you are looking for Christmas family gathering books – a big request we see here at TUL.

P.S. Did you know that Christina Lauren is a pen name for a writing duo, Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings? Christina Lauren also wrote The Unhoneymooners , which was also hilariously enjoyable and set on an island .

Read In A Holidaze : Amazon | Goodreads

A Knight In Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

For cozy time travel romance books and a feminist tale set abroad, try A Knight In Shining Armor .

Dougless Montgomery is weeping on top of a tombstone when Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, appears. Although this armor-clad hunk allegedly died in 1564, he stands before her about to embark on a journey to clear his name. Convicted of treason, Montgomery vows to help her soon-to-be lover find his accuser and set the record straight.

Read A Knight In Shining Armor : Amazon | Goodreads

The Night Mark by Tiffany Reisz

Set in South Carolina, if you love lighthouses and beach vibes, you’ll find something enjoyable in the time travel romance, The Night Mark .

After Faye’s husband dies, she cannot move on and recover. Accepting a photographer job in SC, Faye becomes obsessed with the local lighthouse’s myth, The Lady of the Light.

Back in 1921, the lighthouse keeper’s daughter mysteriously drowned. Faye is drawn into a love story that isn’t hers and becomes entangled in a passionate and forbidden love affair.

Read The Night Mark : Amazon | Goodreads

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Anyone who likes their time travel books to have a magical love story should pick up The Seven Year Slip for their next read. It’s one of our favorite magical realism novels .

When Clementine’s aunt dies, she inherits her fancy New York apartment on the Upper East Side. Although Clementine would really rather have her aunt back and can’t imagine living in her home, she eventually forces herself to move in and inhabit her aunt’s space.

And not long after, she wakes up to discover a strange man in her living room… except it’s not her living room, it’s her aunt’s… from seven years ago. Clementine’s aunt always said her apartment held a touch of magic; sometimes it created time slips that brought two people together when they were at a crossroads.

But what happens when you start to fall for someone stuck seven years in the past? Clementine knows there’s no future together, but she also can’t let go of this link to her aunt.

Like her previous speculative fiction romance, The Dead Romantics , Ashely Poston’s unique time travel tale is full of heartache and grief. However, it will also make you swoon. Basically, this one is a must if you are a fan of time travel romance books.

Read The Seven Year Slip : Amazon | Goodreads

Classic Books

No time travel reading list would be complete without the classics. Below, uncover just a few great time travel novels that started it all.

The End of Eternity by Issac Asimov

The End of Eternity is said to be one of Asimov’s science fiction masterpieces. This is also one of the most spellbinding books about time travel – although some criticize the story for its loopholes.

Harlan is a member of the elite future known as an Eternal. He lives and works in Eternity, which like any good time travel novel, is located separately from time and space.

Harlan makes small changes in the timeline in order to better history. Of course, altering the course of the world is dangerous and comes with repercussions, especially when Harlan falls in love.

Read The End of Eternity : Amazon | Goodreads

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

It goes without saying that Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol is one of the most famous and best time travel books for classic lovers – and a literary canon-worthy Christmas novel.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a greedy, lonely, and cruel man who truly has no Christmas spirit. Haunted by the ghosts of the past, present, and future, Scrooge must find the ultimate redemption before it’s too late. Does he have a heart?

Find even more classic and contemporary ghost books , including a few unique takes on ghosts.

Read A Christmas Carol : Amazon | Goodreads

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Slaughterhouse-Five is a somewhat bizarre time travel book about finding meaning in our sometimes fractured and broken lives. It’s also one of the most popular books published in the ’60s .

Similar to The Time Traveler’s Wife, Billy Pilgrim is “unstuck” in time in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five. Drafted into World War II, Pilgrim serves as a Chaplain’s assistant until he is captured by the Germans. He survives the bombing at Dresden and ultimately becomes a married optometrist. Things get a little wild…

Suffering from PTSD, Billy claims that he is kidnapped by aliens in a different dimension. Like most time travel novels, the story is out of order and Billy travels to different parts of his life.

Aliens come in all shapes and sizes; have more alien encounters with this reading list .

Read Slaughterhouse-Five : Amazon | Goodreads

A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court by Mark Twain

First published in 1889, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court is one of the most popular classic and satirical time travel novels that’s set close to our childhood home. Having grown up in CT close to the old Colt factory, this story makes us smile.

Hank Morgan supervises the gun factory and is knocked unconscious. Upon waking, he finds himself in Britain about to be executed by the Knights of King Arthur’s Round Table in Camelot.

Morgan uses his future knowledge to his advantage, making him a powerful and revered wizard, which unfortunately doesn’t quite save him as he hopes. Not to mention that Morgan tries to introduce modern-day conveniences and luxuries to a time period that isn’t quite ready for them.

Read A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court : Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine is one of the best frontrunner time travel books of all time. Published in 1895, the Time Traveler recalls his exhausting time travel adventures to incredulous believers. He even disappears in front of them.

Blended with fantasy and science fiction over the course of 800,000 years, the Time Traveler battles “bad guys.” He also loses his time machine, debatably falls in love, and meets the underground dwelling Morlocks.

Read The Time Machine : Amazon | Goodreads

Young Adults Books

For young adults and teens – plus adults who appreciate YA – read the best middle-grade and high school time travel books. We’ve included more time travel graphic novels and manga here too.

Displacement by Kiku Hughes

For historical YA graphic novels , Displacement is one of the must-read books about time travel that will teach young readers about generational trauma, racism, politics, and war.

Follow Kiku, who is displaced in time, back to the period of U.S. Japanese incarceration [internment] camps – essentially glorified prisons – during WW2. Kiku begins learning more about her deceased grandmother’s history, which mirrors the horrid actions under former President Donald Trump. How can Kiku help stop the past from repeating itself, and more so, how can we?

In a simplistic but powerful style of storytelling, Hughes’s emotional YA WW2 book is accessible to young readers. Displacement is also one of the shorter and quicker books with time travel on this list. Find even more LGBT+ graphic novels to read – one of our favorite genres.

Read Displacement : Amazon | Goodreads

The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig

Changing the past can be pretty tempting. We’ve even seen that The Flash cannot resist. However, altering the course of history can be dangerous…

The first of two YA time travel books, Nix is the daughter of a time traveler. Her dad can sail anywhere on his ship, The Temptation. Her dad has his own temptation, though: to travel back to Honolulu in 1868, the year before her mom dies in childbirth. Nix’s father threatens to possibly erase her life and destroy a relationship with her only friend.

Discover even more great books about maps. Or, travel via armchair with these ship books.

Read The Girl From Everywhere : Amazon | Goodreads

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Translated by Anthea Bell | If you are looking for time travel in books and enjoy YA historical fiction, try Ruby Red , which is the first in the Ruby Red Trilogy.

Gwyneth Shepherd quickly learns that she can easily time travel, unlike her cousin who has been preparing her entire life for the feat. Gwyneth wants to know why such a secret was kept from her. There are so many lies. Gwyneth time travels with the handsome Gideon back and forth between modern-day and 18th-century London to uncover secrets from the past.

Back in our MLIS and library days, Ruby Red was one of our favorite YA time travel books to recommend since so few knew about the series. Just a small warning that this enemies-to-lovers trope is a tad sexist, though. Find books like Ruby Red on our books with red (and more colors) in the title reading list .

Read Ruby Red : Amazon | Goodreads

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

A little creepier for young adult time travel novels, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is all about time loops. We’ve only read the first in this eerie series that mixes manipulated vintage photography with a suspenseful and chilling story.

Jacob discovers a decaying orphanage on a mysterious island off the coast of Wales. Known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, the building isn’t exactly abandoned… Jacob runs into peculiar children who might be more than just ghosts.

If you are looking for Kurt Vonnegut-esque time travel books for teenagers, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is for you. Find even more great adult and YA haunted house books to add to your reading list .

Read Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children : Amazon | Goodreads

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle

One of the most well-known books about time travel for families – made even more popular by Oprah and Mindy Kaling, A Wrinkle In Time , is the first book in The Time Quintet .

Although a time travel book series for elementary and middle-grade students – and also a 1963 Newbery Medal winner – adults will love the lessons and whimsical sci-fi quality of A Wrinkle In Time.

Meg Murray and her brother, Charles Wallace, go on an adventure in time to find and rescue their father. Their dad disappeared while working for the government on a mysterious tesseract project.

Watch this thrilling time travel adventure mixed with a coming-of-age story and a little girl power, too.

Read A Wrinkle in Time : Amazon | Goodreads

Orange by Ichigo Takano

Translated by Lasse Christian Christiansen and Amber Tamosaitis | This YA sci-fi romance manga is one of the most endearing time travel books you’ll ever read.

On the first day of 11th grade, Naho oversleeps for the first time ever. She also receives a letter that claims to be sent from herself 10 years in the future. The letter tells her both of the two big things that will happen to her that day as proof of sender: she will be late, and there will be a new kid in class named Naruse Kakeru from Tokyo who will sit next to her.

Naho is unsure if she trusts the letter, or whether or not she should heed its warnings – especially since it talks about past regrets and trying to undo them.

Orange is an adorable, but heartbreaking time travel manga that teaches us the meaning of friendship, love, regret, and so much more. If you’re looking for the best books about time travel for teens, Orange is the perfect option (and adults will love it too).

Read Orange : Amazon | Goodreads

If you devour the time travel genre, don’t miss these great movies…

If you enjoy books that take you back in time, you might also appreciate these top movies with time loops . Would you be able to fix past mistakes, fall in love, and you know, maybe not die this time? Find out if these protagonists succeed.

Travel Back In Time With These Reading Lists:

• Best ’90s Books
• Iconic ’80s Books
• Best WWII Historical Fiction

Christine Frascarelli

Dagney McKinney

45 Comments

Hi, nice list but just FYI you have one of the novels named incorrectly: it should be All Our Wrong Todays, not All Our Wrongs Today.

Thanks for letting us know! Every year, this list grows, and sometimes we miss a few mistakes.

The Things Are Bad Series by Paul L Giles is the funniest, most insightful time travel books I’ve ever read. It has everything!

Thanks so much for the review and rec!

Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain is an engrossing time travel book that I enjoyed immensely.

Our readers and contributors are big Diane Chamberlain fans. Thanks!

A huge time travel fan. A great list. Another time travel book recommendation: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montemore. Wonderful story.

Thank you so much for the kind words and recommendation! We’ll have to check it out.

Great list, thanks. I also love seeing all the recommendations in the comments. I would add the Chronos Files series to your list. And, of course, the film ABOUT TIME, which is fantastic!

Thanks so much for the recommendations. We appreciate it!

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The 30 Best Fiction Books About Time Travel, Ranked By Readers

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Time travel has long fascinated readers and writers alike, offering a narrative escape hatch to the past or future, where the possibilities are as limitless as the imagination. This fascination is abundantly reflected in the myriad of fiction books about time travel that span genres, styles, and epochs. From the speculative to the historical, good time travel books invite readers on journeys that defy the linear constraints of time, allowing us to explore what-if scenarios, alternate histories, and the complex web of cause and effect. Our list, curated by sci-fi book enthusiasts and ranked from best to worst by Goodreads review averages, is a testament to the enduring allure of time travel in literature.

Among the standout titles is Kindred by Octavia E. Butler, a compelling blend of historical fiction and science fiction that offers a poignant exploration of race, power, and identity through the lens of time travel. 11/22/63 by Stephen King combines meticulous historical research with the author’s signature storytelling prowess to reimagine the events leading to the assassination of JFK. Meanwhile, Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut uses the motif of time travel to craft a deeply moving anti-war narrative, showcasing the genre’s capacity to tackle profound themes.

Curated with the input of dedicated sci-fi book enthusiasts, our list aims to guide readers through the vast and varied landscape of time travel fiction. Whether you’re a seasoned time traveler or a newcomer to the genre, these books promise to transport you beyond the boundaries of time and reality, challenging your perceptions and igniting your imagination. Below, find the top fiction books about time travel, ranked by their Goodreads review averages.

Note: These Goodreads ratings are subject to change and are accurate as of 2/5/24.

1 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Goodreads:  4.41

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is a seminal work in American literature, blending science fiction, satire, and war memoir to explore the themes of free will, fatalism, and the absurdity of human conflict. It’s often mentioned on lists of the best sci-fi books of all time. The book tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, a World War II veteran and POW survivor of the Dresden bombing, who becomes “unstuck in time” and experiences moments of his life out of sequence. This non-linear narrative structure allows Vonnegut to weave together the past, present, and future, including Billy’s abduction by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore. Since its release in 1969, Slaughterhouse-Five has received widespread acclaim, cementing its place in the literary canon. While it has not won specific awards, its impact and significance have been recognized through its inclusion in various lists of the greatest books ever written and its enduring presence in academic and literary discussions.

The novel’s distinction as one of the best books about time travel stems not from its depiction of time travel as a technological or fantastical phenomenon but from its innovative use of the concept as a narrative device to explore the human condition. Vonnegut’s portrayal of time travel reflects the fragmented nature of memory and the human psyche, particularly in response to trauma and the incomprehensibility of war. Through Billy Pilgrim’s journeys across time, Slaughterhouse-Five challenges readers to reconsider linear narratives and confront the cyclic nature of violence and despair. This philosophical and existential approach to time travel, combined with Vonnegut’s sharp wit and profound insights into the absurdities of human existence, secures the novel’s place as a timeless masterpiece in the genre.

2 11/22/63 by Stephen King

Goodreads:  4.33

11/22/6 3 by Stephen King is a riveting novel that merges elements of historical fiction, science fiction, and thriller. The plot centers around Jake Epping, a high school English teacher who discovers a time portal in a local diner that leads back to September 9, 1958. With the guidance of the diner’s owner, Al, Jake embarks on a mission to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, believing that changing this one event could positively alter the course of history. Throughout his journey, Jake encounters the complexities of living in the past, falls in love, and faces the moral and ethical dilemmas of changing history. The book has been acclaimed for its detailed research and compelling narrative, earning it a spot on The New York Times Best Seller list and notable recognition among readers and critics alike.

Considered one of the best books about time travel, 11/22/63 stands out for its intricate plot, deep character development, and the thought-provoking exploration of the “butterfly effect” — the idea that small changes can have large, unforeseen consequences. Stephen King masterfully combines historical accuracy with speculative fiction, creating a vivid portrayal of the late 1950s and early 1960s in America. The novel’s ability to blend real historical events with the fictional journey of its protagonist offers readers a unique and immersive experience. King’s exploration of themes such as love, loss, and the weight of history, coupled with his skillful narrative construction, makes 11/22/63 a standout work in the genre of time travel fiction, resonating with readers long after they turn the last page.

3 Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Goodreads:  4.30

Kindred, authored by Octavia E. Butler, stands as a profound and pioneering work within the science fiction genre, melding elements of time travel with a stark examination of American history. The novel follows Dana, a young African-American woman in the 1970s who finds herself repeatedly transported back in time to the early 19th century. In this antebellum Maryland, she encounters her ancestors: a white slave owner and a black woman who is one of his slaves. While Kindred has not been awarded in the traditional sense often associated with science fiction, its impact and significance have been recognized through its inclusion in academic curricula and its influence on subsequent generations of writers. It is celebrated not only for its innovative use of the time travel trope but also for its unflinching confrontation with the complexities of race, slavery, and power dynamics.

The acclaim of Kindred as one of the best books about time travel stems not only from its imaginative narrative structure but also from its ability to leverage the time-traveling experience as a powerful lens through which the enduring effects of slavery and racism in America are explored. Butler’s novel is distinguished by its emotional depth, compelling character development, and the seamless integration of historical fact with speculative fiction elements. This unique combination allows readers to engage with the historical past in a deeply personal and reflective manner. The book’s enduring popularity and relevance are testament to its standing as a seminal work that transcends the typical boundaries of genre to offer insights into the human condition and the cyclical nature of history.

4 Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Goodreads:  4.26

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a towering achievement in the science fiction genre, weaving together the tales of seven pilgrims who journey across a far-future universe to the distant world of Hyperion. On the eve of an interstellar war, these characters—each with a unique story that is gradually unveiled—seek the answers to their deepest questions before the mysterious and deadly entity known as the Shrike. This Hugo Award-winning novel, released in 1989, masterfully combines elements of space opera with deep philosophical questions and a richly imagined universe, showcasing Simmons’ prowess in storytelling and world-building.

Considered one of the best books about time travel, Hyperion stands out due to its innovative use of time travel as a central plot device. The novel intricately explores the concept through the Shrike and the Time Tombs, around which much of the story’s mystery revolves. Simmons employs time travel not just as a means of moving characters through space and time but as a profound element that affects the narrative’s structure, themes, and the characters’ fates. The way time travel is woven into the plot highlights the complexities of causality, destiny, and personal choice, making Hyperion a compelling and thought-provoking read that pushes the boundaries of the genre and offers a unique perspective on the consequences and paradoxes of time travel.

5 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is not just a novel; it’s a sprawling journey across time that marries elements of historical fiction, romance , and adventure. First published in 1991, the story introduces readers to Claire Randall, a former World War II nurse who, while on a second honeymoon in Scotland with her husband Frank, is mysteriously transported back in time to 1743. Thrust into a world of clan politics, stark landscapes, and looming conflict, Claire encounters Jamie Fraser, a gallant and chivalrous young Scots warrior, and her life becomes irrevocably intertwined with his. As she navigates the dangers of a bygone era, Claire is torn between her fidelity to the future and the love she discovers in the past. Outlander has captivated millions with its rich historical detail, compelling characters, and thrilling narrative, earning Gabaldon a dedicated fanbase and several awards, including the Quill Award and the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award for Best Romance of 1991.

Considered one of the top time travel romance books of all time, Outlander stands out for its unique blend of historical accuracy, time travel, and deep, enduring romance. Gabaldon’s meticulous research into the period brings 18th-century Scotland to vivid life, providing a lush backdrop for the passionate relationship between Claire and Jamie. Unlike many time travel stories that focus solely on the mechanics of time travel or the butterfly effect, Outlander delves into the human element—exploring the complexities of love and loyalty across different times. This novel transcends the genre by focusing on the emotional journey of its characters, making it a quintessential read for fans of romance and time travel alike.

6 The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov

Goodreads:  4.24

The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov is a quintessential piece of science fiction literature that delves into the complex themes of time travel and its far-reaching consequences. Published in 1955, the novel introduces readers to The Eternity, a secretive organization that exists outside conventional time, with the ability to manipulate and alter historical events to prevent human suffering and catastrophe. The story follows Andrew Harlan, a Technician in Eternity who specializes in making these delicate temporal adjustments, as he navigates the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by manipulating time. Despite its critical acclaim and the way it showcases Asimov’s prowess in building intricate, thought-provoking narratives, The End of Eternity did not receive contemporary awards at the time of its release. However, its enduring popularity and influence on the science fiction genre underscore its significance and the way it captures the imagination of readers, illustrating Asimov’s masterful exploration of time travel’s complexities and its impact on humanity.

7 Replay by Ken Grimwood

Goodreads:  4.15

Replay by Ken Grimwood is an intriguing exploration of time travel, life’s possibilities, and the concept of destiny. The novel follows Jeff Winston, a radio journalist who dies of a heart attack at 43 and inexplicably wakes up in his 18-year-old body in 1963, with all his memories intact. As Jeff lives his life over and over, he experiences different paths and choices, each “replay” offering new opportunities, challenges, and insights into the human condition. Despite its fantastical premise, the book delves deeply into themes of love, regret, and the significance of the choices we make.

Since its release, Replay has been acclaimed for its originality and depth, winning the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1988. It remains a cherished work for its profound narrative and the emotional journey it offers readers, making it a standout title in the time travel genre.

8 To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  4.11

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis is a delightful foray into the world of time travel, combining wit, historical intrigue, and a dash of romance. The novel follows Ned Henry, a time-traveling historian who is sent back to the Victorian era to correct an anomaly that threatens to alter history. His mission becomes entangled with that of fellow historian Verity Kindle, leading to a series of comedic and chaotic adventures as they navigate the complexities of 19th-century social etiquette, all while trying to ensure the future remains unchanged.

Willis masterfully blends elements of science fiction with the historical setting, creating a rich and engaging narrative. Upon its release, the book was met with critical acclaim and went on to win both the Hugo and Locus Awards for Best Science Fiction Novel, cementing its place as a cherished work in the genre.

9 Lightning by Dean Koontz

Goodreads:  4.09

Lightning, a novel by Dean Koontz, stands out as an intriguing blend of science fiction and suspense, masterfully weaving the concept of time travel into a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is thrilling. The story follows Laura Shane, a woman whose life is intermittently saved by a mysterious stranger, who we come to learn is a time traveler from Nazi Germany. This stranger’s interventions are pivotal at various junctures in Laura’s life, leading to revelations about destiny, the nature of good and evil, and the intricate fabric of time itself. Since its release, Lightning has captivated readers with its unique plot and compelling characters, although it hasn’t been specifically highlighted for literary awards, its enduring popularity and critical acclaim underscore Koontz’s prowess in crafting suspenseful narratives with a science fiction twist. The book remains a standout example of Koontz’s ability to blend genres seamlessly, making it a must-read for fans of time travel fiction and suspense alike.

10 Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  4.03

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis is an exceptional foray into the realm of time travel, seamlessly blending historical fiction with science fiction elements. The novel follows Kivrin Engle, a young historian who, through the use of futuristic time travel technology, is sent back to the 14th century. However, what was intended to be a meticulous academic observation turns into a harrowing journey of survival when she arrives during the onset of the Black Plague. Willis’s detailed depiction of medieval England, along with the parallel narrative of Kivrin’s colleagues in the 21st century grappling with a deadly influenza outbreak, creates a compelling exploration of humanity, resilience, and the interconnectedness of history and the present. Doomsday Book has garnered critical acclaim for its intricate plot and emotional depth, winning both the Nebula and Hugo Awards for Best Novel, affirming its status as a masterpiece in the science fiction genre.

11 The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North is a captivating exploration of immortality and the infinite possibilities of life. The novel follows its titular character, Harry August, who lives his life over and over again with full memory of his previous existences. Each time Harry dies, he is reborn into the same life but with the opportunity to make different choices, leading to varied outcomes. This cycle allows Harry to experience the 20th century multiple times, witnessing its major events and technological advancements firsthand. However, the equilibrium of his perpetual rebirths is threatened when he receives a message from the future indicating a looming catastrophe that only he can prevent. This unique take on time travel and reincarnation has not only captivated readers worldwide but also earned critical acclaim.

Since its release, the book has been recognized for its originality and depth, including being nominated for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and winning the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. North’s novel stands out for its philosophical musings on time, memory, and the human condition, making it a significant contribution to the genre.

12 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Goodreads:  3.99

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is a uniquely crafted narrative that intertwines romance, science fiction, and the raw complexities of human relationships through the lens of time travel. The novel introduces readers to Clare and Henry, an artist and a librarian who have an unconventional love story shaped by Henry’s rare genetic disorder that causes him to involuntarily travel through time. This condition presents both profound connections and heartbreaking challenges as they navigate their lives together, often out of sync in time yet deeply bonded by love. Since its release in 2003, the book has captivated audiences with its emotional depth and innovative storytelling, earning it widespread acclaim.

Although it did not win major literary awards, The Time Traveler’s Wife achieved significant commercial success, became a New York Times bestseller, and was adapted into a film and a television series, highlighting its lasting impact and appeal to both readers and viewers alike.

13 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Goodreads:  3.98

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is a groundbreaking work of science fiction and fantasy that has captured the imaginations of readers since its publication in 1962. The novel follows the adventures of Meg Murry, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe as they embark on a perilous journey through space and time to rescue Meg’s father, a scientist trapped on a distant planet by a malevolent force known as IT.

L’Engle masterfully combines elements of science fiction, fantasy, and coming-of-age narrative, exploring themes of love, courage, and the battle between good and evil. A Wrinkle in Time has received widespread acclaim, including the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1963, recognizing it as a significant contribution to American children’s literature. Its enduring popularity has established it as a classic, inspiring generations of readers to look beyond the confines of their reality.

14 Time and Again by Jack Finney

Goodreads:  3.94

Time and Again by Jack Finney is a classic in the genre of time travel literature, first published in 1970. The novel follows Simon Morley, a young advertising artist who enlists in a secret government project that enables him to travel back in time to New York City in 1882. Using his artistic skills, Morley immerses himself in the past, exploring the rich tapestry of late 19th-century life with an eye for detail that brings the era to vivid life. As he becomes entangled in the lives of the people he encounters, Morley finds himself faced with choices that have the power to alter history. Time and Again ‘s enduring popularity and critical acclaim have cemented its status as a beloved masterpiece of time travel fiction. The novel is celebrated for its meticulous historical research, engaging plot, and the philosophical questions it raises about the nature of time and our place within it.

15 The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch

Goodreads:  3.93

The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch is a mesmerizing entry in the realm of books about time travel, blending elements of science fiction, mystery, and thriller genres to create a gripping narrative. The story follows NCIS Special Agent Shannon Moss as she investigates the murder of a Navy SEAL’s family and the disappearance of his teenage daughter. Moss is part of a secretive military division that investigates crimes by traveling to future timelines. Her quest for answers leads her to a future that should never happen and reveals a terrifying world-ending event known as the Terminus.

Sweterlitsch masterfully constructs a complex, multi-layered plot that challenges the boundaries of time and space, inviting readers to contemplate the implications of diving into the unknown and the impact of our choices on the future.

16 Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp

Goodreads:  3.92

Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp is often heralded as one of the top books about time travel, thanks to its inventive plot and engaging narrative. This classic novel transports its protagonist, Martin Padway, to sixth-century Rome, just before the onset of the Dark Ages. Armed with his knowledge of modern technology and historical events, Padway endeavors to alter the course of history to prevent the impending collapse of civilization. Through his attempts to introduce advancements and thwart the fall of Rome, the book explores themes of innovation, cultural impact, and the intricate dance of cause and effect. De Camp’s meticulous attention to historical detail, combined with his imaginative speculation, makes Lest Darkness Fall a standout tale in the time travel genre, engaging readers with its blend of history, science fiction, and adventure.

17 The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers

Goodreads:  3.90

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers is a riveting entry in the pantheon of top books about time travel, masterfully blending historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction into a cohesive and enthralling narrative. The story transports readers to 19th-century London, where a modern-day scholar finds himself caught up in a dark and complex plot involving ancient Egyptian magic, body-swapping, and a secret society of time travelers. Powers crafts a meticulously researched Victorian London as the backdrop for this adventure, weaving real historical figures and events with fantastical elements. The novel’s richly detailed world, combined with its intricate plot and compelling characters, makes The Anubis Gates not just a journey through time but an immersive dive into a past as dangerous as it is enchanting, solidifying its status among the top books about time travel.

18 The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

Goodreads:  3.89

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom is a thought-provoking addition to the genre of time travel literature, weaving a narrative that stands out among the top books about time travel. This novel introduces readers to Dor, the first person to measure time, who is punished for trying to quantify life’s moments. Banished to a cave for centuries, he is forced to listen to the world’s pleas for more time. It is not until he is granted his freedom, with a mission to teach two earthly souls the true meaning of time, that Dor can truly understand the depth and complexities of his invention. Albom’s storytelling is both unique and insightful, exploring the profound impact time has on human experiences and relationships. Through Dor’s journey, The Time Keeper delves into the essence of time’s value, making it a poignant and memorable read in the exploration of time travel’s narrative possibilities.

19 The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells stands as a cornerstone in the pantheon of classic time travel books, setting the foundation for the genre with its innovative concept and imaginative exploration of the future. In this seminal work, Wells introduces readers to the Time Traveller, a scientist who invents a machine that enables him to journey into the distant future. There, he encounters the Eloi and the Morlocks, two divergent species evolved from humanity, offering a stark, evolutionary vision of Earth’s fate. Through its vividly imagined future and philosophical underpinnings, The Time Machine not only captivates with its adventurous plot but also invites reflection on the social and scientific implications of time travel, cementing its status as a timeless masterpiece in science fiction literature.

20 Timeline by Michael Crichton

Goodreads:  3.86

Timeline by Michael Crichton stands as a noteworthy entry among classic time travel books, masterfully weaving historical fiction with cutting-edge science fiction. The novel plunges its characters—and readers—into the heart of medieval France, where a group of archaeologists and historians from a modern-day technological corporation use quantum technology to travel back in time. Their mission is to rescue their professor, who has become stranded in the 14th century amidst the feudal conflicts and the stark realities of medieval life.

Crichton’s meticulous research into the period brings an authenticity to the adventure, while his exploration of quantum mechanics adds a plausible scientific foundation to the time travel narrative. Timeline captivates with its thrilling plot, rich historical detail, and the timeless allure of journeying into the past, marking it as a must-read for fans of the genre.

21 Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis

Goodreads:  3.85

Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis is an ambitious duo of time travel novels that masterfully blend historical detail with the speculative intrigue of time travel. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the story follows a group of historians from 2060 who travel back to the 1940s to observe and document the everyday lives of those who lived through the Blitz, the evacuation of Dunkirk, and other pivotal moments of the war.

However, their mission takes a perilous turn when they become trapped in the past, unable to return to their own time. Willis’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling immerse readers in the era, while the novel’s exploration of history, memory, and the human experience through the lens of time travel offers a poignant reflection on the resilience and courage of those who faced the uncertainties of war.

22 The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold

Goodreads:  3.81

The Man Who Folded Himself by David Gerrold is a time travel novel that delves into the mind-bending possibilities of self-interaction across different timelines. This narrative follows Daniel Eakins, a young man who inherits a time belt from his uncle, granting him the power to travel through time. Unlike typical time travel stories that focus on altering historical events or exploring the future, Gerrold’s novel takes a more introspective approach. Daniel uses the time belt to visit different periods in history, meet versions of himself from alternative timelines, and even attend his own parties, leading to profound existential questions and the exploration of free will, identity, and the human condition. Gerrold’s ingenious plotting and philosophical insights make The Man Who Folded Himself a standout in the genre, offering a unique take on the consequences and paradoxes of time travel.

23 All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

Goodreads:  3.75

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai is a captivating time travel novel that skillfully blends elements of science fiction and romance to explore the consequences of technology and the complexity of human emotions through the lens of time travel. The story is set in a 2016 that feels like the utopian future people in the 1950s imagined we would have, complete with flying cars, moving sidewalks, and no pollution. It follows Tom Barren, who, after a time travel experiment goes awry, finds himself in a starkly different 2016—the one we know. As Tom navigates this alternate reality, he is confronted with the profound impact of his actions on the world and the lives of those he loves. Mastai’s novel is a thought-provoking journey that questions the idea of perfection, the value of imperfection, and the intricate paths that lead us to the lives we are meant to live.

24 Version Control by Dexter Palmer

Goodreads:  3.73

Version Control by Dexter Palmer is a thought-provoking time travel novel that delves into the complexities of reality, the impact of technology on human relationships, and the nature of time itself. The story centers around Rebecca Wright, who suspects her world feels off-kilter and not quite real following a personal tragedy. Her husband, Philip, is a physicist working on a causality violation device, which is ostensibly not a time machine but begins to hint at the possibility of altering timelines. As the narrative unfolds, Palmer explores the subtle yet profound effects of technology on everyday life and the concept of “version control” in both software development and the fabric of the universe. This novel stands out for its deep philosophical inquiries, its critique of modern life, and the way it seamlessly blends science fiction with the emotional depth of its characters’ personal lives, making it a unique and compelling read within the time travel genre.

25 The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman

Goodreads: 3.72

The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman is a compelling science fiction novel that explores the adventures of Matt Fuller, a lab assistant at MIT, who stumbles upon a time machine quite by accident. As Fuller uses the device to leap forward in time, he encounters various futures, each more bizarre and fascinating than the last. The plot weaves through these temporal shifts, delivering a narrative rich in speculative science, social commentary, and the human condition. Upon its release, the book received positive reviews for its imaginative storytelling, Haldeman’s crisp writing, and the engaging way it addresses the consequences of time travel. While The Accidental Time Machine did not win major science fiction awards like the Hugo or Nebula, it further cemented Joe Haldeman’s reputation as a master storyteller in the genre, capturing the interest of readers and critics alike for its inventive take on the time travel theme.

26 The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

Goodreads:  3.71

The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas weaves an intricate narrative that explores the ramifications of time travel on human psychology and relationships. Published in 2018, the book introduces readers to a unique world where time travel is not only possible but has also created a complex society with its own rules and norms. The plot unfolds through the perspectives of multiple characters across different timelines, showcasing Mascarenhas’s skill in handling non-linear storytelling. This debut novel has been well-received for its innovative approach to science fiction, blending mystery, and feminist themes seamlessly. Critics have praised Mascarenhas for her thought-provoking exploration of how time travel might affect mental health, power dynamics, and interpersonal connections. While The Psychology of Time Travel has not been highlighted by major award wins, its positive reception and unique contributions to the science fiction genre have made it a noteworthy read for enthusiasts and casual readers alike, marking Mascarenhas as an author to watch.

27 The Chronoliths by Robert Charles Wilson

Goodreads:  3.68

The Chronoliths, penned by Robert Charles Wilson, unfolds around the enigmatic appearance of massive monuments, known as Chronoliths, which materialize across the globe. These monuments, inscribed with dates 20 years in the future, herald the military victories of a leader named Kuin. The narrative centers on Scott Warden, a man who finds himself intricately linked to these phenomena and the global efforts to decipher their origins and implications. The novel adeptly blends the elements of science fiction with deep psychological and sociopolitical themes, exploring how humanity grapples with the known and the unknown, destiny, and the concept of free will. Upon its release, The Chronoliths was met with critical acclaim for its originality, compelling storytelling, and the depth of its character development. It not only received praise for its thought-provoking content but also clinched the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel in 2002, solidifying Wilson’s reputation as a distinguished voice in the science fiction genre.

28 Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick

Goodreads:  3.49

Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick is a sci-fi novel that intricately weaves together themes of time travel, paleontology, and the ethics of scientific discovery. The plot centers around a group of paleontologists who are given the opportunity to study dinosaurs in their natural habitats, thanks to the advent of time travel. However, as they delve deeper into the prehistoric past, they uncover mysteries that challenge their understanding of time and existence itself. Upon its release, the book was met with critical acclaim for its imaginative storytelling and thorough research into dinosaur science, earning Swanwick praise for blending hard science fiction with engaging narrative elements.

Bones of the Earth was nominated for several prestigious awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novel, showcasing its impact within the science fiction community and affirming Swanwick’s reputation as a masterful storyteller.

29 How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

Goodreads:  3.45

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe , penned by Charles Yu, unfolds within a universe where time travel is not just possible but has become an integral part of the fabric of existence. The narrative follows the life of a time machine repairman named Charles Yu, who shares the author’s name. Trapped in a time loop, the protagonist embarks on a deeply introspective journey, exploring themes of loneliness, family dynamics, and the quest for meaning within the confines of a meticulously constructed science fictional setting.

Upon its release, the book garnered attention for its innovative blend of science fiction elements with poignant, introspective storytelling, earning praise for Yu’s unique voice and imaginative approach to the genre. Critics lauded its clever use of metafiction and the ways it grapples with the complexities of human emotion against a backdrop of time travel and theoretical physics. Although it didn’t snag any major science fiction awards, it firmly established Charles Yu as a significant voice in contemporary science fiction, receiving critical acclaim and a warm reception from readers who appreciated its thoughtful exploration of the human condition through the lens of science fiction.

30 The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma

Goodreads:  3.39

The Map of Time by Félix J. Palma is a riveting novel that intricately weaves together history, science fiction, and romance into a captivating narrative. Set in Victorian London, it explores the concept of time travel through the lives of its characters, intertwining their stories with real historical figures such as H.G. Wells. The plot is rich with twists and turns, offering readers a blend of suspense, mystery, and a deep reflection on the nature of time and love. Upon its release, the book received critical acclaim for its imaginative storytelling, detailed historical research, and the ability to blend genres seamlessly. Critics praised Palma’s skillful narrative and the novel’s complex character development. While The Map of Time has been celebrated for its innovation and depth, it is more noted for its literary achievements and storytelling prowess than for winning specific awards. Nonetheless, its reception among readers and critics alike cements its status as a standout work in speculative fiction.

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The 35 Best Books About Time Travel

Here's what to read after you finish Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Gabaldon first published Outlander —the book that would eventually inspire the television series starring Caitriona Balfe as Claire and Sam Heughan as Jamie —in 1991, and the ninth novel in the series, Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone , came out in November 2021.

Ahead of the seventh season of Outlander , now's the perfect time (ha) to dive into time travel books. From time traveling romance to alternate realities to murder mysteries, there's something for everyone here.

The Time Traveler's Wife

Any list about time travel books must begin with The Time Traveler's Wife , right? This bestselling novel tells the love story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who inadvertently travels through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Plot sound familiar? The book was adapted into a 2009 film starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana, and a 2022 TV show starring Theo James and Rose Leslie .

Read more: 20 of the best Time Travel Films Ever Made

A Murder in Time

Kendra Donovan is a rising star at the FBI, until one disastrous raid when half her team is murdered and a mole in the FBI is uncovered. After she recovers from her wounds, she's determined to find the man responsible for the death of her team—yet upon her arrival in England, she stumbles back in time to 1815. Mistaken for a lady's maid, Kendra is forced to quickly adapt to the period as she figures out how to get back to her own timeline. There are five books in the Kendra Donovan series , so if you love a time travel mystery, don't miss these.

Author Octavia Butler is a queen of science fiction, and Kindred is her bestselling novel about time travel. In it, she tells the story of Dana, a Black woman, who is celebrating her 26th birthday in 1976. Abruptly, she's transported back to Maryland, circa 1815, where she's on a plantation and has to save Rufus, the white son of the plantation owner. It's not just a time travel book, but one that expertly weaves in narratives of enslaved people and explores the Antebellum South.

Faye, Faraway

Diana Gabaldon herself called Faye, Faraway "a lovely, deeply moving story of loss and love and memory made real , " so you know it's going to be good. The plot focuses on Faye, a mother of two, who lost her own mother, Jeanie, when she was just 8 years old. When Faye suddenly finds herself transported back in time, she befriends her mother—but doesn't let on who she really is. Eventually, she has to choose between her past and her future.

The Eyre Affair

In this version of Great Britain circa 1985, time travel is routine. Our protagonist is Thursday Next, a literary detective, who is placed on a case when someone begins kidnapping characters from works of literature and plucks Jane Eyre from the pages of Brontë's novel.

Bonus: The Eyre Affair is the first in a seven book series following Thursday.

The River of No Return: A Novel

Lord Nicholas Davenant is about to die in the Napoleonic Wars in 1812, and wakes up 200 years later. But he longs to return back in time to his love, Julia. When he arrives in modern society, a mysterious organization called the Guild tells him "there is no return," until one day, they summon him to London and he learns it's possible to travel back through time. A spy thriller that's also historical romance that's also time travel... Say less.

One Last Stop

Casey McQuiston's second novel ( following Red, White, and Royal blue, which is going to be a major motion picture this summer ) is a queer time-loop romance set on the Q train in New York City, and it's riveting. August is 23, working at a 24-hour diner, and meets a gorgeous, charming girl on the train: Jane. But she can't seem to meet up with her off the Q train—until they figure out Jane is stuck in time from the 1970s. How did she travel through time? Can August get Jane unstuck? Will they live happily ever after!? The questions abound.

What the Wind Knows

Anne Gallagher grew up hearing her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. When she returns to the country to spread his ashes, she is transported back in time to 1921—and is drawn into the struggle for Irish independence. There, she meets Dr. Thomas Smith, and must decide whether or not she should return to her own timeline or stay in the past. As one reviewer wrote on Amazon, What the Wind Knows is a "spectacular time travel journey filled with love and loss."

The Midnight Library: A Novel

Imagine a library with an infinite number of books—each containing an alternate reality about your life. That's the plot of The Midnight Library , where our protagonist Nora Seed enters different versions of her life. She undoes old breakups, follows her dream of becoming a glaciologist, and so much more—but what happens to her original life?

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.: A Novel

In this novel from Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland, magic existed—until 1851. A secret government organization, the Department of Diachronic Operations (or D.O.D.O. for short), is dedicated to bringing magic back, and its members will travel through time to change history to do so. As Kirkus Reviews wrote , the novel "blend[s] time travel with Bourne-worthy skulduggery." It's a delight for any fans of science fiction, with a slow burn romance between military intelligence operator Tristan Lyons and linguist Melisande Stokes.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, this epistolary romantic novel tells the story of two time-traveling rivals who fall in love. Agents Red and Blue travel back and forth throughout time, trying to alter universes on behalf of their warring empires—and start to leave each other messages. The messages begin taunting but soon turn flirtatious—and when Red's commander discovers her affection for Blue, they soon embark down a timeline they can't change.

The House on the Strand

Set at an ancient Cornish house called Kilmarth, where Daphne du Maurier lived from 1967, The House on the Strand story follows Dick Young, who has been offered use of Kilmarth by an old college friend, Magnus Lane. Magnus, a biophysicist, is developing a drug that enables people to travel back to the 14th century, and Dick reluctantly agrees to be a test subject. The catch: If you touch anyone, you're transported back to the present. As the story goes on, Dick's visits back to the 1300s become more frequent, and his life back in the modern world becomes unstable.

The Kingdoms

It’s 1898 and there’s a man named Joe, who lives in London, which is, in this alternate historical, a part of the French Empire as in this version of the past, Britain lost the Napoleonic Wars. Joe has gotten off a train from Scotland and cannot remember anything about who he is or where he’s from. He soon returns to his work, and after a few years, he is sent to repair a lighthouse in Eilean Mor in the Outer Hebrides. Joe then finds himself a century earlier, on a British boat with a mysterious captain, fighting the French and hoping for a future that is different than the one he came from. If you're into time travel and queer romance and alternate history, this is for you.

The Future of Another Timeline

In 1992, 17-year-old Beth agrees to help hide the dead body of her friend's abusive boyfriend. The murder sets Beth and her friends on "a path of escalating violence and vengeance" to protect other young women. In 2022, Tess decides to use time travel to fight for change around key moments in history. When Tess believes she's found a way to make an edit to history that actually sticks, she encounters a group of time travelers bent on stopping her at any cost. Tess and Beth's lives intertwine, and war breaks out across the timeline.

Shadow of Night

The sequel to A Discovery of Witches , the plot of Shadow of Night picks up right where the story left off: With Matthew, a vampire, and Diana, a witch, traveling back in time to Elizabethan London to search for an enchanted manuscript. You really need to read the first book before reading Shadow of Night , but the series by Deborah Harkness is a swoony magical romance.

And: It's now a TV show! ( Season one is streaming on Amazon Prime Video .)

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

In The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, the same day happens again and again. Each day, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered at 11:00 p.m at Blackheath. And each day, our protagonist Aiden Bishop wakes up in the body of a different witness—and tries to solve her murder. He only has eight days, and it's a race against time to solve Evelyn's murder and to escape the time loop.

Recursion: A Novel

In 2018 New York City, detective Barry Sutton fails to talk Ann out of jumping off a building. But before Ann falls to her death, she tells him she is suffering from False Memory Syndrome—a new neurological disease where people are afflicted with memories of lives they never lived. The dissonance between their present and these memories drives them to death. This is best read unspoiled, but it's undoubtedly a time travel story you haven't read before.

On the eve of her wedding day, Shay Garrett looks into her grandmother's antique mirror and faints. When she wakes up, she's in the same house—but in the body of her grandmother, Brandy, as a young woman in 1900. And Brandy awakens in Shay's body in the present day in 1978. It's like Freaky Friday , but with time travel to the Victorian era.

Here and Now and Then

Kin Stewart is a time traveler from 2142, stuck in 1990s suburban San Francisco. A rescue team arrives to bring Kin back to his timeline—but 18 years too late. Does Kin stay with his "new" family, and the life he's built for himself in San Francisco, or does he return to his original timeline? He's stuck between two families—and ultimately, this is a time travel tale about fatherhood.

A Knight in Shining Armor

Originally published in 1989, this romance novel features a present-day heroine and a knight from the 16th century who fall in love. Per the book's description: "Abandoned by a cruel fate, lovely Dougless Montgomery lies weeping upon a cold tombstone in an English church. Suddenly, the most extraordinary man appears. It is Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck…and according to his tombstone he died in 1564. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadows reason, Dougless knows that Nicholas is nothing less than a miracle: a man who does not seek to change her, who finds her perfect, fascinating, just as she is. What Dougless never imagined was how strong the chains are that tie them to the past…or the grand adventure that lay before them."

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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20 Must-Read Time Travel Books

Dana lives in East Haven, CT. She works for that Ivy League institution down the street and tries to read as many books as possible in her free time. Audiobooks and print books get equal love. Also, she unapologetically judges books by their covers and makes way too many playlists (c'mon, books need a soundtrack too!). Follow her on Twitter @lucyhenley115 .

View All posts by Dana Lee

Hear me out, there’s a sub-genre of sci-fi that that has a touch of anything you could ever want: time travel books. The best time travel books come in all packages: adventure, historical fiction, romance, social commentary, mystery, humor, poetry. It really has it all. So, if you can still recite the opening credits of Quantum Leap from memory, this list is for you. Enjoy these must-read time travel books.

Here and Now and Then  by Mike Chen

Kin is a time-traveling agent from the year 2142 who gets stuck in 1990s San Francisco after a botched mission, and his rescue team shows up 18 years too late after he’s already built a life for himself. Here and Now and Then has all those warm and fuzzy sci-fi feels with just the right amount of Doctor Who level angst . Kin dealing with the circumstances of time travel and the consequences it brings about is super compelling and emotional and so, so worthy of a Murray Gold score.

The Future of Another Timeline  by Annalee Newitz

In the world of Another Timeline , time travel has been around since forever in the form of a geologic phenomena known as the “Machines.” Tess belongs to a group called the Daughters of Harriett, determined to make the future better for women by editing the timeline at key moments in history. They run up against the misogynistic group called the Comstockers working towards the opposite goal. There’s time travel, murder, punk rock concerts, nerd references, and an edit war. As Newitz recently said in an extra of their podcast, Our Opinions Are Correct , history is a  “synthesis of good fuckery” and I can’t think of a better phrase to describe this book than that.

An Ocean of Minutes  by Thea Lim

There is a deadly flu pandemic in America. Polly’s boyfriend Frank gets sick and she signs up for a one-way ticket to the future to work off the cost of Frank’s cure. They agree to meet up in the future, but Polly is rerouted to a later time where America is divided and she has no connections and no money. This is a really gorgeously written and heart-wrenching story about time travel, dystopian society, the brutality of survival in an unfamiliar world, and a character study of a normal person dealing with it all.

Kindred  by Octavia Butler

Dana is an African American woman celebrating her birthday in 1976 California when she is pulled through time to Antebellum Maryland. She saves a young white boy named Rufus from drowning and finds herself staring down the barrel of his father’s rifle. She is pulled back to her present just in time to save her life, appearing back in her living room soaked and muddy. She is repeatedly pulled back to the past encountering the same young man.  Over the course of these harrowing episodes, Dana realizes her connection to Rufus and the challenge she is faced with. This is a brilliant, thought-provoking, and intense book that is required reading for so many reasons least of which is time travel.

Alice Payne Arrives  by Kate Heartfield

Alice Payne Arrives is a quick romp through time with some truly amazing female characters. Alice Payne is a half-black queer woman in 1788 England living in her father’s deteriorating mansion. She’s also a notorious masked highway robber and her partner is an inventor. Prudence is a professional time traveler from the 22nd century working fruitlessly to try and change one small event in 1884. The two women cross paths and work together to put Prudence’s plan to end time travel in motion. This novella packs a lot of action and time travel goodness and there’s a sequel called Alice Payne Rides . It also contains one of the realest lines of any of the time travel books I’ve read: “2016’s completely fucked.”

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe  by Charles Yu

Charles Yu is a time machine repairman searching for his missing father, “accompanied by TAMMY, an operating system with low self-esteem, and Ed, a nonexistent but ontologically valid dog.” He receives a book from his future self that could help him locate his father. The book is called How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe and he wrote it. Hi, this book is super cool, fun, clever, and weird in the best ways. It has the highest distinction I can give a sci-fi book and that is warm and fuzzy.

The Psychology of Time Travel  by Kate Mascarenhas

Four female scientists invent time travel in 1967. One of the scientists, Bee,  suffers a mental breakdown just before they’re about to go public with their findings. The other three exile Bee from the project to save face. Fifty years later time travel is a normal part of life and a huge business. It’s regulated by the Conclave, founded by three of the original scientists, which seeks to self govern all aspects of time travel. The Psychology of Time Travel  serves up time travel with a locked-door mystery and the payoff of alternating perspectives and timelines slowly coming together.

The River of No Return  by Bee Ridgeway

At the moment of his death on a Napoleonic battlefield, Lord Nicholas Falcott wakes up in the 21st century. He’s recruited by a time travel agency known as The Guild for training. Julia Percy lives in 1815 England and after the death of her grandfather seeks to find her place in a world where meddling with time is commonplace. There’s a whole lot going on here: romance, betrayal, double-agents, and drawing on emotion to facilitate time jumps, leading to my favorite line: “Though really they were probably both insane. Two grown men dressed up like Mr. Darcy, holding hands behind a tree, trying to pull themselves by the heart strings back to the long ago.”

This is How You Lose the Time War  by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Blue and Red are fighting on opposite sides of an endless time war. They begin to exchange letters on the battlefield, first as a boast, then as an exploration of friendship across enemy lines, and finally as a romance. I have previously described this as “poetic sci-fi realness.” I could be more professional and say that this is an epistolary work of rival agents forming a bond despite their opposition, but like I can’t okay. This book is so intricate and beautiful and the letters are not on paper, they could be in the dregs of a teacup or the rings of a tree, and I’m not crying you’re crying.

All Our Wrong Todays  by Elan Mastai

Tom is a misfit in a utopian world, and he goes back in time and accidentally screws up the future. This mishap leaves him stranded in our 2016, but what we think of as the real world is a dystopian wasteland to Tom. He eventually finds different versions of everything he knows and maybe even his soulmate. Tom has to decide whether to fix the timeline and bring back utopia or live in this new version of the world he’s created. Probably me as a time traveler, tbh.

The Fire Opal Mechanism by Fran Wilde

The Fire Opal Mechanism  is technically a sequel to The Jewel and Her Lapidary , but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Ania is a librarian at the last university desperately trying to save as many books as she can. All the other universities have fallen to the Pressman, an extremist group bent on destroying all the world’s books and replacing them with a generic, self-updating compendium available to everyone regardless of economic class. Jorit, branded a thief, is on the run just trying to survive long enough to afford passage on a ship away from all these problems. They team up and inadvertently discover time travel, but will it help them fix the present? This is really beautifully written, especially the passages about books: “Touching a book, for Ania, was like touching a person’s fingertips across the years. She could feel a pulse, a passion for the knowledge the book contained.”

The Silver Wind  by Nina Allan

The Silver Wind  is a series of stories linked by the character Martin Newland. Each story is like an alternate universe brought about by time machines and time travel. As Allan describes on her website : “While the overarching theme of this book might properly be found in Martin’s struggle with infinity, its individual chapters deal with those small acts of creative defiance that determine our transcendence of ordinary mortality.” A thoroughly thought-provoking déjà vu experience.

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Anne Gallagher travels to Ireland to scatter the ashes of her beloved grandfather. She is pulled back in time to the Ireland of 1921 and is mistaken as the long-lost mother of a young boy. She assumes this identity and is drawn into the lives of those around her and the political unrest of the time. It’s a historical romance perfect for fans of Outlander.

The Shining Girls  by Lauren Beukes

What if time travel fell into the hands of a criminal?  The Shining Girls  is the story of serial killer named Harper Curtis who stumbles upon an abandoned house in Depression-era Chicago that allows him to travel in time. He chooses his victims and visits them at different times of their lives before returning for the kill. Kirby survives Harper’s attack and, along with a former homicide reporter, tries to unravel the mystery before anyone else dies. This book is wild, W-I-L-D. There’s a lot of violence, so it might not be for everyone, but it’s such an interesting take on the time travel story.

Version Control  by Dexter Palmer

Set in the near-future, Rebecca works in the customer support department of the dating site where she met her husband Phillip. He is a scientist building a causality violation device (definitely not a time machine!). But Rebecca can’t help but feel that there’s something wrong with the present. So, this is kind of about living with technology and kind of about relationships and overcoming tragedy and also time travel. Intelligent and poignant but make it sci-fi.

How to Invent Everything: A Survival Guide for the Stranded Time Traveler  by Ryan North

Starting out with an FAQ guide to your rented time machine, How to Invent Everything humorously goes through the history of well, everything. From how to determine what time period you have landed and are now stuck in to inventing language and electricity it’s a very Hitchhiker’s Guide -ish look at history presented as a guide for creating the things you’ll miss when you’re stranded in an earlier timeline than your own.

Time After Time  by Lisa Grunwald

It’s 1937 and Joe Reynolds is a hard-working railroad man at Grand Central Station. Nora Lansing is an aspiring artist and the last thing she remembers is her train crashing in 1925. They meet at the big clock and Joe walks Nora home, but she disappears in the street. She reappears one year later and meets Joe again. Realizing she’s jumping in time and trapped in Grand Central for mysterious reasons that might have something to do with Manhattanhenge, Nora and Joe try to unravel the mystery before she disappears again. For me this was a time travel books mashup of The Clock meets Kate & Leopold meets Gentleman in Moscow and I was very about it.

TimeKeeper  by Tara Sim

TimeKeeper takes place in an alternate Victorian world where time is controlled by clock towers. Danny is a young clock mechanic enamored with his new apprentice, who turns out to be the Enfield clock spirit, Colton. Bombings at other towers start to occur and broken clocks mean the towns they oversee will be frozen in time. The romance between Danny and Colton is very adorable and the race against literal time is an exciting backdrop. It’s the first in a trilogy.

Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick

If you’re a time travel fan then this sentence from the publisher’s summary is sure to get you excited, “World-renowned paleontologist Richard Leyster’s universe changed forever the day a stranger named Griffin walked into his office with a remarkable job offer…and an ice cooler containing the head of a freshly killed Stegosaurus.” Time travel allows a group of scientists to go back and study dinosaurs up close in their natural environment. If you are now humming the Jurassic Park theme, please know, So. Am. I.

Just One Damned Thing After Another (Chronicles of St. Mary’s) by Jodi Taylor

There is so much going on in this whirlwind adventure that if you blink you’ll miss a major plot point.  Just One Damned Thing After Another  is just the first book in a series of the adventures of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Research as they rattle around through time trying to answer history’s unanswered questions. There are currently 11 books published and forthcoming and a ton of short stories that fill in the blanks between adventures. Taylor also has a spinoff time travel series, The Time Police, with the first book just out called Doing Time .  It follows three hapless new time police recruits as they try to keep the timeline straight.

Looking for more of the best time travel books? Check out these timey-wimey posts:

Time Travel Romances

7 of the Best Alternate Timeline Books

The Lack of Black Characters in Time Travel Romance

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How I Became Obsessed With Accidental Time Travel

The web is awash with ordinary peoples’ stories of “time slips.” Their real magic is what they can tell us about our relationship to time.

By Lucie Elven

This year, I turned 30, a development that came with a breathless sense of dread at time’s passing. It wakes me up in the early mornings: Nocturnal terror breaks through the surface of sleep like a whale breaching for air. My ambition and fear kick in together until I get up, pour myself some water and look out the window at the squid-ink sky and the string of lights along my neighbors’ houses. I lie down again after finding firmer mental ground, dry land.

So when a guy that my friend was seeing evangelized about “time slips” — a genre of urban legend in which people claim that, while walking in particular places, they accidentally traveled back, and sometimes forward, in time — I was a ripe target. Curious and increasingly existential, I Googled these supposed time slips. I found a global community of believers building an archive of temporal dislocations from the present. These congregants gathered in corners of the internet to testify about how, in the right conditions, the dusting of alienation that settles over the world as we age can crystallize into collective fiction.

I was initially skeptical of the vague language that time-slip writers employed to convey experiences I already found dubious: too many uses of foggy words like “blunder” and “sporting”; detail lavished on varieties of hats encountered. But I was drawn in by their secretive tone — I sensed that sharing these anecdotes was compromising, even shameful (“People would laugh at you,” one poster wrote). Disapproval became attraction, and I returned to the message boards throughout the summer.

Here’s a classic that, like the best of these stories, was related secondhand on a paranormal blog: In a Liverpudlian street in 1996, an off-duty policeman named Frank was going to meet his wife, Carol, in a bookshop called Dillons when “suddenly, a small box van that looked like something out of the 1950s sped across his path, honking its horn as it narrowly missed him.” More disorienting still, Frank “saw that Dillons book store now had ‘Cripps’ over its entrance” and that there were stands of shoes and handbags in the window instead of new fiction. The only other person not wearing midcentury dress was a girl in a lime green sleeveless top. As Frank followed her into the old women’s wear boutique, “the interior of the building completely changed in a flash”; it was once again a bookshop.

I found a global community of believers building an archive of temporal dislocations from the present.

As with a spell of déjà vu, the experience was short-lived, and time was regained. According to the blogger’s detective-like report, Cripps “was later determined” to have been a business in the 1950s. In response to Frank’s slip, posters have told their own or related accounts they’ve heard from others: “This happened to my ex-boss, Glyn Jackson in London, England,” one begins. “Glyn’s story is Highly believable as Glyn is person who lacks imagination on such a scale that he could not put together a grade one story for English to save his life.” And on it goes.

I have never appreciated stories about the passage of time. I resent that I won’t ever get back the hours of my life that Richard Linklater stole with “Boyhood” — his two-and-three-quarter-hour film, shot over a 12-year period in which time is the force that overwhelms everything, not least the idea that our own actions drive our life stories. There’s a whole lot of unwelcome profundity there.

Time-slip anecdotes, though fashioned out of the ambient dread of living with the ticking clock, are childlike in their sense of wonder. They are light, playful and irrational, as frivolous and folky as a ghost story if it were narrated by the confused ghost instead of the people it haunts. One poster, as a girl, used to see a woman in a blue bathrobe in her room: “Her hair was long and messy, a reddish brown. I didn’t see her face because she was usually turned away. I used to mistake her for my mom.” Years later, grown up, the poster’s daughter slept in her former bedroom. “One day I realized ... I was wearing the same blue bathrobe,” the mother writes. Paranormal trappings aside, this story speaks to the feeling of whiplash brought on by time’s passing.

Slipping can be significant, as any Freudian will tell you, and these narratives are riddles whose answers might tell us about our relationship to time. I have begun considering the message boards on which they are exchanged to be narrow but important release valves, allowing posters to talk about the feelings that arise from being time-bound: depression, midlife crises, the dysmorphia of living in a human body. What ailed Miss Smith, whose car slid into a ditch after a cocktail party, and who witnessed “groups of Pictish warriors of the late seventh century, ca. 685 AD,” if not an understanding of her smallness in history’s vast expanse? Why did two academics, famous in the time-slip community for writing a book about spotting Marie Antoinette in the Versailles grounds, encounter trees that looked lifeless, “like wood worked in tapestry”? Perhaps in that instant, like the last queen of France’s Ancien Régime, they felt radically out of joint with their present moment.

If you suspend disbelief, you’ll find these threads constitute a philosophical inquiry about the place of the spirit in our physical beings. They debate the merits of subjectivity and objectivity and question the idea that time is a one-lane highway to death. These writers argue that our past and future can suffuse our present, unveiling an epic dimension of our quotidian existences in moments when we slip and, like Frank, feel eternity.

Lucie Elven is a writer whose first book of fiction, “The Weak Spot,” was published this year in the United States by Soft Skull Press and in Britain by Prototype.

Background photograph: George Marks/Getty Images

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Time Travel Stories That Explore What It Means To Be Human

Holly smale recommends kate atkinson, octavia butler, and more.

The inspiration for Cassandra In Reverse came—as art sometimes does—from heartbreak, or something quite like it. A short but intense relationship that unravelled so quickly, and so unexpectedly, I was left reeling. What had gone wrong? Was it my fault? What could I have done differently?

Caught in a familiar, never-ending thought-loop, I spent months trapped inside my own head: obsessively re-running the entire relationship in enormous detail, looking for clues, searching for the point where it all went wrong. If I could just go back and tweak it—say the right thing, understand a facial expression I completely misinterpreted—would it have had a different ending? Would it, perhaps, not have ended at all?

As I worked through this familiar yet confusing process—carefully editing a memory and allowing my imagination to play out the consequences in detail—I slowly realized it was an idea for a book: a woman, gifted with the power of time travel, who initially uses it to try and fix her relationship. But, when I pitched it to my agent, she had a few understandable questions. Why would anyone become so hyper-fixated on a short-term relationship like that? Why obsess, and repeat, and re-run? Why not just… let go and move on?

The answer to that question came with my autism diagnosis, a few years later. As I grappled with understanding my own neurology properly for the first time, I realized that the way I thought and behaved was tied, inexorably, to the fact that I was autistic. The need to repeat, to loop, to hyper-fixate, to obsess, to examine, to study, to analyze: I did it because I was autistic. Thus, rather than being a time-travel book with an incidentally autistic protagonist, this was a protagonist who time travelled because she was autistic: because the very act of time travel was, on a macroscopic scale, a narrative version of what goes on in her brain anyway.

I think there’s a part of every human who wonders if editing a part of their life would make a difference to where they ended up. But, in using time travel to reflect my character’s internal workings, I was able to give Cassandra a way to show her distinct neurology, instead of just telling us.

So much of being autistic is in attempting—and often failing—to connect to the world around us, and time travel allows Cassie try, over and over again. It allows her to explore what it’s like to carry time with you—blessed, and cursed, with an intense long-term memory—and to see what life is like when you get a dress-rehearsal first. It allows her to search for love, just as I have searched, and to try to understand those around me, as I have also tried. And it allowed me, as the writer, to repeat, to loop, and to undo and redo, to my heart’s content.

My favorite books are those where character and plot become one and the same. And, while time travel has been done so many times, Cassandra in Reverse is, in many ways, simply autistic neurology writ large, which felt like a slightly new perspective worth bringing to the table.

The best time travel stories, for me, allow the writer to essentially explore what it means to be human, and the incredible books I have picked below do exactly that.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

In this beautiful novel, Kate Atkinson uses a form of time-travel to investigate the fragility of being alive in a warm, luminous and witty way. Ursula is consistently dying and being re-born—with each life repeating until she uses her memories (and often instinct) to send it in slightly different directions and make alternative choices. One of the biggest issues of writing a time travel book is making sure that the repetition isn’t boring for the reader, and this book does that sublimely. Every sentence is so beautifully and clearly observed, and its companion book ( A God In Ruins ) plays with an off-shoot of the same basic idea: where would we all end up if we got another chance?

Kindred by Octavia Butler

An incredibly powerful novel, Kindred centers on the lives and experiences of slaves through the eyes of Dana—a Black woman living in 1976—who finds herself repeatedly pulled through time to the slave plantation of one of her ancestors in 1815. Time travel is used with enormous poignancy to explore race, gender and power dynamics through the eyes of a woman with modern sensibilities: a woman who cannot escape the time she has been thrown into, or the inevitable pain and struggle that comes with it. Every character feels alive, every story is explored and compassion is woven into every line: even for the brutal white plantation owners, who also seem caught in a time they cannot escape from. An astonishing book, as well as a vibrant and fascinating narrative that pulls the reader backwards in time along with its heroine.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

No list about time travel would be complete without a nod to what is generally considered the first book to popularize the concept, as well as the first to coin the term ‘time-machine’. In his novella, H.G. Wells uses the eponymous Time Traveller—never given a name—to question the “fourth dimension,” and a human’s ability to travel through time as well as space. He uses time travel to move only forward, thus the book becomes a searing social dystopian examination of what human society—and the earth itself—will eventually become if it continues on the same path, and peers at the living standards of the working class through the lens of the underground Morlocks. Weird, dark, morbid but brilliant, this book opened up a brand new genre and still has enormous power.

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffeneger

The focus of The Time Traveler’s Wife is love, predominantly from the perspective of the person who doesn’t time-travel: who is, essentially, left behind with the consequences. The connection between Henry, a man with a genetic condition that causes him to time-travel, and Clare—the woman he falls in love with—feels so real, as does the heartbreak, but it is the impact of waiting that really stands out: a sense of longing for a person, or a time, that has been or yet to come.

Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

An incredibly entertaining and poignant novel, Oona is a unique character: one gifted—or cursed—with experiencing each year of her life in the wrong order: hopping forwards and backwards in time, and attempting to piece it together into one cohesive whole. It’s a novel that explores the impact our life choices have on us, externally and internally, and allows the characters to develop organically on the inside, even as her outside jumps around. It also has immense fun with technology, the use of ‘seeing the future’ to financially profit, and how foresight doesn’t necessarily prevent it all happening again, but this is a book that predominantly focuses on the importance of making mistakes, as well as embracing every age of being human.

__________________________________

Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale is available from MIRA Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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The 21 best books about time travel, from science fiction classics to time loop romances

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• Time travel is a popular subgenre amongst science fiction readers .
• Authors have used time travel to tell incredible stories, from romances to historic events.
• These are 21 of the best time travel books, from ' Outlander ' to Octavia Butler's ' Kindred .'

Science fiction is a broad and exciting genre with plenty of fun subgenres for readers to explore, such as space operas where readers travel across galaxies or dystopian novels that provide a glimpse at terrifying possible futures. 

One popular science fiction subgenre is time travel, where characters cross time and space using parallel universes, advanced technology, or simply unexplainable magic. Time travel novels let readers imagine the limitless pasts and futures where anything is possible. 

To gather these recommendations, we looked at bestseller lists and popular recommendations from Amazon , Bookshop , and Goodreads . From epic romances to genre-bending classics, here are the best time travel books to take you on a reading adventure through time. 

The best time travel books to read in 2022:

An epic time travel love story.

"Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $9.19

In this series that inspired a beloved TV show of the same name, Claire Randall and her husband are enjoying a second honeymoon after she returns from serving as a combat nurse in WWII. Their celebration is cut short, however, when Claire suddenly finds herself thrust back through time to 1743 Scotland. An outlander in this strange time, Claire meets a young warrior named James Fraser, whose love tears her heart between two times.

A modern time travel classic

"The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.79

This contemporary time travel novel has quickly become a classic love story between Clare and Henry, who gravitate towards each other despite Henry's Chrono-Displacement Disorder, which causes him to be misplaced through time. Imaginative and original, " The Time Traveler's Wife " uses multiple points of view to tell an emotional story of love, friendship, and the effects of time on both.

A romantic time travel read

"This Is How You Lose the Time War" by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.15

" This Is How You Lose the Time War " is a new, award-winning novel about rival agents Red and Blue who leave each other secret messages as they travel through time, altering history on behalf of their warring home empires. Though the messages begin as playful taunting, they soon become much more in this Queer, sci-fi romance .

A time travel novel from the king of horror

"11/22/63" by Stephen King, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15

This nearly-1,000 page historical science fiction read is a gripping time travel thriller  — and one of the highest-reviewed Stephen King books . Jake Epping is a high school English teacher who discovers a secret portal to 1958 and is enlisted to go back in time and try to stop the Kennedy assassination, the effects of which can't be known until Jake either succeeds or fails.

A classic time travel tale

"Kindred" by Octavia E. Butler, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.39

When Dana, a young, Black writer, is inexplicably thrust backward in time from 1976 to a pre-Civil War Maryland plantation, she's met with the drowning of a young white boy, whom she tries but fails to save. As she continues to drift between the past and present, Dana is accused of murdering the child, meets her ancestors, and is forced into slavery, all while trying to find her way back to the present.

A journey to the Medieval times

"Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $8.27

Beginning in near-future London, time travel technology is used by universities to send historians back in time for research purposes. When Kivrin is sent to the past to experience a Medieval village, everything goes immediately wrong and Kivrin is stuck with no way to return home, a mysterious illness, and disaster coming her way in this page-turning novel that won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards in 1993.

An equally devastating and remarkable time travel novel

"Recursion" by Blake Crouch, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.99

When a technology emerges that allows humans to return and re-experience their most precious and emotional memories, the effects begin to devastate the world as parallel worlds collide, unraveling society and threatening humanity in its entirety. " Recursion " is one of my all-time favorite novels, an undeniable page-turner that completely engrossed countless readers with Blake Crouch's masterful writing.

A non-linear time travel classic

"Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut Jr., available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $7.35

" Slaughterhouse-Five " is an American classic and considered one of the greatest novels of all time . First published in 1969, this science fiction novel follows Billy Pilgrim from childhood through his time as a soldier during World War II,] and beyond as he travels back and forth through time and tells his story with messages about war, post-traumatic stress, life, and love.

A time travel love story

"How to Stop Time" by Matt Haig, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15.30

Tom Hazard has lived through many centuries but is ready to settle down as a high school history teacher and live a normal life. Because of his condition, he must not fall in love, but when the French teacher at school catches his eye, Tom flashes back through his many lives to help him figure out how to live in the present.

A time loop romance

"One Last Stop" by Casey McQuiston, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.25

When cynical August moves to New York City, she doesn't believe in magical love stories, until she meets Jane on the Q train. As August continues to ride the Q train as often as she can to spend time with Jane, the two realize Jane is stuck there on a strange time loop, displaced from the 1970s and in desperate need of August's help to get her unstuck.

An original time travel novel featuring magical realism

"Oona Out of Order" by Margarita Montimore, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $15.99

On New Year's Eve in 1982, Oona Lockhart is minutes away from turning 19 and has a life of opportunities ahead of her, until the clock strikes midnight and Oona wakes up on her 51st birthday. Destined to travel back and forth through time and live her life out of order, Oona must figure out how to navigate life, love, and everything in between.

A holiday-themed time travel read

"In a Holidaze" by Christina Lauren, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.59

This holiday read is a rom-com fan-favorite about Maelyn Jones, who is on her way to the airport after a final family vacation at their beloved Utah cabin when she sees a truck hurtling towards their car. Just before the truck can hit them, Mae wakes up on the airplane headed to the cabin, stuck in a cycle of reliving the trip over and over until she can discover what makes her happy.

A devastating middle-grade time travel read

"The Shape of Thunder" by Jasmine Warga, available at Amazon, $14.49

Cora and Quinn are next-door neighbors and best friends who haven't spoken to each other in a year since a tragedy changed both of their lives forever. When Quinn decides the only way to bridge the distance between them is by going back in time to stop that horrible day from ever happening, the two try to unravel the mysteries of time travel in this middle-grade novel about trauma, loss, and healing.

A time travel graphic novel about true events

"Displacement" by Kiku Hughes, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $16.55

This incredible graphic novel is about Kiku Hughes, who is on vacation in San Francisco when she's abruptly transported back in time to witness the internment camp into which her grandmother was forcibly relocated during World War II. Unsure how or if she will be able to return to the present, Kiku learns her grandmother's true history and begins to see the long-term effects her experiences had on their family and countless other Japanese Americans.

A young adult time loop fantasy novel

"Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $13.79

In this best-selling young adult fantasy book , Jacob Magellan Portman is taken to a remote island off the coast of Wales to deal with his trauma after a horrible family tragedy. Though the home is allegedly haunted by the inhabitants who died on September 3, 1940, Jacob discovers peculiar children stuck in a time loop, cared for by the equally peculiar Miss Peregrine.

A classic time travel story

"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $5.35

On a dark and stormy night, Meg Murry, along with her brother and her friend, set out on a dangerous but extraordinary adventure to rescue her father who mysteriously disappeared. With the help of supernatural friends, the group uses a tesseract to travel through space and time in this 1962 story of love, evil, and purpose.

A young adult novel about time travel and love

"Opposite of Always" by Justin A. Reynolds, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $10.99

Jack and Kate are immediately drawn to each other when they meet at a party and begin to fall in love in the weeks that follow. When Kate tragically dies from a genetic disease, Jack finds himself back at the moment they met, determined to do anything to prevent her death, even if it means hurting others in the process.

A magical time travel manga

"Tokyo Revengers" by Ken Wakui, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $7.99

Takemichi Hanagaki is stuck in his less-than-thrilling life when he learns his middle school girlfriend, Hinata, has been killed by a villainous gang. When an accident sends him 12 years back in time to middle school, Takemichi is determined to change his life and save Hinata in this time travel manga .

A time travel story of a father and son

"How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe" by Charles Yu, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $11.69

Charles Yu lives in a science fiction reality, working as a time machine repairman and searching for his father, who invented time travel and has since disappeared. In this heartfelt read , Charles must navigate the universe with his companions to find a moment where he and his father can meet in memory.

A feminist time travel novel

"The Future of Another Timeline" by Annalee Newitz, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $17.47

Told through alternating first-person narratives, this time travel story focuses on two main timelines as Beth finds herself in 1992 with a front-row seat to a murder while Tess is determined to use time travel to fight for a change in 2022. As the two stories intertwine across time, war threatens to destroy time travel in this smart, feminist read .

An irresistible time travel read

"Here and Now and Then" by Mike Chen, available at Amazon and Bookshop , from $14.49

Kin Stewart may seem like an average man but has a secret: He's actually a time-traveling secret agent from the year 2142, stuck in the present ever since a mission failed 18 years ago. When his rescue team finally arrives, Kin is torn between his two families, trying to keep them both, until a risk to his daughter's existence stretches Kin's love across time to save her.

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37 Mind-Bending Time Travel Books

Jump into the best time travel books and discover the mind-bending scenarios only possible in the best time travel fiction.

The other night at dinner, I was asking my kids whether they would like to travel to the past or the future. The myriad replies included visiting the dinosaurs and flying in a spaceship across the galaxy.

The linear nature of our lives means that we can only imagine a different way of experiencing time. The best time travel books use this impossibility to create mind-bending scenarios for us to contemplate.

Today, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite time travel books, along with a whole slew of intriguing books with time travel to fire up your imagination.

Have fun exploring the twisty what-if scenarios in these time traveling books and let me know your favorites in the comments!

Don’t Miss a Thing

Best Time Travel Books

The Time Traveler’s Wife

Audrey niffenegger.

When you think of the best books about time travel, Audrey Niffenegger’s debut novel comes to mind. In this classic love story, art student Clare and librarian Henry try for a sense of normalcy as Henry time shifts through their life. Henry has Chrono-Displacement Disorder; he unexpectedly gets pulled to important emotional moments in his past and future life. A mind-bending romance that is a must-read for any fan of time travel books.

Publication Date: 2003 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Stephen King

Stephen King seems to write amazingly in every genre, and time travel fiction is no different. In 11/22/63 , English teacher Jake Epping discovers that this friend Al has a portal in his diner storeroom that leads back to 1958. As Jake emerges into the past, he starts by trying to change the life of one of his students and eventually concocts a plan to prevent President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. But playing with time always has unintended consequences.

Publication Date: 8 November 2011 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Diana Gabaldon

One of the ultimate time travel romance books, Gabaldon’s Outlander series creates a sweeping love triangle. Recently returned from serving as a WWII nurse, Claire Randall decides to take a second honeymoon with her husband. When she steps through a standing stone in the British Isles, she finds herself transported back to 1743 in war-torn Scotland. As Claire allies with the great warrior James Fraser, she must decide between the love of two completely men in two completely different times.

Publication Date: 1 June 1991 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Blake Crouch

America has fallen victim to False Memory Syndrome – a disease where victims are driven mad by memories of a life they never lived … or have they? It’s up to NYPD cop Barry Sutton and neuroscientist Helena Smith to figure out how to stop this epidemic, even as reality is shifting all around them. You’ll have a hard time putting this one down, so you’ll certainly want to pick up a copy before the film adaptation hits Netflix.

Publication Date: 11 June 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

Stuart turton.

On the 19th anniversary of their son’s murder, Lord and Lady Hardcastle throw a party with the same guests as that fateful day long ago. At 11 pm, Evelyn Hardcastle is murdered. In a Groundhog Day -esque fashion, Aidan Bishop must relive this day 8 times, but from the perspective of eight different witnesses. His task: identify Evelyn’s murderer, or do it all over again. Evelyn Hardcastle will throw you into a brilliant game of Clue as you see the same events from multiple viewpoints. Just ignore the why this happening and jump right into the mystery come to life, with plenty of fun twists and turns along the way.

Publication Date: 8 February 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Save for Later

Recent Books on Time Travel

Wrong Place Wrong Time

Gillian mcallister.

Just after midnight, Jen is watching out the window for her teenage son Todd to come home when she sees him murder an older man right outside their house. With her son in custody, Jen goes to be in despair but wakes to find the day starting all over again. Caught in a time loop, Jen must find out the impetus for the murder and try anything she can to stop it.

Publication Date: 2 August 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

One Italian Summer

Rebecca serle.

One Italian Summer is a time travel novel about grieving and understanding a parent. When her mother dies just before their planned mother-daughter trip to Italy, Katy decides to still spend the summer exploring the Amalfi coast as she grieves. Magically, Katy meets a younger version of her mother, giving Katy a whole new perspective on her mother as a person.

Publication Date: 1 March 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

This Time Tomorrow

Emma straub.

On the eve of her 40th birthday, Alice feels satisfied with everything in her life except her distant relationship with her father. When she wakes up the next day, she finds she has been transported back in the past to her 16-year-old self. Now with the eyes of an adult, Alice sees it as an opportunity to connect with her father and correct past mistakes.

Publication Date: 17 May 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

One Last Stop

Casey mcquiston.

One of the most anticipated time travel books of 2021 comes from the author of Red, White & Royal Blue . Cynical August doesn’t believe life will ever change until she develops a crush on a girl from her subway commute. Jane is perfect and the highlight of August’s every day. But when August and Jane finally meet, August realizes that somehow Jane actually lives in the 1970s. A time-defying romance perfect for your summer reading list.

Publication Date: 1 June 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Faye, Faraway

Helen fisher.

Faye is a happily married mother of two who still feels the ache of the loss of her mother as a child. When she suddenly finds herself transported back in time, she has the opportunity to befriend her mother. Faye, Faraway is a slow heartfelt debut novel that spends most of the story contemplating the psychology of time travel, faith, and the relationship between parents and children.

Publication Date: 26 January 2021 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Time Travel Books for Your Reading List

The Midnight Library

In the Midnight Library, there are two books – one book for the life you’ve lived and one for the one you could have lived. After attempting suicide, Nora Seed finds herself there. Now she must decide which book to choose from. What if she had made different choices? Would her life have been any better? All of us have regrets, and by allowing Nora the possibility to redo her life, Haig does a brilliant job showing how we can never predict the outcomes of our choices. A thoroughly enjoyable read that intimately talks about the pain depression and second-guessing has on our life.

Publication Date: 29 September 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

In Five Years

Dannie Cohan knows exactly where she’ll be in five years – until the night of her engagement. In her post-engagement bliss, she has a vision of herself in five years engaged to someone else. She doesn’t think much of it, until years later when she finds he is dating her best friend. While the premise sounds light-hearted, partway through the story, beach read goes out the window and thought-provoking steps in. You’ll feel compelled to know if the vision came true and surprised at how well Serle counters your expectations.

Publication Date: 10 March 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Rainbow Rowell

Sitcom writer Georgie McCool knows her marriage is struggling, but she can’t pass up the chance to pitch the pilot show she’s been dreaming about for years, even if it means missing Christmas. While he’s away, she finds that calling Neal on the landline results in her talking to a younger version of her husband in the days just before he proposed. With the time-traveling communication messing with her head, Georgie recalls her courtship with Neal and ponders what to do about her marriage.

Publication Date: 8 July 2014 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Oona Out of Order

Margarita montimore.

On New Year’s Eve in 1982, Oona Lockhart is faced with a life-changing decision: travel abroad to continue her studies in London or pursue fame as a member of her boyfriend’s rock band. As the clock strikes midnight and Oona turns 19, she faints and wakes up as a fifty-year-old. Thus begins the mixed-up time travel life of Oona, where every year she gets to randomly experience her life at different stages. One of the best recent books with time travel, Oona Out of Order explores if we can change our destiny while having fun highlighting the differences between decades.

Publication Date: 25 February 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

In a Holidaze

Christina lauren.

With her love life in shatters, Maelyn Jones is devastated to find this will be her last Christmas spent with her family at the snowy Utah cabin. As she drives away, a car crash sends her into a time loop to relive the same Christmas vacation over and over again. Now she must figure out how to end the time loop so she can live happily ever after. A lighthearted romance with a Groundhog Day premise perfect for your holiday reading list.

Publication Date: 6 October 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Classics Books on Time Travel

Octavia E. Butler

In 1976, Dana, a young African-American writer, finds herself inexplicably sent back through time to a pre-Civil War plantation in Maryland. After saving a drowning white boy, she finds herself back in Los Angeles. Over and over, Dana finds herself returning to the plantation, which she realizes is where her ancestors lived. As her stays in the past become longer, Dana becomes entangled in the plantation and is forced to make harder and harder choices to survive. Octavia Butler’s genre-bending novel is a must-read among time travel books.

Publication Date: June 1979 Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Machine

H. g. wells.

In this classic story which pioneered time travel fiction and coined the word “time machine,” the time traveler pulls a lever and transports himself 800,000 years in the future. On a dying Earth, he meets two strange races – the innocent childlike Eloi and the Morlocks, brutal underground dwellers. Highlighting class conflict, The Time Machine warns against the assumption of the inevitable progress of mankind.

Publication Date: 1895 Amazon | Goodreads

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

After being hit over the hit, Hank Morgan wakes up to find himself miraculously in King Arthur’s Camelot. The nineteenth-century mechanic sets out to modernize the medieval era with electricity and gunfire, quickly creating chaos. Mark Twain’s imaginative satire sharply criticizes his contemporary culture, with interesting parallels to our world today. 

Publication Date: 1889 Amazon | Goodreads

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt vonnegut.

How to describe Slaughterhouse-Five? In this postmodern anti-war science fiction World War II novel, the unreliable narrator tells the tale of Billy Pilgrim, a time-traveling man being held in an alien zoo. Through flashbacks, we relive Billy’s capture during the Battle of the Bulge, life as a POW working in a slaughterhouse (Slaughterhous #5) during the Dresden firebombing, and his subsequent life after the war. If you can get past Vonnegut’s strange style, his discussion of fate, free will, and death earn it its place among the best classic time travel books. For, “so it goes.”

Publication Date: 31 March 1969 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The End of Eternity

Isaac asimov.

Andrew Harlan is an Eternal, tasked with sifting through past and present centuries to monitor progress and, when necessary, changing things to ensure things play out how his organization wishes. When Andrew falls in love with a non-eternal, he must decide where his loyalties lie and at what cost his happily ever after ending is worth.

Publication Date: 1955 Amazon | Goodreads

Interesting Time Travel Novels

This Is How You Lose the Time War

Amal el-mohtar and max gladstone.

If you love more literary books on time travel, you’ll want to pick up this award-winning novella. In a world devastated by war for generations, two rival agents, known simply as Red and Blue, are tasked with securing the best possible outcome for her side. When an unlikely correspondence sparks between them, their romantic bond threatens to change both the past and the future.

Publication Date: 16 July 2019 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Night Watch

Terry pratchett.

As policeman Sam Vimes chases notorious serial killer Carcer, they are both caught up in a magical storm. Unexpectedly finding themselves in the past, Carcer ends up killer Vimes’s mentor John Keel. Now on the eve of Revolution, Vimes must impersonate Keel and act as the mentor to his younger self while trying to capture the killer without ruining the timeline. Although the 29th book in the Disc World series, Night Watch can be read as a standalone novel.

Publication Date: 2002 Amazon | Goodreads

Sea of Tranquility

Emily st. john mandel.

In 1912, a young man hears a violin playing in the Canadian woods, an event that a videographer captures in the present day. Two hundred years later, a famous writer includes a similar haunting scene in one of her books. Decades later, Gaspery-Jacques Roberts is hired to investigate this anomaly in time, one that has the potential to disrupt the universe’s timeline.

Publication Date: 5 April 2022 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Dream Daughter

Diane chamberlain.

In 1970, Caroline Sears is devastated to learn her newborn daughter has a heart defect that cannot be cured. Except, her brother-in-law declares there is a cure. Hunter claims to be a time traveler from the future who promises that if she jumps to 2001, she can have fetal heart surgery and save her baby. Now Carly must decide what she believes and whether she should take a leap of faith.

Publication Date: 2 October 2018 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Accidental Time Machine

Joe haldeman.

After dropping out of grad school, Matt Fuller finds himself in a dead-end job working as a research assistant at MIT. When he accidentally creates a time machine while studying gravity and electromagnetic forces, Matt assumes he has nothing to lose by taking a jump in time. Every time each jumps, he travels further into the future, getting tangled into more and more complicated situations and hoping that with one more jump he can return to his present.

Publication Date: 2007 Amazon | Goodreads

Michael Crichton

In France, an archaeology professor leads a group of graduate students researching two fourteenth-century towns. When Professor Johnston flies back to America to handle their shady sponsors, the students begin to unearth his modern-day possessions buried in the ruins at the dig site. Quickly they are whisked away to a secret site and told that they must travel back to the time of knights if they are to save their professor.

Publication Date: 16 November 1999 Amazon | Goodreads

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Laurie viera rigler.

A Jane Austen-obsessed woman wakes up one day to find herself back in Regency England. Now Courtney must pretend to be the Miss Jane Mansfield whose life she seems to be inhabiting. All while dealing with the inconveniences of the nineteenth century and handling chaperones, seducers, and unwanted marriage proposals. When she meets the enigmatic Mr. Edgeworth, Courtney is flooded with Jane’s memories of him and wonders if Jane might have judged him wrongly.

Books About Parallel Universes

Dark Matter

I know parallel universe stories aren’t quite the same as time travel, but they are so irresistibly fun I couldn’t help but highlight a few. Walking home one night, Jason Dessen is kidnapped and forced into an alternate reality. He’s been thrust into the multiverse, a world where instead of marrying his wife when she got pregnant with their child, he single-mindedly persevered on with his research. Although the middle was a bit slow, Crouch’s premise will boggle your mind and the story concludes with a thrilling finale.

Publication Date: 26 July 2016 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

The Two Lives of Lydia Bird

Josie silver.

After the death of her fiance, Lydia is struggling to cope. Thanks to an experimental sleeping pill, she gets a chance to live the life she would have had with her fiance in her dreams. However, living in her dream life is messing with her waking life. Which life should she choose? Silver does an excellent job showing how much grief has changed Lydia and how dangerous it is to interfere with the grief process.

Publication Date: 3 March 2020 Amazon | Goodreads | More Info

Haruki Murakami

If you are craving something a bit different, you might want to try this mind-bending work from famed Japanese author Haruki Murakami. In 1984, Aomame notices strange discrepancies and finds she has entered a parallel version of her life, 1Q84. Quickly caught up in a religious cult, Aomame wonders what is truly real. Meanwhile, ghostwriter Tengo accepts an assignment to rewrite a book, a decision that changes his whole life and leads him closer to Aomame.

Publication Date: 29 May 2009 Amazon | Goodreads

Dean Koontz

After his wife Michelle left years ago, Jeffy Coltrane has tried his best to make a good life for him and his seven-year-old daughter, Amity. One day, the local eccentric leaves a mysterious device at their house, warning them they must never use it. Once Jeffy and Amity realize it allows you to travel between parallel universes, they question what life would have been like if Michelle hadn’t left. But other people are after the device, wanting to use it for their own nefarious purposes.

Publication Date: 6 October 2020 Amazon | Goodreads

Again Again

E. lockhart.

While recovering from a devastating breakup and dealing with her brother’s opioid addiction, Adelaide Buchwald is spending her summer as a dog walker. When Adelaide meets a cute new boy, you get to see all the possibilities of how her life could unfold that summer – what was versus what might have been. 

Publication Date: 2 June 2020 Amazon | Goodreads

Time Travel Books for Kids and Teens

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children

Ransom riggs.

One of the most popular time travel books for teens is Ransom Riggs’s unique young adult series that mixes vintage photography with fantastical storytelling. Jacob never quite believed his grandfather’s outlandish tales of a magical orphanage. When Jacob starts having nightmares about the stories, his parents send him to the remote island in Wales to show him that there is nothing to fear. Instead, he meets a collection of peculiar and potentially dangerous children caught in a time loop.

Publication Date: 7 June 2011 Amazon | Goodreads

Kerstin Gier

Although sixteen-year-old Gwen’s family is quite eccentric, she has been able to live a normal life as a London teenager. Until she finds out that the time-traveling gene which runs in her family didn’t skip over her as everyone thought. Not having been inducted into the mysteries of time travel, Gwen is unprepared for the unexpected jumps into the past and must rely on her time-traveling counterpart Gideon, a stunningly gorgeous and insufferable know-it-all teenage boy.

Publication Date: 2009 Amazon | Goodreads

Before I Fall

Lauren oliver.

Another popular choice among YA time travel books is Lauren Oliver’s story of a popular high schooler caught in a time loop. At Samantha Kingston’s high school, February 12th is “Cupid Day,” a day of valentines and roses and a big party. At the end of the night, Samantha dies in a terrible accident, only to wake up the next day to relive it all over again. As Samantha learns that small changes can make dramatic differences, she is forced to finally give serious thought to her actions.

Publication Date: 14 February 2010 Amazon | Goodreads

The Time Travelers

Linda buckley-archer.

Originally published as Gideon the Cutpurse , Linda Buckley-Archer’s time travelers series follows Peter Schock and Kate Dyer. After a brush with an antigravity machine, they find themselves back in 1763. There the two children meet ally with Gideon, a local street urchin, to get back the machine from Gideon’s nemesis, the evil Tar Man.

Publication Date: 5 June 2006 Amazon | Goodreads

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

J. k. rowling.

How can I end a list of time travel novels without the Harry Potter time travel book? And no, I don’t mean the poorly written sequel Harry Potter and the Cursed Child . In his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter’s life is seriously curtailed as the infamous killer Sirius Black is on the loose and bent on killing our favorite boy wizard.

Publication Date: 8 July 1999 Amazon | Goodreads

What are Your Favorite Time Travel Books

What do you think? Would you want to jump to the future or visit the past? What time travel novels am I missing from my list? As always, let me know in the comments!

More Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Lists:

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• 25 Dystopian Books for Teens to Read
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Recommended

Reader Interactions

Fatheya says

April 13, 2021 at 3:27 pm

Thank you for this excellent list, Rachael. I’m a very big fan of time travel books. I’ve read several of these books and several others are on my TBR. There’s one book I would recommend adding to the list: A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Devereaux. It’s a lovely time travel romance.

April 14, 2021 at 12:48 pm

Wow! I love this list. Thanks so much!

I am a huge fan of Outlander. I’ve read them all and Diana has finished book 9!!!! Publication date still pending, but cannot wait for more Jamie and Claire. The combo of accurate historical info and time travel and LOVE is irresistible. Gabaldon is an excellent writer.

Amazingly, I was not immediately sucked into the first book. I think I ran across it on a list of Romances. I picked it up from the library and did not finish it. Then the t.v. series came out and the first season was so well done, I was hooked. I went back to the book and actually watched and read in unison. I generally feel books are better than the television or movie versions, but in this case I used the books to dive deeper into these wonderful stories. The later seasons of the show are great too, but sometimes the omissions and switch ups in the stories can bug me. Why mess with a good thing. I bet they bug Diana Gabaldon too.

I know this will be very unpopular, but I did not like The Midnight Library. I liked the premise, but frankly did not think the book was all it was hyped up to be.

I’ve seen the Lydia Bird title and had not realized it was time travel related. So that will be a TBR for me! Also Faye, Faraway sounds good.

I am going to give my age away, but I was enthralled with the movie version of The Time Machine as a kid. The main actor was the very handsome Rod Taylor. I actually have it recorded on my DVR. It was on Movies! channel. Not sure how closely it follows H.G. Wells original. It has the scary Morlocks in it. I loved a good scare as a child. I was born the year this came out, but remember loving to watch when it was on television.

I think going back in time was always the draw for me as a child. I love history.

MamaNewtNewt says

July 24, 2021 at 3:13 pm

The Chronicles of St Mary’s series by Jodi Taylor us brilliant and there are so many of them.

August 17, 2021 at 8:29 pm

Thank you so much for your list, Rachael. I would add The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis. It is 600 pages long, but I still read it in one sitting!

John Abraham says

March 31, 2022 at 8:19 am

I would recommend a book titled ‘Threads of Time by JP Harris’ aspects include actual accounts from individuals who may have slipped into other timelines or interdimensional locations..it also covers people who actually created devices as for example.In a terraced house in Bath, Somerset, UK, a retired watchmaker created a healing device that also had the additional capability of being used as a time machine.

The 25 Best Time Travel Listens to Take You on an Unforgettable Journey

Searching for your next time travel escape? With this guide, you're sure to find an exciting audiobook to transport you to the perfect place in another time.

Time travel is one of science fiction's most popular subgenres. Fans are drawn to its infinite possibilities, offering a glimpse into past cultures, societies, and pivotal events while exploring big  what if ? questions. What if you knew what would happen next in your life? What if you could go back and change history? What if you did change history?

If you’ve already listened (and re-listened) to the Outlander series and are ready to explore something new and different in time travel, check out our top 25 picks below. Varying in tone and setting, these outstanding audiobooks will take you an unforgettable trip not only across time but also around the world and into new dimensions. Happy traveling!

Save this list to your Collections Library now.

Kindred is a harrowing, genre-defying classic from the trailblazing, multiple award-winning queen of science fiction, Octavia E. Butler . It begins in 1976 when Dana, a 26-year-old African American woman, is suddenly wrenched out of her life in California and transported to antebellum Maryland. She remains in the past long enough to save a white boy from drowning and then, just as suddenly, finds herself back in the present. But she's returned to encounter this young man, again and again, the tension and danger growing with every visit.

The Psychology of Time Travel

Actress and director Ellie Heydon's superb narration grounds this twisty, alternating timeline story about four female scientists whose invention changed the world forever. In 1967, four women built the first time machine—but on the cusp of its debut, the project was halted and one woman's contributions were erased from history. Flash forward 50 years: time travel is thriving—and the granddaughter of one of those women is determined to find out what really happened to its unsung pioneers. This is a must-listen for fans of novels about strong women as well as time travel adventures.

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe

Fans of whimsical, humorous, creative sci-fi will love this delightfully odd yet totally charming story about a time travel technician named Charles Yu. Minor Universe 31 is a kind of alternate reality where time travel is routine and serious business. Every day, ordinary people use time machines to tinker with the past, even when it's foolish or dangerous. Part gadget repairer and part counselor, Charles is tasked with keeping these time travelers safe. But now his father is lost somewhere in this vast story-space. Could a book, written by Charles's future self, hold the key to finding him?

The Golden Orchard

This enchanting middle grade novel mixes the wonder of time travel with the warmth of comfort food. Maya's favorite activity is cooking with her grandmother—her Halmunee—whose recipes are filled with stories and family history. One day while cooking together, Maya and her Halmunee create a memory so strong that it physically transports them back into the memory itself. As Maya soon learns, the women in her family have the gift of time travel through food. Will Maya be able to use her gift to protect the ones she loves? Narrator Kathleen Choe captures both Maya's sparkle and her Halmunee's tenderness. Not just for kids, this listen is made to be enjoyed by the whole family, especially while cooking or eating together.

The Time Traveler's Wife

In this contemporary classic, Chicago couple Clare and Henry find their lives defined by Henry's unusual ability to travel through time. Though he has no control over where and when he travels, he's often drawn to momentous or emotional periods in his past or future. Lush, vivid, and bursting with passion, The Time Traveler's Wife is both a time travel saga and an operatic love story about two ordinary people struggling to build a life together amidst extraordinary circumstances. Through their dual narration, Phoebe Strole and Fred Berman perfectly capture this loving couple and their extremely complicated relationship.

The Shining Girls

Six talented narrators capture every twist and turn of Lauren Beukes 's unpredictable and unpausable time travel thriller, The Shining Girls . Harper Curtis is a serial killer with a secret source of protection from his terrible crimes. Hiding in plain sight in Depression-era Chicago, his home base is a house that lets him disappear into other time periods after he commits a murder. Thanks to the house, Harper believes himself invincible—until one of his victims survives and makes it her mission to catch her would-be killer, no matter where or when her quest for justice takes her.

Cowritten by William Gibson , best-selling author of Neuromancer , Archangel takes time travel across two worlds. In 2016, on a different Earth than ours, the power-hungry President-for-Life Lewis Henderson is desperate to save his dying planet. His terrifying solution is a machine called the Splitter, which creates a new version of Earth—one in which none of the events that led to the apocalypse have happened yet. In a flash, our Earth, the way it was in 1945, becomes the battleground for President Henderson's plan. An Audible Original, this high-stakes sci-fi thriller is rendered even more heart-pounding by the stellar full-cast narration.

Here and Now and Then

Mike Chen 's Here and Now and Then is a warmhearted time travel adventure. Kin Stewart, a time-traveling agent from 2142, finds himself stranded in 1990s San Francisco. Making the best of being stuck in the past, he eventually settles in and builds a life for himself. Now, 18 years later, he's dealing with ordinary challenges—parenting a teenager and keeping his marriage afloat—until a rescue team from the future shows up. Their mission: to return Kin to 2142, where he's been gone only a few weeks, not years, and he has a family waiting for him. Suddenly, Kin's whole life is thrown into disarray. You'll want to hear how he sorts it all out and protects the people he loves.

This Is How You Lose the Time War

In this unusual and beautifully written epistolary time travel romance, two women, agents on opposite sides of an ancient galactic war, fall in unlikely love. Red and Blue have always been rivals, traveling through time and space as their superior officers command them, always trying to stay one step ahead of each other. But slowly, over years, their once-playful and cutting notes transform into revealing love letters—with consequences for the entire universe. Accomplished narrators Cynthia Farrell and Emily Woo Zeller bring each woman to life, with all her longing and turmoil.

Narrator Davina Porter 's flawless accent and nuanced delivery make the 30 hours of the first Outlander novel fly by. In this beloved tale of love across time, Clare Randall, a former war nurse, is on vacation in Scotland with her husband in 1945 when she is suddenly and mysteriously transported to the 18th century. As she struggles to orient herself in time—and stay alive long enough to get home—she finds herself drawn to a Scots warrior, who makes staying a hundred years in the past seem like not such a bad idea.

Oona Out of Order

New Year's Eve, 1982. At the stroke of midnight, Oona will turn 19, and she's looking forward to the year ahead. Then she faints, and wakes up in a lovely but strange house, now 51 years old. She soon learns that with each passing year, she will leap to another age and stage in her life, completely at random. That's the start of Oona Out of Order . What follows is a wild journey through time, as Oona deals with the changing world and her changing place in it. Brittany Pressley's performance adds to the magic of the story—she perfectly captures Oona at every age, subtly changing her voice while retaining the spark, passion, confusion, and hope of a 19-year-old beginning the adventure of life.

Version Control

Version Control is an intricate story about the past and the future, technology, and what we believe we know about ourselves—and each other. After a personal tragedy, Rebecca Wright met her husband on a dating app, for which she now works, and reclaimed her life. On the surface, all is well and perfectly normal. Yet, Rebecca can't shake the sense that something is not quite right in her world. She constantly feels as if she has walked into a room and has no idea why; people around her often seem to be out of place. Meanwhile, her husband is busy working on his life's passion: a machine he insists on calling a causality violation device (definitely not a time machine). Award-winning narrator January LaVoy is flawless as usual, expertly voicing Rebecca and bringing even the most minor characters and small details to life.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Actor, author, and talented narrator Nick Offerman breathes hilarious new life into Mark Twain 's satirical classic with his pitch-perfect performance in this Audible exclusive. The story stars Hank Morgan, a modern 19th-century New Englander who is suddenly thrust back in time to Camelot and sets out to improve the lives of King Arthur and his court. Offerman and Twain are a match made in heaven; Offerman instinctively captures Hank’s straightforward manner and can-do attitude.

The Future of Another Timeline

Annalee Newitz 's gripping and thoughtful novel provides a fresh take on the classic dual-timeline time travel story. In 1992, after helping her friend hide her abusive boyfriend's body, 17-year-old Beth sets out on a quest for revenge, determined to protect other women from violence at the hands of men. In 2022, Tess has devoted her life to using time travel to make the world a better place, traveling back to important moments in history in the hopes of changing them for the better. When Tess and Beth's paths collide, it's not just their lives that will change forever, but the future of the timeline itself.

An Ocean of Minutes

An Ocean of Minutes is a moving story about love, faith, and weighing the costs of holding on to the past against letting it go. It opens as America is gripped by a deadly pandemic. When Frank catches the virus, his girlfriend, Polly, will do anything to save him—even traveling into the future where scientists have found a cure. If she signs up for a one-way trip into the future to work as a bonded laborer, the company will pay for the life-saving treatment Frank needs. Polly promises to meet Frank again in Galveston, Texas, where she will arrive in 12 years. But when she is rerouted an extra five years into the future, Frank is nowhere to be found. Alone in a changed and divided country, with no money or status, Polly must navigate a new life as she continues to search for Frank. Is he still alive? Has their love endured?

The Girl from Everywhere

Kim Mai Guest narrates this excellent duology that sweeps from 21st-century New York City to 19th-century Hawaii to timeless mythical places. It focuses on a young woman named Nix who makes her home on a ship piloted by her father, which can slip through time, providing they have a historical map to their destination. For Nix’s entire life, her father has been searching for a map of Honolulu from 1868, the very place and time her mother died in childbirth. Nix dreads the moment of his discovery. Will her father's intervention in the past risk her very existence? Heidi Heilig presents an intriguing YA saga with a clever take on time travel.

Alexander X

While not strictly a time-travel series, Edward Savio 's Battle for Forever saga follows a man named Alexander who has traveled through time as an immortal being. In recent years, he has focused on avoiding trouble and making his life as innocuous as possible. But when he and his friends are kidnapped by some very bad people, Alexander finds himself stepping out of the shadows and into a vast conspiracy across time. This Audible-exclusive series is narrated by Wil Wheaton , making it a definite must-listen.

In this trilogy , narrated by Gary Furlong, an alternate Victorian England is completely controlled by clock towers. When the clock towers break, time runs funny. When they stop altogether, so does time. It's a reality 17-year-old Danny, ace clock mechanic, knows too well. His father has been trapped in a stopped town for three years, and he's obsessed with staging a rescue. To divert his fixation, Danny's employer sends him to a town where the clock tower is plagued with problems—accompanied by a new apprentice. Danny's annoyance towards his helper soon turns to fascination. His enigmatic apprentice is a clock spirit. The Timekeeper Trilogy intertwines magic, mystery, and romance in a fully realized historical setting.

Alice Payne Arrives

A time-traveling bandit must step up and become a hero in this novella series from best-selling historical fantasy author Kate Heartfield . Skipping across time, notorious highway robber Alice Payne juggles some of the most interesting periods of history with two opposing ideologies—setting the scene for a major war! Clocking in at just over three hours per installment, this is a quick and fun listen that explores time periods often overlooked in fiction, and Jennywren Walker’s smooth narration will take you through each twist and turn.

The Very First Damned Thing

From British author Jodi Taylor , this expansive, rollicking series follows the adventures and hijinks of the historians at St. Mary’s. Proper scholars, they don’t time travel—they simply observe history by going to the settings and time periods they wish to study. But simple observation proves difficult, and they often find themselves in hot water in an attempt to not mess with timelines. This is the perfect series to dive into if you like quirky humor and dedication to favorite characters. There are 10 books in the series, plus several short stories and novellas to fill out the spaces in between, and nearly all of them are narrated by Zara Ramm. (Taylor herself narrates the prequel.) Since it’s an Audible exclusive, you’ll only find it here!

This colorful trilogy ( Ruby Red , Sapphire Blue , and Emerald Green ) was originally written in German and translated by Anthea Bell. Marissa Carlin narrates all three books, which focus on a family with the gift of time travel. Gwyneth doesn't think of herself as gifted—all her life, she’s been watching her beautiful, sophisticated cousin Charlotte prepare for her future as a time traveler. But one day, in the middle of class, Gwyneth takes an unexpected trip to a different era, She's woefully unprepared for her journeys through time. But Gwyneth will do everything it takes to learn how to harness her power—and find out why her mother would lie about her birth date to conceal her ability.

16-year-old Kate is certain her grandmother must be senile when she hands her a medallion and says she has the ability to time travel. But soon, it all becomes clear and chillingly real—when a murder in 1893 at Chicago’s World Fair rocks Kate's life in the present and threatens her very existence. And now it’s up to her to go back and right the past in order to have a future. How will Kate's actions affect her family and the fate of the entire world? Kicking off The Chronos Files , Timebound was the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award winner in 2013. All of books in the series, including spin-off novellas, are available as audiobooks, narrated by Kate Rudd.

Doomsday Book

This engaging series from acclaimed author Connie Willis is a multiple Hugo and Nebula winner. The first book follows Kivrin, a student at Oxford, and her mentor Dunworthy as they travel back to the 14th century for a chance to perform valuable research on the time period. Kivrin is also ready for an adventure—but not for being trapped in an era marked by the bubonic plague. Over in the 21st century, things are going pretty sideways for Dunworthy as well. Combining action and adventure with insights into the facts of life and human nature that connect people across time, these audiobooks, similar in length to Outlander, are the perfect picks if you’re looking to get lost in time for a while.

Beyond the Highland Mist

If you’re looking for your next romantic historical time travel series to marathon after Outlander, look no further than Highlander ! In the first installment, you'll meet Hawk, legendary Highland warrior and infamous womanizer. No woman can claim his heart until he meets Adrienne, who must certainly be a fairy because she is not of this world. In fact, she’s from modern-day Seattle, and her journey back into time is a mistake. But when she’s betrothed to Hawk, she finds a love she’ll fight for across time. Each book in the series is narrated by Phil Gigante and follows a different but connected couple in a time travel adventure.

Time and Again

One of the very foundations of the time travel narrative, Jack Finney 's 1970 classic Time and Again is a must for any listener fascinated by the curiosities of jumping through eras. Mystery, romance, and sci-fi blend in bringing to life the story of Si Morley, a young man transported from the mid-20th century to the 1880s as a result of a clandestine government project. Finney crafts a richly detailed, totally charming past, one that creates a perfect backdrop as a conflicted Morley weighs returning to his life in the present—or staying behind with the woman he’s slowly fallen in love with. Paul Hecht performs a time travel gem that continues to shine.

Best Travel Audiobooks to Inspire Your Next Adventure

We carefully selected the best travel audiobooks that allow listeners to live vicariously through both real and fictional adventures from around the world.

The Best Audiobooks for Outlander Fans

If you're looking for more historical romance series or time travel books, you've come to the right place. Here are the top series to listen to after Outlander.

Outlander: Books vs. Show

If you’re wondering about the similarities and differences between the Starz series Outlander and the series of books it's based on, check out our rundown below.

So many branches: The definitive Outlander family tree

Wondering who Jamie's father is or how the Clan MacKenzie fits into other character arcs? We're answering all of your questions with this family tree.

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Top Sci-fi Books

25 of the Best Time Travel Books

Welcome to Top Sci Fi’s countdown of the 25 best time travel books on the market. A mix of classics and modern novels have been chosen. The books offer unique and thought-provoking twists on time travel. If you like the sound of any of the books on the list, you can enjoy two for free by signing up for Audible's one month free trial .

The Time Machine

By HG Wells

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HG Wells is one of the true titans of the scifi genre and The Time Machine is one of his finest stories. This time travel tale focuses on the story of a Time Traveller who has ventured hundreds of thousands of years beyond his own time. The level of imagination shown in the story is especially impressive when the reader considers Wells published The Time Machine in 1895. The story was the first to help Wells breakthrough as an author and remains essential reading for time travel fans.

By Stephen King

Stephen King is well known as a horror author, but in 11/22/63 he shows is a more than capable master of time travel fiction. This is a story which explores one of the most interesting chapters in American history and showcases the humanity behind the history books. As always, King presents a gripping, character-focused story full of twists and turns guaranteed to keep you guessing until the very last page.

Slaughterhouse 5

By Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5 is proof that time travel fiction can be critically acclaimed and have literary merit at the same time. Slaughterhouse 5 is a time travel book with a powerful antiwar message. Vonnegut entertains while making his point through the use of masterfully crafted characters including memorable members of the British military. Slaughterhouse 5 is the ideal time travel novel for a reader with discerning literary taste.

A Wrinkle in Time

By Madeleine L'Engle

The Time Quintet series begins with A Wrinkle in Time. This time travel novel tells the story of a family who are interrupted by a mysterious visitor. The fact that the father of the family has been carrying out mysterious scientific work is no coincidence. A Wrinkle in Time is a captivating story of rescue and time travel which is the perfect introduction to L’Engle’s series.

By Michael Crichton

Timeline is a combination of classic time travel fiction with pure page turner thriller elements. A group of brave men and women are sent back six centuries into the fast with a vital mission. They are fighting for far more than their own survival. Timeline has been praised for making some of the complex scientific theories which would make time travel possible understandable for a layman reader.

The End of Eternity

By Isaac Asimov

The End of Eternity is a classic take on the time travel genre by science fiction mastermind Isaac Asimov. The book’s main character is Andrew Harlan, a man tasked with the cosmic role of Eternal. This job requires Andrew to travel back and forth through time, making adjustments to its course where needed. However, Andrew soon makes the decision to begin twisting the direction of time for his own purposes.

The Accidental Time Machine

By Joe Haldeman

Joe Haldeman is one of the most talented modern science fiction writers, and The Accidental Time Machine is perfect for those new to his work, as well as existing fans. The story tells the tale of a scientific researcher who accidentally creates a time machine. Deciding that time travel is more alluring than his present life, the scientist sets off on a time traveling adventure that scifi fans are sure to love.

Somewhere in Time

By Richard Matheson

Richard Matheson tells the story of a man seeking his soulmate by traveling back in time to iconic past eras. Somewhere in Time is a story of mortality, love, and the concept of a soulmate. The story is an interesting take on the time travel genre, and was popular enough at the time of publication to be adapted into a major movie.

Flashforward

By Robert J Sawyer

Robert J Sawyer makes use of a fascinating premise to tell the story of Flashforward. This time travel novel is based in a world where everyone has blacked out for a couple of minutes. This naturally causes widespread death and destruction and significantly disrupts life on Earth. However, the people who survive the blackout have been given glimpses of their own future, drastically altering their behavior as a result.

The Time Ships

By Stephen Baxter

The Time Ships is Stephen Baxter’s homage to classic time travel science fiction. This time travel novel makes use of classic ideas, characters, and concepts from the world of science fiction. The Time Ships is an authorised and direct sequel to HG Wells’ classic The Time Machine. Updating such a classic text is a mammoth task, but Baxter has managed it, much to the delight of time travel fans.

The Anubis Gates

By Tim Powers

Tim Powers imagines a world where time traveling is such a commonplace activity that it requires guides to accompany those who make the journey. Brendan Doyle is one such guide who manages to get stranded in the past during the course of a routine journey. Stuck in an ancient time which is far from his own, Doyle becomes mixed up in a complex plot where his actions will have a crucial role to play in the final outcome.

By Rysa Walker

Rysa Walker begins The Chronos Files with Timebound, a story of genetic time travelers who must use their ability to positively impact events in the present. Timebound explores the complexities that come with altering the past, and the way that doing so can have unintended consequences for the present day. Timebound is a superb time travel novel as it makes the personal implications of changing time relatable and moving.

The Devil's Arithmetic

By Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen offers a time travel novel with genuine depth in The Devil’s Arithmetic. The story is about the Holocaust and presents an unflinching look at the atrocities which took place. Although the story is often presented to young adults, readers of any age are sure to find meaning and interest in its pages. Although the subject matter is upsetting, this story of a young American Jewish girl traveling back in time is an important read.

The Chronoliths

By William Gibson

Robert Charles Wilson’s The Chronoliths is a time travel novel telling the story of a slacker called Scott Warden. Scott is drifting through life when a major event happens which disrupts humanity and its collective understanding of the nature of reality. Although Scott Warden is only interested in looking out for himself, he keeps getting drawn into the story’s events, and it soon becomes clear why.

By Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter

The first installment in A Time Odyssey is Time’s Eye, a collaborative work from two masterful time travel writers, Stephen Baxter and Arthur C Clarke. Time’s Eye looks at what happens when a mysterious group of beings known as The Firstborn plunge the Earth into chaos, mixing up many different timelines into a single ‘present’. Historical figures and relatable everyday characters all have a role to play in getting to the bottom of these strange events.

Up The Line

By Robert Silverberg

Up The Line is a time travel novel considering the practicalities and temptations faced by a Time Courier, someone whose job it is to accompany time tourists back to a significant historical event, again and again. The book’s main character, Judson, eventually learns that it is possible to break the rules, and Up The Line explores the consequences when this occurs.

Time Travelers Never Die

By Jack McDevitt

Time Travelers Never Die sees a linguist and the son of a scientist embarking on an unexpected adventure through time. The two are in search of a missing scientist who is feared to be lost somewhere in time. Many significant periods from Earth’s history feature in their quest. The two have a rule to never visit the future - a rule which is eventually violated with significant ramifications.

Now Wait for Last Year

By Philip K Dick

Philip K Dick is one of the most significant authors in the science fiction genre, and Now Wait for Last Year is a time travel tale which causes you to question the very nature of time itself. The story is exciting and features an intergalactic war as well as engaging and relatable human characters. This is one of the more obscure Philip K Dick novels and is one of his most imaginative and creative.

Faces in Time

By Lewis Aleman

Lewis Aleman makes his mark on the time travel genre with Faces in Time, the story of a man racing back through history to prevent the woman he loves making a massive mistake. He ends up making plenty of enemies along the way, and finds himself chased by an ever growing cast of adversaries. Faces in Time explores the vast personal cost which can be associated with time travel, and explores what would motivate us to take such a drastic journey.

Time on My Hands

By Peter Delacorte

Time on My Hands is a time travel novel exploring what happens when a travel writer is offered a trip like no other - a trip through time. In order to receive this journey, the writer is given a task to carry out. Time on my Hands looks at both the big picture implications of traveling back in time with knowledge of the future, and also considers the personal questions we would have to answer.

Towards Yesterday

By Paul Antony Jones

Towards Yesterday is a fascinating spin on the time travel genre, as it deals with an entire human population being sent back in time, rather than the usual situation of one or two individuals. The entire population of 2042 are sent a quarter of a century back into the past. Towards Yesterday has an incredible set of unconventional characters, coupled with a unique premise, and is guaranteed to be hard to put down for all fans of time travel science fiction.

All Our Yesterdays

By Christin Terrill

Cristin Terrill uses All Our Yesterdays to tell the story of Em. Em is trapped in her present reality, at least until she finds a very unusual note. The note is from none other than her future self and orders her back in time to prevent an event from taking place. All Our Yesterdays is a Young Adult time travel tale which is likely to appeal to fans of the genre of any age. Christin Terrill offers a gripping look at the personal implications of a mission spanning the eras of time.

If I Never Get Back

By Darryl Brock

If I Never Get Back is a true treat for fans of baseball and fans of time travel science fiction. The story is based around a dissatisfied reporter who is sent back through time, and soon finds the past to be very much to his taste. Darryl Brock’s vivid descriptions of some of the most classic times in baseball history make the reader feel as if they have actually been on the journey!

Shadow of Ashland

By Terence M Green

The first book in the Ashland series, Shadow of Ashland, explores the implications of the Great Depression and how it resonates on through the ages. The book’s main character is Leo Nolan, who must keep his promise to his dying mother. His discovery is fascinating and leads him down the path of complex family discovery which will keep readers hanging on for the next book in the series.

The Shadow Hunter

By Pat Murphy

The Shadow Hunter is an incredibly imaginative time travel tale which mixes futuristic technology with the very earliest ancestors on Earth. Pat Murphy has updated the story since its original publication to more faithfully represent the story of The Shadow Hunter. This time travel novel is a fascinating mix of spirituality and science fiction which is sure to leave an impression on the reader long after the story ends.

Time Travel: Science Fiction or Fantasy

If you had to categorize time travel into a specific genre, what would it be? Many hardcore genre enthusiasts would be hard pressed to give you an answer. The casual passing fan will more than likely call science fiction. This may be due largely in part to the H.G. Wells Classic, The Time Machine . 

But does that mean all time travel books are SciFi?

Depends on how you look at it. There's a particular school of thought I like to follow. The question is not "What is it?" but "What's the methodology?". If we're hopping the timeline via Tardis, genetic ability, or a souped up DeLorean... then we're talking SciFi. 

But if spells, ancient beings, artifacts, or other forms of wizardry are employed... Fantasy. However, the lines tend to get blurred more often than not with both Fantasy geeks and SciFi nerds clamoring for control of the genre . 

Either way that does not change the fact that Time Travel books are freaking awesome and should be part of any bookavore's diet.

A Brief History of Time Travel in Science Fiction

Time loops, slips, and paradoxes: what's what.

When approaching a time travel theme, authors have so many to choose from. But what are the different angles they can take? What's the difference?

First, time loops. Books with time loops are rather interesting. This is where the character's repeatedly experience the same time period. Many times with the hopes of escaping via some redeemable action or changing the way events are to unfold. Remember that Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day ? Time loop.

Next up: Time slips. What are time slips? This is where the character travels through time often unexpectedly for an indeterminate amount of time. Books about time machines often times are NOT time slips. Time machines normally allow for a controlled venture throughout the timeline with a destination both in space and time predetermined. However, time slips occur due to seemingly random events and are either corrected by another seemingly random event. Or the character is just stuck and must learn to get by. Oh well.

Lastly, everybody loves a good time paradox. Time paradoxes are really neat stuff. This is when a character travels through time (normally to the past) to change an event and alter the future. These are primarily disruptive events and even have their own classification of paradox known as The Grandfather Paradox . Pretty much... What would happen if you went back in time and killed your own grandparents? Sorry Grandma. 

The Butterfly Effect

Not all time travel is just based purely on science fiction (or fantasy), but on some real world magic.

Mathematics.

The Butterfly Effect is one often used in time travel stories. Based off of real-life Chaos Theory , the butterfly effect states that even the simplest of actions causes a ripple in time. These ripples then eventually grow into waves which mature into tsunamis. 

For instance, if you were to go back in time and kill one locust during the dinosaur days... that may lead to the a mass hunger among certain flying lizards. This could cause those lizards to migrate towards the ocean for food. Which then causes them to evolve to be ocean creatures. That leading to survival after the extinction event. Leading to reptilian creatures to swarm the gene pool. Yadda yadda yadda... Lizard people. 

There's actually a movie dedicated to this called (That's right. You guessed it.) The Butterfly Effect starring Ashton Kutcher. But the most notable example of the butterfly effect in science fiction literature is A Sound of Thunder written by SciFi legend Ray Bradbury .    

Get These Best SciFi Time Travel Books for Free!

If you are interested in getting some of these science fiction cyberpunk books for free here are two ways in which you can do that: 

1. Audible's One Month Free Trial : You can download any two of the time travel books found on this list by signing up for Audible’s free trial. Audible is arguably the best audiobook service on the market. Even if you cancel your trial and decide not to continue with a membership, you can still keep the two books you chose.

1 thought on “25 of the Best Time Travel Books”

How the book “Time and Again” by Jack Finney is not on this list is beyond me. It’s like leaving babe Ruth off the list as one of the 25 greatest baseball players of all time

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10 Great Time Travel Stories: Part I

April 6, 2016.

Time travel has intrigued people for as long as, well, time. There are no hard and fast rules, but for over a hundred years writers have given us their take on how it works. Time travel allows us to imagine what it would be like to experience other worlds and consider what we would do if we could influence history or see the future.

We’ve picked out ten great ten time travel books take us through our own time – from Mark Twain’s Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court published in 1889 to Audrey Niffenegger’s Time Traveler’s Wife published in 2003.

Here are the first five on our list; stay tuned next week for five more time warping classics!

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Mark Twain (1889)

social satire, humor

Twain’s special gift for satire makes this story hilarious, fantastical and to the point. His comparative study and social commentary exposes his dissatisfaction of the romantic ideal of King Arthur’s world and faith in the scientific and social progress of his own time.

Twain starts by sending Hank Morgan, a self-reliant New Englander and engineer, back in time to King Arthur’s Court. Things go bad quickly and he is sentenced to death by Merlin. When Hank uses his knowledge of the nineteenth-century to save himself, he convinces the people, the King, and himself , that he is a magician greater than Merlin. He begins to transform King Arthur’s world where he transforms into the Boss.

Book eBook Audiobook

Time Machine, H.G. Wells (1895)

science fiction, fantasy, Darwinism, socialism

A forerunner of the science fiction genre, this classic novel popularized the concept of time travel and introduced the term “time machine”. Written in 1895, it is couched in a Darwinian and Socialist parable about a time traveler who is sent into the year 802,701. The traveler finds himself in a society of two races, the Eloi, peaceful dwellers who live above ground and the Morlocks, ape-like creatures who live below ground. It is a cautionary tale taking on the themes of evolution, capitalism, and social class division.

A Sound of Thunder, Ray Bradbury (1952)

science fiction, fantasy

Time travel, safari hunting and the opportunity to take down a Tyrannosaurus Rex. That’s what Time Safari offers its customers when it sends them sixty million years into the past. But there are strict rules and real dangers to anyone who breaks them. All travelers must stay on the designated Path provided by Time Safari. Anyone stepping off of it could create a ripple in time that could alter the future, the concept known as the “butterfly effect”. Bradbury asks us to consider our actions and how they effect the world. (In The Stories of Ray Bradbury and A Sound of Thunder and other Stories .)

Book Audiobook

The End of Eternity, Isaac Asimov (1955)

science fiction, romance

Considered his best by many, this short fiction novel places time travel outside of linear reality. The non-linear world, Eternity, is a location outside of time and place where an elite few, the Eternals, monitor and alter time’s cause and effect relationships. Andrew Harlan is an Eternal. On one of his assignments, he falls in love with a woman who lives in linear time only to find out she will not exist after the next change. He risks everything to bring her to Eternity with him, but his actions create a paradox that threatens the existence of Eternity. To fix the problem, he is given his next assignment. He must kill the woman he loves.

The Door into Summer, Robert A. Heinlein (1957)

This short fiction book is one of Heinlein’s lighter novels and uses time travel in a limited way. It begins in 1970. Dan Davis is the successful inventor of a household robot, an automated “cleaning lady” called Hired Girl . With the help of his fiancée, Belle and their friend Miles, his new company is thriving beyond his wildest dreams. But Belle and Miles betray him, steal his patents, and trick him into spending thirty years in suspended animation. They thought that was the end of Dan.

What they didn’t expect was that time travel exists in the year 2000. When Dan wakes up from thirty years of sleep, he is able to go back to 1970 where he recovers his research and then returns to the year 2000 with his reputation, invention and fiancée.

About the Author

IVY BRUNELLE is a Reference Librarian at PPL. She accidentally became a sci-fi geek in college. But if you asked her about it, she’d deny the whole thing, then silently slip through a portal of ancient standing stones.

Do you believe in time travel? I’m a skeptic myself — but if these people’s stories about time travel are to be believed, then I am apparently wrong. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll have to eat my words. In all honesty, that might not be so bad — because the tradeoff for being wrong in that case would be that time travel is real . That would be pretty rad if it were true.

Technically speaking time travel does exist right now — just not in the sci fi kind of way you’re probably thinking. According to a TED-Ed video by Colin Stuart, Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev actually traveled 0.02 seconds into his own future due to time dilation during the time he spent on the International Space Station. For the curious, Krikalev has spent a total of 803 days, nine hours, and 39 minutes in space over the course of his career.

That said, though, many are convinced that time dilation isn’t the only kind of time travel that’s possible; some folks do also believe in time travel as depicted by everything from H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine to Back to the Future . It’s difficult to find stories online that are actual accounts from real people — many of them are either urban legends ( hi there, Philadelphia Experiment ) or stories that center around people that I’ve been unable to verify actually exist — but if you dig hard enough, sincere accounts can be found.

Are the stories true? Are they false? Are they examples of people who believe with all their heart that they’re true, even if they might not actually be? You be the judge. These seven tales are all excellent yarns, at any rate.

The Moberly–Jourdain Incident

In 1901, two Englishwomen, Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain , took a vacation to France. While they were there, they visited the Palace of Versailles (because, y’know, that’s what one does when one visits France ). And while they were at Versailles, they visited what’s known as the Petit Trianon — a little chateau on the palace grounds that Louis XVI gave to Marie Antoinette as a private space for her to hang out and do whatever it was that a teenaged queen did when she was relaxing back then.

But while they were there, they claimed, they saw some… odd occurrences. They said they spotted people wearing anachronistic clothing, heard mysterious voices, and saw buildings and other structures that were no longer present — and, indeed, hadn’t existed since the late 1700s. Finally, they said, they caught sight of Marie Antoinette herself , drawing in a sketchbook.

They claimed to have fallen into a “time slip” and been briefly transported back more than 100 years before being jolted back to the present by a tour guide.

Did they really travel back in time? Probably not; various explanations include everything from a folie a deux (basically a joint delusion) to a simple misinterpretation of what they actually saw. But for what it’s worth, in 1911 — roughly 10 years after what they said they had experienced occurred — the two women published a book about the whole thing under the names Elizabeth Morison and Frances Lamont simply called An Adventure. These days, it’s available as The Ghosts of Trianon ; check it out, if you like.

The Mystery Of John Titor

John Titor is perhaps the most famous person who claims he’s time traveled; trouble is, no one has heard from him for almost 17 years. Also, he claimed he came from the future.

The story is long and involved, but the short version is this: In a thread begun in the fall of 2000 about time travel paradoxes on the online forum the Time Travel Institute — now known as Curious Cosmos — a user responded to a comment about how a time machine could theoretically be built with the following message:

“Wow! Paul is right on the money. I was just about to give up hope on anyone knowing who Tipler or Kerr was on this worldline.

“By the way, #2 is the correct answer and the basics for time travel start at CERN in about a year and end in 2034 with the first ‘time machine’ built by GE. Too bad we can’t post pictures or I’d show it to you.”

The implication, of course, was that the user, who was going by the name TimeTravel_0, came from a point in the future during which such a machine had already been invented.

Over the course of many messages spanning from that first thread all the way through the early spring of 2001, the user, who became known as John Titor, told his story. He said that he had been sent back to 1975 in order to bring an IBM 5100 computer to his own time; he was just stopping in 2000 for a brief rest on his way back home. The computer, he said, was needed to debug “various legacy computer programs in 2036” in order to combat a known problem similar to Y2K called the Year 2038 Problem . (John didn’t refer to it as such, but he said that UNIX was going to have an issue in 2038 — which is what we thought was going to happen back when the calendar ticked over from 1999 to 2000.)

Opinions are divided on whether John Titor was real ; some folks think he was the only real example of time travel we’ve ever seen, while others think it’s one of the most enduring hoaxes we’ve ever seen. I fall on the side of hoax, but that’s just me.

Project Pegasus And The Chrononauts

In 2011, Andrew D. Basiago and William Stillings stepped forward, claiming that they were former “chrononauts” who had worked with an alleged DARPA program called Project Pegasus. Project Pegasus, they said, had been developed in the 1970s; in 1980, they were taking a “Mars training class” at a community college in California (the college presumably functioning as a cover for the alleged program) when they were picked to go to Mars. The mode of transport? Teleportation.

It gets better, too. Basiago and Stillings also said that the then- 19-year-old Barack Obama , whom they claimed was going by the name “Barry Soetero” at the time, was also one of the students chosen to go to Mars. They said the teleportation occurred via something called a “jump room.”

The White House has denied that Obama has ever been to Mars . “Only if you count watching Marvin the Martian,” Tommy Vietor, then the spokesman for the National Security Council, told Wired’s Danger Room in 2012.

Victor Goddard’s Airfield Time Slip

Like Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain, senior Royal Air Force commander Sir Robert Victor Goddard — widely known as Victor Goddard — claimed to have experienced a time slip.

In 1935, Goddard flew over what had been the RAF station Drem in Scotland on his way from Edinburgh to Andover, England. The Drem station was no longer in use; after demobilization efforts following WWI, it had mostly been left to its own devices. And, indeed, that’s what Goddard said he saw as he flew over it: A largely abandoned airfield.

On his return trip, though, things got… weird. He followed the same route he had on the way there, but during the flight, he got waylaid by a storm. As he struggled to regain control of his plane, however, he spotted the Drem airfield through a break in the clouds — and when he got closer to it, the bad weather suddenly dissipated. But the airfield… wasn’t abandoned this time. It was busy, with several planes on the runway and mechanics scurrying about.

Within seconds, though, the storm reappeared, and Goddard had to fight to keep his plane aloft again. He made it home just fine, and went on to live another 50 years — but the incident stuck with him; indeed, in 1975, he wrote a book called Flight Towards Reality which included discussion of the whole thing.

Here’s the really weird bit: In 1939, the Drem airfield was brought back to life. Did Goddard see a peek into the airfield's future via a time slip back in 1935? Who knows.

Space Barbie

I’ll be honest: I’m not totally sure what to do with thisone — but I’ll present it to you here, and then you can decide for yourself what you think about it. Here it is:

Valeria Lukyanova has made a name for herself as a “human Barbie doll” (who also has kind of scary opinions about some things ) — but a 2012 short documentary for Vice’s My Life Online series also posits that she believes she’s a time traveling space alien whose purpose on Earth is to aid us in moving “from the role of the ‘human consumer’ to the role of ‘human demi-god.’”

What I can’t quite figure out is whether this whole time traveling space alien thing is, like a piece of performance art created specifically for this Vice doc, or whether it’s what she actually thinks. I don’t believe she’s referenced it in many (or maybe even any) other interviews she’s given; the items I’ve found discussing Lukyanova and time travel specifically all point back to this video.

But, well… do with it all as you will. That’s the documentary up there; give it a watch and see what you think.

The Hipster Time Traveler

In the early 2010s, a photograph depicting the 1941 reopening of the South Fork Bridge in Gold Bridge, British Columbia in Canada went viral for seemingly depicting a man that looked… just a bit too modern to have been photographed in 1941. He looks, in fact, like a time traveling hipster : Graphic t-shirt, textured sweater, sunglasses, the works. The photo hadn’t been manipulated; the original can be seen here . So what the heck was going on?

Well, Snopes has plenty of reasonable explanations for the man’s appearance; each item he’s wearing, for example, could very easily have been acquired in 1941. Others have also backed up those facts. But the bottom line is that it’s never been definitively debunked, so the idea that this photograph could depict a man from our time who had traveled back to 1941 persists. What do you think?

Father Ernetti’s Chronovisor

According to two at least two books — Catholic priest Father Francois Brune’s 2002 book Le nouveau mystère du Vatican (in English, The Vatican’s New Mystery ) and Peter Krassa’s 2000 book Father Ernetti's Chronovisor : The Creation and Disappearance of the World's First Time Machine — Father Pellegrino Ernetti, who was a Catholic priest like Brune, invented a machine called a “chronovisor” that allowed him to view the past. Ernetti was real; however, the existence of the machine, or even whether he actually claimed to have invented it, has never been proven. Alas, he died in 1994, so we can’t ask him, either. I mean, if we were ever able to find his chronovisor, maybe we could… but at that point, wouldn’t we already have the information we need?

(I’m extremely skeptical of this story, by the way, but both Brune’s and Krassa’s books swear up, down, left, and right that it’s true, so…you be the judge.)

Although I'm fairly certain that these accounts and stories are either misinterpreted information or straight-up falsehoods, they're still entertaining to read about; after all, if you had access to a time machine, wouldn't you at least want to take it for a spin? Here's hoping that one day, science takes the idea from theory to reality. It's a big ol' universe out there.

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Mysterious Time Travelers With Convincing Stories

Nearly everyone has heard a completely ludicrous time travel story at least once in their life, like the internet-famous Backwoods Home magazine ad which read, " Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. P.O. Box 322, Oakview, CA 93022. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before." It was, of course, a hoax, as many similar stories are. But what about real time travelers? Do they exist?

That's something you have to decide for yourself, as no time travel stories can be conclusively proven. But there are some convincing stories of people who may have actually traveled through time and other mysterious figures . So strap in, because this list is going to take you through some of the most credible time travel stories.

Two Professors See Marie Antoinette At Versailles - In 1901

In 1901, two professors from St. Hugh's College in Oxford, England, went to visit the Palace of Versailles. Versailles was, of course, the French royal home until the monarchy was abolished in 1792. Marie Antoinette, one of the last royals to live there, was executed in 1793.

So on that day in 1901, when professors Anne Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain were walking the grounds of the palace, it's pretty safe to say they did not expect to see Marie Antoinette in the flesh just chillin' on a stool outside the Petit Trianon - a private retreat built for Antoinette by her hubby Louis XVI. And yet, there she was, sitting and sketching and completely oblivious to the fact that two women were gaping at her and all the other people in 1780s period attire who had appeared just as suddenly as Antoinette.

Antoinette and everyone else disappeared when a tour guide approached Moberly and Jourdain. Together, they wrote a book, An Adventure , about their experience, and the story gained notoriety because of how grounded it seemed. These were two highly educated and well-respected women; they wouldn't just make up a story like that. So what was it, then? Did they actually travel through time? It's one of the most thoroughly reported, compelling, and famous time travel stories that can't be explained.

Pilot Sees A Futuristic Plane

Air Marshall Sir Robert Victor Goddard was sent to inspect an abandoned airfield in Edinburgh in 1935. It was dilapidated, of which he made note. He got back in his plane and took off, but heavy rain and low visibility prevented him from going too far. So, he turned around and headed back to the airfield to wait out the storm.

As he approached the landing strip, though, something very strange happened. The clouds cleared, the sun shone brightly, and he saw that the previously abandoned land was now bustling with mechanics in blue jumpsuits. There were four yellow planes on the tarmac, and one of them was a kind he had never seen before. Keep in mind, this guy was a military pilot. He was pretty familiar with all the different plane models available at the time.

Goddard was totally confused. Had he imagined it? Was he hallucinating? Was it a dream? It couldn't be real, certainly. But four years later, he was sent back to the airfield. Far from being abandoned, it was now in full use, complete with blue-jumpsuit-wearing mechanics and yellow planes. And sitting on the runway was the plane he couldn't identify in 1935: a Miles Magister. The Magister was first manufactured in 1938, three years after Goddard initially saw it.

Goddard's story is convincing because he wasn't even trying to travel through time - something unexplainable just happened to him. 

Journalist Experiences Air Raid 11 Years Before It Occurs

Journalist J. Bernard Hutton and photographer Joachim Brandt were sent by a German newspaper to do a story on the Hamburg shipyard in 1932 . It was an uneventful visit - until the bombs began raining down on them.

Hutton and Brandt realized they were caught in the middle of an air raid and high-tailed it out of there, but not before snapping some photographs. When they got back to the center of Hamburg, no one believed their story. They developed the photos they took, intending to prove to everyone that they weren't crazy. In fact, they proved the opposite: the photos showed no signs of an air raid.

Eleven years later, Hutton was living in London when he opened up a newspaper and probably nearly spit his coffee across his desk. There was a story about Operation Gomorrah , an air raid on Hamburg. The accompanying photos looked exactly like what he experienced in 1932.

The Green Children Of Woolpit

In the 12th Century, a young boy and girl were found alone in Woolpit, England . They didn't speak English (or any other identifiable language, for that matter) and their skin was green. That's right, green.

They were taken in by a local villager, and though the boy died soon after, the girl survived and eventually learned to speak English. Finally, she was able to tell someone where she came from. She said she had come from a twilight-covered place called St. Martin's Land and that she and her brother were taking care of their father's sheep one day when they found a cave. They went into the cave, and after walking for what felt like a very long time, they emerged in Woolpit. 

Maybe it's just a folk tale. Or maybe they came from the future. After all, their story does sound suspiciously like a time slip. Unfortunately for them, they were never able to get back to where - or when - they came from.

Charlotte Warburton Travels Through Time Without Even Realizing It

In 1968, Charlotte Warburton entered a cafe she had never seen before. Nothing seemed amiss, but when she tried to go back a few days later, it had vanished. Charlotte later learned that there was, in fact, a cafe in that spot - many years ago.

It had been replaced by a supermarket long before Charlotte claims to have walked in and visited it.

A Police Officer Travels To The 1950s From 1996

In 1996, a police officer and his wife were shopping in Liverpool . His wife went into a bookshop while he took off for a CD store down the street. As he walked away from the bookstore, he noticed that everything was suddenly quiet. Then, a van that looked like it was from the 1950s honked and swerved around him. Somehow, he was standing in the middle of the street, and stranger than that, everyone around him was dressed in '50s-style clothing.

Confused, he tried to go back to the bookstore, but it wasn't there. In its place was a women's clothing shop named Cripps. So he went into the clothing shop, but as soon as he did, it was a bookstore again. He was back in 1996, but couldn't figure out what happened to him - until he learned that Cripps hadn't existed since the 1950s.

The Man From Taured

In 1954, a man trying to get through customs at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, had a bit of trouble with the customs agents. It wasn't because he "forgot" to declare something on his customs form, but because he claimed to be from a country that didn't exist - and he had a passport and stamps to prove it.

His passport was from a country named Taured , which he claimed was in between Spain and France. When customs officials pulled out a map and asked him if he meant Andorra, he became angry. He said that yes, the location was right, but Taured had existed for at least 1,000 years. He had never heard of Andorra.  

He was given a hotel room for the night while the police tried to figure out what was happening. Even though there were armed guards posted outside his room, the man had vanished by the next morning. His passport, which had been stored in the security office at the airport, was also gone. Officials never figured out the mystery of the man from Taured.

Jophar Vorin Claimed To Be From Laxaria

In 1850, a man named  Jophar Vorin was found in  Frankfort-on-the-Oder, Germany, and questioned. He spoke very broken German, which made his claims even more difficult to understand. He said he was from Laxaria, and spoke the languages Laxarian and Abramian. He said he was in search of his long-lost brother, but he was shipwrecked on the way to his destination.

Vorin didn't recognize any of the maps or globes that were presented to him. He claimed that the world as he knew it had five sections:  Sakria, Aflar, Aslar, Auslar, and Euplar. In the Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art ,  John Timbs reports Vorin was taken to Berlin to be questioned and studied. There's no doubt that Vorin existed; the question is, was he crazy? Or was he from a very distant future?

Four Friends Travel From 1979 To 1905

In 1979,  Geoff and Pauline Simpson and Len and Cynthia Gisby were traveling through France. When it became late, they decided to find a hotel for the night. They found a place not too far down the road they were traveling. It was an odd place; the doors to the rooms only had wooden latches, no locks. And the windows only had thick shutters, no glass. 

In the morning, they had breakfast at the hotel and encountered two gendarmes (armed French policemen) that were wearing old-looking uniforms, complete with capes. The whole experience at the hotel seemed strange, not least because their stay only cost 19 francs - other hotels in the area cost over 200 francs. Still, they happily went on their way, and on their return journey, tried to stop and stay at the hotel again. Except it had seemingly vanished into thin air. And the uniforms those gendarmes were wearing? They were from around 1905 .

A 20th Century Doctor Finds Himself In The 1800s

In 1935, Dr. EG Moon was leaving the residence of one of his patients in Kent, England when he realized his car was not where he had left it. Both the driveway and the road seemed a lot rougher than he remembered. Dr. Moon spotted a man walking by the house, and he realized that the man was wearing several capes and a top hat and carrying a long-barreled gun. He looked to Moon like he was from the 19th century, not the 20th.

Dr. Moon turned to go back to the house, but as he did, he saw that the driveway was paved again, and his car was once again parked in it. He turned back towards the road to look for the man, but he had vanished.

In 2000, A Mysterious Man Named John Titor Claimed To Come From The Year 2036

In November 2000, the Time Travel Institute forums saw a spike in unusual activity. Nestled among the usual conspiracy theories and far-fetched UFO sightings were a string of posts from a man who called himself John Titor . He claimed to be from the year 2036, saying the government sent him back in time to 1975 to retrieve an IBM computer, which they needed in order to debug some computer programs. He hopped off his time machine in 2000 for personal reasons, and since he was already there, he decided to warn everyone about how crappy the future was going to get.

He claimed that civil unrest would begin in the United States in 2004 and there would be a full-blown civil war by 2012. By 2015, he said, a quick World War III would have come and gone. Of course, none of these things have happened, so you're probably wondering: why did people believe this wingnut?

It's because his posts about time travel were so detailed, the description of its mechanics and his machine so thorough, that it seemed almost impossible that he wasn't telling the truth. 

Two Men From 1969 Drive Straight To The 1940s

In 1969, two men were having lunch in a Southwestern Louisiana town. Afterward, they got in their car and headed back to work along US Route 167, a highway that spans much of the state. In the distance, they saw an old car . As they got closer to it, they realized it was moving very slowly and they could see the year "1940" printed on its license plate. The two men pulled up alongside the car and peered in to see if everything was okay; they were greeted by the sight of a woman, done up in full 1940s regalia, and a small child, both of whom looked very confused and even, they thought, frightened.

They gestured to the woman, indicating that she should pull over and they would help her. As she began to pull onto the side of the road, the two men stopped a few yards in front of her. When they turned around to make sure she had parked safely, the whole car had vanished into thin air.

Preston Nichols And Al Bielek Claim They Were Part Of The Alleged 'Montauk Project'

At an Air Force base in Montauk, NY, at the eastern tip of Long Island,  Preston Nichols claims  some top-secret government time travel experiments took place. Nichols writes in The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time that, in the 1980s, he recovered repressed memories of working on the project. And his claims seem outlandish: they experimented on children; one child had psychic abilities; they created a time portal to 1943. But not just any moment in 1943: the portal opened up onto the USS Eldridge , the subject of another famous alleged government project, the Philadelphia Experiment. 

Proponents of the Philadelphia Experiment conspiracy theory purport that, at the height of World War II, the US conducted a series of tests to try and cloak its warships. They wanted their ships to be invisible and undetectable. In October 1943, they reportedly succeeded, but there was a side effect: the Eldridge traveled back ten minutes in time and the experience drove the crew mad. They were brainwashed afterward, their memories wiped of the whole incident. A film about these alleged events, The Philadelphia Experiment , was released in 1984. And wouldn't you know it, that film triggered some repressed memories in one Al Bielek.

Bielek began discussing these memories with the press, which brought him to the attention of Nichols. The two got in touch and together told a story that linked the Montauk Project and the Philadelphia Experiment. Bielek had traveled through the time portal from the USS Eldridge to Montauk. The scientists at Montauk pushed him back through to the Eldridge . 

It's easy to dismiss Nichols's and Bielek's claims as pure science fiction, but the tale is so compelling, so detailed and unbelievable, don't you almost want it to be true? 

• Graveyard Shift
• Time Travel

As they say in well-written scripts, "You mean... like time travel?" + also a few bizarre stories about real people who have claimed, despite every law of physics, they have traveled through time.

Summaries, Analysis & Lists

Time Travel Short Stories: Examples Online

The short stories on this page all contain some form of time travel, including time loops. Some of them contain time machines or other technologies that makes the trip possible; in other stories the jump in time doesn’t have an obvious explanation. They don’t all involve obvious trips to the past or future. Sometimes, the story simply contains an element that is out of place in time. See also:

Short Stories About Time Travel

“caveat time traveler” by gregory benford.

The narrator spots the man from the past immediately. The visitor identifies himself. He’s surprised to find he’s not the first visitor from the past. He wants to take something back to prove he made it.

“Caveat Time Travel” can be read in the preview of  The Mammoth Book of Time Travel SF.

“Absolutely Inflexible” by Robert Silverberg

A time traveler in a spacesuit sits in Mahler’s office. He’s informed that he’ll be sent to the Moon, where all visitors from the past have to go. The man tries to get out of it, but Mahler explains why no exceptions are possible.

“Absolutely Inflexible” can be read in the preview of  Time and Time Again :  Sixteen Trips in Time.

“Yesterday Was Monday” by Theodore Sturgeon

When Harry Wright wakes up on Wednesday morning he realizes that yesterday was Monday. Somehow there is a gap. He notices that his environment doesn’t quite seem complete.

“Yesterday Was Monday” can be read in the preview of  The Best Time Travel Stories of the 20th Century.

“Death Ship” by Richard Matheson

The crew of a spaceship is collecting samples from various planets to determine their suitability for human habitation. While nearing a new planet, Mason spots a metallic flash. The crew speculates that it might be a ship. Captain Ross orders a landing to check it out.

“Death Ship” can be read in the preview of  The Time Traveler’s Almanac.

“The Third Level” by Jack Finney

The narrator has been to the third level of Grand Central Station, even though everyone else believes there are only two. He’s just an ordinary guy and doesn’t know why he discovered this unknown level. He relates how it happened.

“The Third Level” can be read in the preview of  About Time: 12 Short Stories.

“A Touch of Petulance” by Ray Bradbury

Jonathan Hughes met his fate in the form of an old man while he rode the train home from work. He noticed the old man’s newspaper looked more modern than his own. There was a story on the front page about a murdered woman—his wife. His mind raced.

This story can be read in the preview of  Killer, Come Back To Me: The Crime Stories of Ray Bradbury.

“Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving

Rip Van Winkle is lazy at home but helpful to, and well-liked by, his neighbors. He’s out in the mountains one day to get away from things. With night approaching, he starts for home but meets up with a group of men. He has something to drink and goes to sleep, which changes everything.

This story can be read in the preview of  The Big Book of Classic Fantasy .

“Twilight” by John W. Campbell

Jim picks up a hitch-hiker, Ares, who says he’s a scientist from the year 3059. He says he traveled millions of years into the future, but came back to the wrong year. Life in 3059 is trouble free, with machines taking care of everything. Future Earth is in trouble, with all life extinct, except for humans and plants.

This is the second story in the preview of  The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Vol 1 .  (49% into preview)

“The Man Who Walked Home” by James Tiptree, Jr.

An accident at the Bonneville Particle Acceleration Facility decimated the Earth’s population and severely damaged the biosphere and surface. Decades later, a huge flat creature emerges from the crater at the explosion site and promptly disappeared. There are other sightings in the years that follow.

This story can be read in the preview of the anthology  Timegates .  (18% into preview)

“An Assassin in Time” by S. A. Asthana

Navy Seal Jessica Kravitz recovers from the effects of the time jump. She’s done it before, but there are always side-effects. She’s on a highly classified, very important, and expensive mission. Previous jumps have familiarized her with the grounds. This time, she should be able to reach her target.

This story can be read in the preview of  AT THE EDGES: Short Science Fiction, Thriller and Horror Stories .  (17% in)

“The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” by Ted Chiang

Fuwaad, a fabric merchant, appears before the Caliph to recount a remarkable story. While looking for a gift, he entered a large shop with a new owner. It had a marvelous assortment of offerings, all made by the owner or under his direction. Fuwaad is led into the back where he’s shown a small hoop that manipulates time. He also has a larger gateway that people can walk through. The owner tells Fuwaad the stories of a few who did just that.

This story is on the longer side but doesn’t feel like it. Most of “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” can be read in the Amazon preview of  Exhalation: Stories .

“Time Locker” by Harry Kuttner

Gallegher is a scientist—drunken, erratic and brilliant. He invents things but pays them little attention after. His acquaintance Vanning, an unscrupulous lawyer, has made use of some of these inventions, including a neuro-gun that he rents out. During a visit he sees a locker that is bigger inside than out. Fascinated with the item’s possibilities, he offers to purchase it.

Some of “Time Locker” can be read in the preview of  The Best Time Travel Stories of the 20th Century.

Time Travel Short Stories, Cont’d

“All You Zombies” by Robert A. Heinlein

A young man explains to a bartender that he was born a girl. He (she) gave birth to a child and there were complications. The doctors noticed he (she) was a hermaphrodite and performed an emergency sex-change operation.

A lot of this story can be read in the preview of  “ All You Zombies—”: Five Classic Stories .

“The Hundred-Light-Year Diary” by Greg Egan

The narrator meets his future wife, Alison, for lunch exactly when he knew he would. His diary told him. Everyone alive is allotted a hundred words a day to send back to themselves.

Most of this story can be read in the preview of Axiomatic .  (Select Kindle first then Preview, 57% in)

“The Dead Past” by Isaac Asimov

Arnold Potterley, a Professor of Ancient History, wants to use the chronoscope—the ability to view a scene from the past—for his research on Carthage. The government maintains strict control over its use, and his request is denied. Frustrated, Potterley embarks on a plan to get around this restriction, which is professionally risky.

Some of this story can be read in the preview of  The Complete Stories, Vol 1 .  (6% in)

“Signal Moon” by Kate Quinn

Working with the Royal Naval Service, Lily Baines intercepts radio communications to enemy vessels for decoding. One night, everything changes when she picks up an impossible message—a plea for help from another time.

Preview of “Signal Moon”

“Journey to the Seed” by Alejo Carpentier

An old man wanders around a demolition site, muttering a string of incomprehensible phrases. The roof has been removed and, by evening, most of the house is down. When the site is deserted, the old man waves his walking stick over a pile of discarded tiles. They fly back and cover the floor. The house continues to rebuild. Inside, Don Marcial lies on his deathbed.

“A Sound of Thunder” by Ray Bradbury

In the future, a company offers guided hunting safaris into the past to kill dinosaurs. Extreme care is taken to ensure nothing happens that could alter the present.

Read “A Sound of Thunder” (PDF Pg. 3)

“That Feeling, You Can Only Say What It Is In French” by Stephen King

Carol and Bill, married twenty-five years, are on their second honeymoon, driving to their destination. Carol experiences déjà vu; voices and images keep coming to her mind. Their drive comes to an end and she finds herself at an earlier point in their trip.

“The Clock That Went Backward” by Edward Page Mitchell

The narrator recounts the discovery surrounding a clock left to his cousin Harry by his Aunt Gertrude. As young boys they witnessed a strange event. Late one night Aunt Gertrude wound the clock, put her face to the dial, and then kissed and caressed it. The hands were moving backward. She fell to the floor when it stopped.

Read “The Clock That Went Backward” 

“Soldier (Soldier from Tomorrow)” by Harlan Ellison

Qarlo, a soldier, is fighting in the Great War VII. He doesn’t expect to be able to go back. The odds are against it. Qarlo anticipates the Regimenter’s order and gets warped off the battlefield. He’s not sure where he is but his instincts kick in.

“The Men Who Murdered Mohammed” by Alfred Bester

Henry Hassel comes home to find his wife in the arms of another man. He could get his revenge immediately but he has a more intellectual plan. He gets a revolver and builds a time machine. He goes into the past.

“Cosmic Corkscrew” by Michael A. Burstein

The narrator is sent back to 1938 to make a copy of a rejected story by an unnamed writer. Unknown to Dr. Scheihagen, the narrator adjusts his arrival to three days earlier. He wants to make contact with the writer.

“Time’s Arrow” by Arthur C. Clarke

Barton and Davis, geologists, are assisting Professor Fowler with an excavation. The professor receives an invitation to visit a nearby research facility. Barton and Davis are curious to know what goes on there. The professor says he will fill them in, but after his visit he says he’s been asked not to talk about it. Henderson, from the research facility, returns the visit. Something he says starts the geologists speculating about a device that could see into the past.

“The Final Days” by David Langford

Harman and Ferris, presidential candidates, are participating in a televised debate. Ferris is struggling to connect with the audience while Harman relishes the attention. The technician signals Harman that there are fourteen watchers. His confidence increases.

Read “The Final Days”

“Hwang’s Billion Brilliant Daughters” by Alice Sola Kim

When Hwang is in a time he likes he tries to stay awake. Hwang jumps ahead in time when he sleeps. It could only be a few days; it could be years.

Read “Hwang’s Billion Brilliant Daughters”

“Fish Night” by Joe R. Lansdale

Two traveling salesmen, a father and son, get broke down on a desert road. They sit by the car and talk about how hard it is to make a living. The father tells his son about an unusual experience he had on the same road years ago.

Read “Fish Night”

“The Fox and the Forest” by Ray Bradbury

William and Susan Travis have gone to Mexico in 1938. They’re enjoying a local celebration. William assures Susan that they’re safe—they have traveler’s checks to last a lifetime, and he’s confident they won’t be found. Susan notices a conspicuous man in a café looking at them. She thinks he could be a Searcher, but William says he’s nobody.

“A Statue for Father” by Isaac Asimov

The narrator tells the story of his father, a theoretical physicist who researched time travel. He’s celebrated now, but it was a difficult climb. When time travel research fell out of favor, the dean forced him out. He continued the research independently with his son. Eventually, they succeed in holding a window open long enough for the son to reach in. He brings back some dinosaur eggs.

“The Pendulum” by Ray Bradbury

Layeville has been swinging in a massive glass pendulum for a long time. The people call him The Prisoner of Time. It’s his punishment for his crime. He had constructed a time machine and invited thirty of the world’s preeminent scientists to attend the unveiling.

Read  The Pendulum

“Who’s Cribbing?” by Jack Lewis

A writer has his manuscript returned by a publisher. The story he submitted was published years before—he obviously plagiarized it. They warn him against doing this again. The writer has never heard of the author who first wrote the story and claims it’s an original work.

“Who’s Cribbing” is in  Time Machines: The Best Time Travel Stories Ever Written.

I’ll keep adding short stories about time travel and time machines as I find more.

Is Time Travel Possible?

We all travel in time! We travel one year in time between birthdays, for example. And we are all traveling in time at approximately the same speed: 1 second per second.

We typically experience time at one second per second. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's space telescopes also give us a way to look back in time. Telescopes help us see stars and galaxies that are very far away . It takes a long time for the light from faraway galaxies to reach us. So, when we look into the sky with a telescope, we are seeing what those stars and galaxies looked like a very long time ago.

However, when we think of the phrase "time travel," we are usually thinking of traveling faster than 1 second per second. That kind of time travel sounds like something you'd only see in movies or science fiction books. Could it be real? Science says yes!

This image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows galaxies that are very far away as they existed a very long time ago. Credit: NASA, ESA and R. Thompson (Univ. Arizona)

How do we know that time travel is possible?

More than 100 years ago, a famous scientist named Albert Einstein came up with an idea about how time works. He called it relativity. This theory says that time and space are linked together. Einstein also said our universe has a speed limit: nothing can travel faster than the speed of light (186,000 miles per second).

Einstein's theory of relativity says that space and time are linked together. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

What does this mean for time travel? Well, according to this theory, the faster you travel, the slower you experience time. Scientists have done some experiments to show that this is true.

For example, there was an experiment that used two clocks set to the exact same time. One clock stayed on Earth, while the other flew in an airplane (going in the same direction Earth rotates).

After the airplane flew around the world, scientists compared the two clocks. The clock on the fast-moving airplane was slightly behind the clock on the ground. So, the clock on the airplane was traveling slightly slower in time than 1 second per second.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Can we use time travel in everyday life?

We can't use a time machine to travel hundreds of years into the past or future. That kind of time travel only happens in books and movies. But the math of time travel does affect the things we use every day.

For example, we use GPS satellites to help us figure out how to get to new places. (Check out our video about how GPS satellites work .) NASA scientists also use a high-accuracy version of GPS to keep track of where satellites are in space. But did you know that GPS relies on time-travel calculations to help you get around town?

GPS satellites orbit around Earth very quickly at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. This slows down GPS satellite clocks by a small fraction of a second (similar to the airplane example above).

GPS satellites orbit around Earth at about 8,700 miles (14,000 kilometers) per hour. Credit: GPS.gov

However, the satellites are also orbiting Earth about 12,550 miles (20,200 km) above the surface. This actually speeds up GPS satellite clocks by a slighter larger fraction of a second.

Here's how: Einstein's theory also says that gravity curves space and time, causing the passage of time to slow down. High up where the satellites orbit, Earth's gravity is much weaker. This causes the clocks on GPS satellites to run faster than clocks on the ground.

The combined result is that the clocks on GPS satellites experience time at a rate slightly faster than 1 second per second. Luckily, scientists can use math to correct these differences in time.

If scientists didn't correct the GPS clocks, there would be big problems. GPS satellites wouldn't be able to correctly calculate their position or yours. The errors would add up to a few miles each day, which is a big deal. GPS maps might think your home is nowhere near where it actually is!

In Summary:

Yes, time travel is indeed a real thing. But it's not quite what you've probably seen in the movies. Under certain conditions, it is possible to experience time passing at a different rate than 1 second per second. And there are important reasons why we need to understand this real-world form of time travel.

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An infamous Ukrainian time-traveller story has finally been explained

If there’s one thing we like on indy100 , it’s a good time traveller story.

There’s been an influx of people on TikTok claiming to be from the future over recent times, but nothing will come close to the story of Sergei Ponomarenko for sheer weirdness.

In one of the most infamous cases of its kind, the story centers around a man who turned up in Kyiv, Ukraine back in 2006 claiming to be from years in the past.

He told authorities that he was born in 1932. He looked the part, carrying an old-fashioned camera and a dated outfit.

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The most compelling thing was that he held a Soviet document from the 1950s, which he claimed showed he was the age of 25.

@bethany.gets.weird Time Traveler Sergei Ponomarenko #timetravel #ufo #conspiracy #unexplained

Ponomarenko then proceeded to show people pictures that he claimed he’d taken on his camera in Kyiv. After they’d been developed, authorities found that the images did indeed show Kyiv in the 50s, and they also showed him with an unnamed woman – as well as an image that Ponomarenko claimed showed a UFO.

The bizarre story took another turn when authorities looked back into the records and found a man by the same name who went missing in 1958. Strangely, they tracked down the man’s girlfriend who by that time was in her 70s. It turns out that the girlfriend was the woman in the photographs.

She then told authorities that Ponomarenko had disappeared for two years and then reappeared in the 50s. Not only that, but she then received a photograph showing him as an older man, with the picture purporting to have been taken in Kyiv in 2050.

It’s all kinds of weird, but the mystery might finally have been solved all these years later.

YouTuber Joe Scott has delved back into the case, and come up with an explanation that might put the whole incident to bed.

As Joe finds, the picture of Ponomarenko purportedly from 2050 Kyiv has been “cloned” and possibly includes the Empire State Building.

More compellingly, Joe also found that the photos were taken from the Ukrainian TV show Aliens . The show discusses the possibility of extraterrestrial life and is similar to the type of show you would see on The History Channel but according to Scott has a number of inaccuracies.

It was fun while it lasted, but it looks like the ‘time traveller’ has been busted.

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The 9 Most Popular Fairy Tale Stories of All Time

Once upon a time.

F airy tale stories are part and parcel of childhood. Endlessly retellable (and spoofable—we're looking at you, Shrek ) and filled with sometimes-questionable life lessons, fairy tale stories for kids have evolved through the years thanks to children's books , movies, and, in no small part, Disney characters . Here are some of the most popular fairy tales for kids that have captured the hearts of children and adults alike. You're probably familiar with them, but there's plenty you may not know about their origins and evolution. And if you can't get enough of magic and fantastical lands, you'll want to get your hands on the best fantasy books of all time.

Once there was a hardworking girl with a wicked stepmother and a heart of gold. She got a makeover from a fairy godmother, scored a dance with a prince, and snagged a happily ever after in a pretty sweet castle. This story crossed the globe for thousands of years, winning hearts wherever it went. Although the most familiar version of "Cinderella" was recorded by 17th-century French writer Charles Perrault, the well-respected scholarly website Sur La Lune Fairy Tales estimates there may be as many as 1,500 traditional variants of the tale around the world. Those include "The Girl with the Rose Red Slippers" from ancient Egypt and a ninth-century Chinese version. The story has inspired countless modern retellings, including Walt Disney's iconic 1950 cartoon , the blockbuster film Pretty Woman , the novel and movie Ella Enchanted , and too many others to name .  See which  Cinderella  quote made our list of favorite Disney movie quotes .

Beauty and the Beast

When kind and virtuous Beauty falls in love with the beast despite his outward appearance, he's transformed into a handsome prince. Who among us has not felt unworthy of a lover yet longed to have our inner value recognized? Who has not dreamed of romantic love with the power to redeem and transform? No wonder "Beauty and the Beast," originally a French story, is the second most frequently visited fairy tale for kids on Sur La Lune Fairy Tales. Of all the many retellings, our favorite is probably French director Jean Cocteau's surreal 1945 film version, La Belle et la Bête , but the Disney version is certainly the most prevalent (and lucrative). So far, Beauty and the Beast has rung the company's cash register as a cartoon, a Broadway musical, a soundtrack album, and most recently, a live-action film starring Emma Watson.

Little Red Riding Hood

In this fairy tale for kids—probably intended as a warning to follow directions—Red sets off alone to visit her grandmother with instructions not to step off the forest path. The rebellious Red promptly disregards this advice, attracting the attention of a talking wolf who sets out to eat and impersonate Grandma. What happens next depends on which version you read. In the 17th-century French version recorded by Charles Perrault, Red gets gobbled up by the wolf. The End. In other tellings, across Europe, North America, China, Japan, and Ghana, she's saved at the last minute by a guy with an axe or the wolf chokes on her hood or he eats both Grandma and Red but is forced to vomit them up unharmed. Of the many recent retellings on page and on-screen, our favorite is the animated film Hoodwinked! with Anne Hathaway voicing a wonderfully sassy Red.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first animated full-length Disney film, setting the pattern for all those to come. According to Film Site, the movie "took almost four years and an astronomical (at the time) $1.7 million to create" and was also the first film soundtrack ever to be released separately as an album. Despite still being low-key terrifying, Disney's version did spare its evil queen her original Grimm fairy tale punishment of being forced to dance to her death in red-hot shoes.

Despite ample criticism of the less-than-active main character—as feminist critics have put it, she is "an object to be displayed and desired ... patriarchy's ideal woman, the perfect candidate for queen"— Snow White remains a massively popular tale. Modern retellings, like Snow White and the Huntsman ; Mirror, Mirror ; Once Upon a Time ; and more have provided much-needed updates to the character. As for fairy tale books, we like Snow White , a graphic novel retelling set in 1930s New York City. If you're looking for more great reads, check out our picks for the best short books .

Jack and the Beanstalk

Young Jack trades the family's only cow for a handful of magic beans. When a giant beanstalk sprouts overnight, Jack seizes the chance to climb to a giant's castle and steal all of his magical possessions. The story we know is from England, and Jack himself is English. (Need proof? Consider the famous line "fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman.") But as Sur La Lune Fairy Tales points out, there are fairy tale stories based on this tale found among Europeans, Scandinavians, and Indigenous groups across Canada. And don't forget Asia's tale of the branch of the Bodhi of Buddha, which quickly grows skyward once planted.

As for modern adaptations, Jack (along with some of these other fairy tale characters) has a major role in the musical and movie Into the Woods and has had his story told through the live-action films Jack and the Beanstalk (2010) and Jack the Giant Slayer (2013). But unlike other fairy tale stories that have been told and retold (and retold again), this one still poses an exciting action-adventure opportunity for filmmakers.

Sleeping Beauty

If you found Snow White annoyingly passive, meet Sleeping Beauty, whose main claim to fame is, obviously, her century-long snooze. According to Sur La Lune Fairy Tales, this fairy tale for kids dates to the "Volsunga Saga" from 13th-century Iceland but is found all across Europe, especially France, Italy, and Germany. It even appears in The Arabian Nights. In 1890, Russian composer Tchaikovsky wrote the musical score for a much-loved Sleeping Beauty ballet, and years later, the folks at Disney borrowed some of his music for their 1959 animated film version. Here's a piece of Disney trivia you probably don't know:  Sleeping Beauty originally underwhelmed at the box office, and Disney achieved much greater success with 2014's Maleficent , which retold Sleeping Beauty from the perspective of the vengeful fairy.

Puss in Boots

Plenty of fairy tale stories have animal helpers, but in this one, the animal is the star. Puss is a bold, swaggering trickster who masquerades as the servant of a great nobleman. The story was probably first recorded in 16th-century Italy, but Puss seems to have acquired his swashbuckling boots about 100 years later in France, in the same book of stories that features Cinderella , Sleeping Beauty , and Beauty and the Beast , and he's been rocking them ever since. In an age when the poor mostly went barefoot, shoes were an important status symbol, and clearly those boots were made for walking because Puss has managed to travel astonishingly far around the world. Scholars say the story "has been found in all parts of Europe, across Siberia, [and] onward to India, Indonesia, and the Philippines."

More recently, the irrepressible Puss found new fans and stole the show in 2001's Shrek movies. Voiced by Antonio Banderas, his signature introduction—"Puss...in Boots"—became instantly recognizable. The character was so beloved that he got his own spinoff movie, the 2012 flick Puss in Boots . If you have young kids, pick up one of the fiction books based on the lovable feline.

Hansel and Gretel

In a time of famine, Hansel and Gretel are abandoned in a great forest by their wicked stepmother. Unable to resist eating pieces of a real gingerbread cottage, the hungry children are captured by the cannibal witch who lives there; in the end, they must shove her into her own fiery oven to escape. This narrative about the dangers of unwholesome appetite and children's drive for survival is one of the most frequently visited fairy tales stories on Sur La Lune Fairy Tales—even without any publicity from Disney. Some scholars believe that the Great Famine of 14th-century Europe inspired the familiar German version of "Hansel and Gretel," recorded by the famous Brothers Grimm some 500 years later. Regardless, this gruesome story is one of the most widely told around the world; variants include " The Story of the Bird That Made Milk " in southern Africa, the southern Indian tale "Kadar and the Cannibals," and the Russian folk tales of Baba Yaga.

Whether from Disney's 2010 hit Tangled or 2002's Barbie as Rapunzel from Mattel, you know the story: The girl with the climbable curls is isolated in a tower by a wicked witch. But as many fairy tale stories go, a handsome prince soon arrives to save the day. The original Grimm version of Rapunzel is grimmer (naturally) than the banter-filled cartoon movie  (though fans of Into the Woods will be familiar with it): Rapunzel winds up in the witch's clutches in the first place because her pregnant mother couldn't stop stealing magic herbs from the old crone's garden. Later, using Rapunzel's hair as a lure, the witch catches the prince and throws him to the ground, where thorns pierce his eyes. She leaves him to wander alone for years in the wilderness. But it is a fairy tale, so eventually, Rapunzel runs into him by chance; her tears fall onto his face, miraculously restoring his vision and leading the couple to their belated happily ever after.

• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Cinderella”
• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Beauty and the Beast”
• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Red Riding Hood”
• Scholastic : "Lon Po Po: A Chinese Fairy Tale Lesson Plan"
• Kid World Citizen : "Little Red Riding Hood: 3 Multicultural Versions"
• Filmsite : "Filmsite Movie Review 100 Greatest Films: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)"
• Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar : "The Madwoman in the Attic"
• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Sleeping Beauty”
• Oh My Disney : "10 Things You Didn't Know About  Sleeping Beauty "
• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Puss in Boots”
• Sur La Lune Fairy Tales : “Hansel and Gretel”
• Pook Press : "Hansel and Gretel"
• Sacred Texts : "Story of the Bird That Made Milk"

The post The 9 Most Popular Fairy Tale Stories of All Time appeared first on Reader's Digest .

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Air Jordan 1 Chicago: The Inspiration Behind the Design

Product launch.

A closer look at how Jordan designers reimagined the original 1985 AJ1 to create the new Air Jordan 1 'Chicago'.

What to Know

• Air Jordan 1 2022 Chicago (aka "Lost & Found") dropped on November 19, 2022
• Retail price is $180 for adults and will be available in full family sizing. (See below for more details)
• Stay up to date on news and updates on the SNKRS app
• Air Jordan 1 2022 Chicago (aka "Lost & Found") drops on November 19, 2022

You already know what the Air Jordan 1 is all about. It’s a staple of sneaker culture.

The Air Jordan 1, however, wasn’t destined to be an all-time classic.

When it first debuted in 1985, there weren’t grand expectations. Instead, there were critics loudly chirping about Nike’s decision to give Michael Jordan a large sneaker deal before he played a single game and the rookie’s choice to sign with a company that, up to that point, was best known for running shoes.

Jordan quickly flipped the narrative on the court by winning Rookie of the Year, averaging 28.2 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 5.9 APG in 1985 while donning Air Jordan 1s. MJ’s meteoric rise propelled the Air Jordan 1, resulting in nationwide demand and making the sneakers a must-have for hoop heads.

Introducing the Air Jordan 1 'Chicago'

The AJ1 "Chicago" was inspired by the high top Air Jordan 1 original colorway, first released in 1985. The shoe harkens back to a time when shoe boxes were often lost in inventory stockrooms, only to be found again years later.

Before the advent of sophisticated inventory systems, products were typically tracked with pen and paper. Human error was inevitable and frequently resulted in shoe boxes with mismatched lids.

The AJ1 Chicago is a throwback to this era, drawing inspiration from what an original 1985 Air Jordan 1 would look like if found decades later in a dusty stock room.

According to the Jordan design team, the goal of this shoe was to create a “time travel moment,” especially for a new generation of consumers. The process of buying a shoe today is very different from what it was like in the 80s. This sneaker attempts to capture that lost and found feeling, giving consumers a taste of what a box-fresh, vintage AJ1 would have looked like back in the day.

Lost & Found: A Unique Design

The Jordan Brand team responsible for developing the AJ1 Chicago obsessed every detail of the shoe’s design to bring this nostalgic story to life. Jordan designers studied multiple pairs of original AJ1s in varying states of distress to capture the nuances of the shoe’s look, described as having “light to no wear but with materials that sat for years in a box and didn’t withstand the test of time.”

The Inspiration

Ultimately, the team focused on several key design elements of the Chicago to drive forward the AJ1’s history. The image below shows the updated 2022 Chicago (top) next to an original 1985 Air Jordan 1 (bottom) to highlight the sneaker's inspiration.

A Closer Look

The 2022 Chicago colorway comes with a range of key design features influenced by the OG AJ1.

Bigger Swoosh

Ankle Collars

One of the most common signs of age on an original pair of AJ1s was a cracked and faded ankle collar. The black leather material wrapped around the ankle collars had a tendency to dry out and crack over a period of time, and often would begin to flake off with wear and handling.

The ankle collars on the new Chicago mimic this weathered appearance and give a nod to collectors who understand the amount of care necessary when handling a pair of 1985 originals.

Similar to the ankle collars, the rubber cupsole of an original AJ1 would age over time, turning into a light yellow hue. The Chicago pays homage to this look.

According to the Jordan Brand Design team, when shoes are left in a box for years and not properly maintained, they’re going to crack, yellow and pigment. The goal with the AJ1 Chicago was to hint at this subtle aging look, while adding tactility to the shoe’s sole.

Aged Leather

Leather is a natural material that requires ongoing maintenance. With years of neglect in a stockroom leather starts to dry out and leave visible signs of aging. The Chicago offers hints of dryness in the leather, most noticeably in the toe area and side panels. But the effect is merely aesthetic.

Jordan Brand designers took note of the condition in the leather from several older pairs of AJ1s. Observing how some of the oils in the leather came to the surface and created different visible effects, they recreated a rich look using premium materials that will last longer for today’s consumers.

OG Box & Lid

In a nod to the “lost and found” nature of the colorway, the updated Chicago comes with a mismatched box lid that speaks to the shoes being misplaced in back rooms and basements.

Designers added extra details both inside and outside the box that serve as a shout out to shoe promotions created once upon a time. According to the Jordan design team, every detail should be recognizable to those who grew up back in those days, while giving new sneakerheads a chance to experience what it was like.

One such example is the inclusion with every pair of a vintage receipt meant to replicate actual receipts that found their way into the hands of collectors from deadstock shoeboxes. The receipt calls up images of how sneakers used to be acquired in analog fashion before the internet age.

Retelling the Story

As a result of the many unique design choices, not every pair of updated AJ1s will look exactly the same. The subtle differences in each sneaker reinforce the throwback theme of this colorway.

Jordan designers took an approach that gave the 2022 Air Jordan 1 Chicago “an edge, a narrative and a connection.” They wanted a look and feel that came with a history tied back to something many consumers may not even be aware of. Ultimately, whether old school or new generation, Jordan Brand wants every consumer to see beauty in the story behind the shoe.

The sneaker dropped on November 19, 2022. The Chicago will be available in full family sizing.

The AJ1 Chicago retails for $180 (USD) for adults. Prices will vary by country.

The shoe will be available in full family sizing at the following price points:

• Adult: $180
• GS (Grade School): $140
• PS (Preschool): $85
• TD (Toddler): $70
• Crib (Infant): $50

You can find the shoe on SNKRS.com and the SNKRS app , as well as in Jordan Brand stores and retailers globally.

Stay up to date by clicking "Notify Me" on SNKRS .

Like all Jordans, the Air Jordan 1 Chicago (aka “Lost and Found”) was originally designed as a basketball shoe. It’s inspired by the 1985 Air Jordan 1, so it features old school technology and cushioning.

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Originally published: November 7, 2022

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U.S. tourist faces 12 years in prison after taking ammunition to Turks and Caicos

An Oklahoma man faces up to 12 years in prison on a Caribbean island after customs officials found ammunition in his luggage.

Ryan Watson traveled to Turks and Caicos with his wife, Valerie, to celebrate his 40th birthday on April 7. They went with two friends who had also turned 40.

The vacation came to an abrupt end when airport staff members found a zip-close bag containing bullets in the couple's carry-on luggage. Watson said it was hunting ammunition he had accidentally brought with him — but under a strict law in Turks and Caicos, a court may still impose a mandatory 12-year sentence.

"They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer," Watson told NBC Boston in an interview conducted last week that aired after their first court appearance Tuesday.

"I recognized them, and I thought, 'Oh, man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no idea that those were in there,'" he said.

The couple were arrested and charged with possession of ammunition. Authorities seized their passports and explained the penalties they faced.

Valerie Watson said in the interview: "When I heard that, I immediately was terrified, because I was like we can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home, and this is such an innocent mistake."

The charges against her were dropped, and she returned home to Oklahoma City on Tuesday after the court hearing to be reunited with her two young children.

"Our goal is to get Ryan home, because we can’t be a family without Dad," she said.

The couple also spoke about the financial burden of a much longer-than-planned trip. "This is something that we may never recover from," Ryan Watson said.

The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a warning to travelers in September about a law that strongly prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition in Turks and Caicos, an overseas British territory southeast of the Bahamas that is a popular vacation spot.

It said: "We wish to remind all travelers that declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands] and will result in your arrest."

The embassy added: "If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will not be able to secure your release from custody."

The embassy and the government in Turks and Caicos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The same thing happened to another American, Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, who was arrested after ammunition was found in his luggage before he tried to board a flight out of Turks and Caicos in February. He said he accidentally left it in his bag.

Hagerich was on a family vacation with his wife and two young children but has now been in the country for 70 days. He spent eight days in prison before he posted bail.

"It’s incredibly scary. You know, you just don’t know what the next day may bring — you know, what path this may take," Hagerich told NBC Boston.

"You know, it’s certainly a lot different than packing your bags and going away with your family for a few days. It’s been the worst 70 days of my life," he said.

Hagerich, once a professional baseball player, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the MLB 2007 June amateur draft from the University of Delaware.

His case goes to trial May 3.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

Oklahoma man facing 12 years in Turks & Caicos prison released on bond, banned from travel

Ryan watson made bail a couple weeks after he was detained and arrested for ammo possession in turks & caicos. but he's not allowed to leave..

An American man facing 12 years in prison in Turks & Caicos after airport security found ammunition in his duffel bag won’t have to spend one more night in jail . For now.

Ryan Watson, 40, appeared before a court on Wednesday, agreeing to pay $15,000 to secure his release, according to a news alert from The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force. 

The court granted Watson's release about two weeks after he was initially detained and arrested. He's being released with a slew of stipulations, including being prohibited from leaving the archipelago nation. He also had to surrender his passport and travel documents to the court, and needs to report to police twice a week as his case moves through the system.

His next court hearing is set for June 7.

Here’s what we know.

Why were Ryan and Valerie Watson detained in the Turks and Caicos?

Ryan and Valerie Watson were in Turks & Caicos to celebrate the 40th birthdays of several friends in early April, USA TODAY reported.

The couple was trying to catch a flight back home on April 12, when airport security found four rounds of ammunition “unknowingly left in a duffel bag from a deer hunting trip,” according to a GoFundMe post made on behalf of the family. 

They were both questioned and subsequently charged with possession of ammunition, a charge that carries a minimum of 12 years in prison in Turks & Caicos.

The couple was stuck on the island without passports, unable to get back to their two young children, which left Valerie Watson “terrified.” 

“We can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home," she told WBTS-TV in Boston  "And this is such an innocent mistake that we ... didn't even know it was there. So yeah, my immediate thought was our kids and them being parentless for that long."

Ryan Watson maintains that it was a “bonehead mistake” on his part, not knowing that the ammunition rounds he typically uses to hunt whitetail deer were in his bag, the outlet reported.

Ultimately, the charges were dropped against Valerie Watson, who has returned to Oklahoma.

Oklahoma governor vouches for family: ‘Outstanding members of the community’ 

Days after the Watson family was detained, Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt sent a letter to the Turks & Caicos Islands government in an attempt to get the home sooner.

“The Watsons are upstanding members of their community and the State of Oklahoma, and I can assure you countless others stand willing to confirm their high moral characters,” Stitt said.

He continued to say that the couple would never “intentionally break the law,” emphasizing the importance of having them return to Oklahoma so they can continue to serve the community, Valerie as a school teacher and Ryan as a medical product salesman.

 And so that their children, Van and Ellie, don’t have to face another day without both parents, he said.

Family creates GoFundMe to bring Ryan Watson home 

Close friends have created a GoFundMe on behalf of the Watson family to cover the costs of “mounting legal fees, living expenses, and the overwhelming stress of their situation.” 

Valerie Watson said that the strain her family is under is tremendous, telling WBTS-TV that it could “ruin them.” 

“We've already talked, and we're like, what if we lose our house? Which, when we moved to Oklahoma, we built a home that we thought was our forever home,” she said. 

The sentiment was echoed by Ryan Watson, who says “this is something that we may never recover from.” 

“The emotional and financial toll is immense, and they are at risk of losing everything,” the fundraiser description reads. 

The GoFundMe had raised about $196,000 of the $250,000 goal by Friday night. 

What happens next?

Valerie Watson and her children are awaiting her husband’s next court appearance, set for June 7.

Even though Ryan Watson “forgot” about the ammunition in his bag, he may not be able to leave the Turks & Caicos Islands without serving time. The government prohibits anyone, of status or origin, to possess a firearm, ammunition, or any other weapon.

There are exceptions to this, of course, but the court is still required to issue “both a sentence of imprisonment and a fine” that are in line with what the court would consider an “exceptional circumstance,” USA TODAY reported. 

The Turks & Caicos government stiffened the penalties for firearm possession in February, noting that there were a handful of cases involving "exceptional circumstances" that allowed accused people to get away with paying a fine. “exceptional circumstances."

Travel time cut significantly for JD Bertrand's rooting section with hometown Falcons pick

SOUTH BEND — The logistics of sports parenting just got a whole lot easier for Jim and Christine Bertrand.

Former Notre Dame football linebacker JD Bertrand will stay close to home after the Atlanta Falcons took him in Saturday’s fifth round (143 rd overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft .

“I was ecstatic,” Bertrand said in a conference call with Atlanta reporters from suburban Roswell, Ga. “Right when I looked down, I saw the Flowery Branch number, and I said, ‘Let’s go.’ “

After serving the past two years as a team captain and leading the Irish defense in tackles from 2021-23, Bertrand has joined a rebuilding franchise that has its practice facility about a 53-minute drive from the Bertrand home.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, where the Falcons play their home games and where Notre Dame will face Georgia Tech this fall, is only about a 40-minute drive from Roswell.

JD’s older brother John Michael Bertrand, the former Notre Dame baseball left-hander, is in Double-A with the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the San Francisco Giants organization.

JD Bertrand: Taking the measure of JD Bertrand ahead of Senior Day for Notre Dame football

“I couldn’t imagine a better situation, a better scenario,” JD Bertrand said. “My mom was saying the whole week, ‘Well, maybe there’s a chance he’s close to home.’ The ND trips, they’d drive 10 hours up there, 10 hours back on a weekend.”

JD Bertrand: 'Energy and excitement' await Notre Dame football linebacker JD Bertrand in Dublin

Unable to work out for teams after suffering a torn plantar fascia on the first day of Senior Bowl practices, Bertrand had to rely on his game tape and chalk-talk acumen in the pre-draft process.

“I really wanted to work out,” he said. “I really think I would have showed a lot of people numbers that they maybe would not have expected from me. I think I would have tested really well.”

His goal in the 40-yard dash, for instance, would have been “the high 4.5’s” with something just over 4.6 seconds acceptable as well.

“It’s unfortunate but I can only control what I can control,” he said. “I made sure my classroom setting, the football side of it is probably top-notch for me compared to a lot of guys. I made sure I focused on that even more.”

Bertrand’s rookie contract will include an estimated $349,000 signing bonus and a four-year value of $4.37 million, according to Spotrac.

The first player from Blessed Trinity Catholic to reach the NFL, Bertrand has suited up for state championship games that were held in the Falcons’ home dome. Now he gets to take the field as a Falcons rookie.

“That’s always been the dream,” he said. “Now I get an opportunity to continue to improve upon that dream and make it everything I dreamed of.”

Mike Berardino covers Notre Dame football for NDInsider.com and is on social media @MikeBerardino.

Elisabeth Moss shines in new Hulu series, 'The Veil'

The six-episode limited series streams April 30 on Hulu

LOS ANGELES -- Elisabeth Moss: Super spy? That's the role she's taking on in Hulu's "The Veil."

On The Red Carpet caught up with Moss, who told us about this new limited series.

"It's about an MI6 spy who meets her match in an asset who she has to kind of commandeer and take under her wing. But she bites off, I think, more than she expected," Moss said.

Yumna Marwan plays Adilah El Idrissi, the asset in question. She's an ISIS fighter who Elisabeth's character Imogen must transfer from the Syria-Turkey border to France. Through the six-episode series, Imogen must determine whether Adilah is really who she says she is. And what is she holding back herself?

"And it becomes this game between them of finding out who's telling the truth and who's lying and who they both really are," Moss continued.

The story of how "The Veil" came to be is a rather unexpected one according to producer Denise Di Novi.

"I met a retired intelligence officer in a hotel bar who had a little too much to drink and shared things that were going on a few years ago, where they were kind of overwhelmed in France with the situation and they were bringing in the MI6 and the CIA to be helpful and a culture clash was causing a lot of difficulties. And I instantly thought, I'm a TV producer, I thought wow, that's a TV series," Di Novi explained.

She sought out her friend, writer Steven Knight, who crafted a story that Di Novi says subverts the thriller genre while keeping all the elements people love about them.

"I think the two female characters being at the heart of it and surprising you in that they're not enemies in the traditional sense...they actually connect as human beings," Di Novi continued. "So I think it's a very unusual thriller, but it has all the fun stuff of the action and intrigue and the mystery and the deception and all those things."

Moss is no stranger to playing challenging characters. After making a name for herself playing the youngest daughter of President Bartlett on "The West Wing," she landed the pivotal role of Peggy Olsen on "Mad Men." And she won a Best Actress Emmy award for her role as June Osbourne in Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale."

"I came of age in a time where TV got really, really good," Moss said.

"I always just look for the writing and with "The Veil," it was the best thing I was reading."

You can see it all when "The Veil" premieres April 30 on Hulu.

Disney is the parent company of Hulu and this ABC station.

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