The Time Keeper [Hardcover]

Mitch Albom (Author)

Book Description

Release date: September 4, 2012

From the author who's inspired millions worldwide with books like Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven comes his most imaginative novel yet, The Time Keeper--a compelling fable about the first man on earth to count the hours.

The man who became Father Time.

In Mitch Albom's newest work of fiction, the inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift. He is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years. Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a mission: a chance to redeem himself by teaching two earthly people the true meaning of time.

He returns to our world--now dominated by the hour-counting he so innocently began--and commences a journey with two unlikely partners: one a teenage girl who is about to give up on life, the other a wealthy old businessman who wants to live forever. To save himself, he must save them both. And stop the world to do so.

Told in Albom's signature spare, evocative prose, this remarkably original tale will inspire readers everywhere to reconsider their own notions of time, how they spend it and how precious it truly is.

Editorial Reviews

Review

For Albom fans, this adult fairytale will inspire and satisfy readers in search of a more meditative approach to life in a fast-paced yet wonderful world Irish Independent The theme of the book is not so much that we should gain more time, but that we should spend the time we have more wisely. And in that there is certainly a message for us all Irish Catholic This is an unforgettable story, poignant, inspirational and beautifully written. Splendid Image magazine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Mitch Albom is an author, playwright, and screenwriter who has written seven books, including the
international bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time. His first novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, was an instant number-one New York Times bestseller that has since sold more than six million copies worldwide. For One More Day, his second novel, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. Both books were made into acclaimed TV films. Mitch also works as a columnist and a broadcaster, and serves on numerous charitable boards. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (September 4, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401322786
• ISBN-13: 978-1401322786
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 7.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1,263 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mitch Albom is an author, playwright, and screenwriter who has written seven books, including the international bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time. His first novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, as were For One More Day, his second novel, and Have a Little Faith, his most recent work of nonfiction. All four books were made into acclaimed TV films. Albom also works as a columnist and a broadcaster and has founded seven charities in Detroit and Haiti, where he operates an orphanage/mission. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#74 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#75 in Books > Self-Help

#77 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs

#74 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Contemporary

#75 in Books > Self-Help

#77 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

232 of 247 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Time is our Master August 5, 2012

By Ethan E. Harris VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

The Time Keeper, by Mitch Albom, follows the creator of time. Dor, the main character, is Father Time; he is the Time Keeper, cursed to hear every one of man's cries for time. Published by Hyperion, ISBN: 9781401322786, the book should appeal to anyone who have ever said "I just don't have the time."

As a young man, Dor is the first human to develop a system of counting and measuring time. His discovery leads him to forsake everyone in his life, except one person who is immune to his obsession. This one person, Alli, is the only one who holds the key to access Dor's attention; the only one whose presence has the ability to make Dor forget about his discovery. Dor's motivations are made clear by the author. His environment and his discovery play against each other in a well-developed tension which, in turn, plays into the development of the entire narrative.

Mitch Albom provides enough detail at crucial points in the story to inform the reader of the driving themes of two other supporting characters, Sarah and Victor, who are plagued with being bound by time. Their personal struggles and their lives are driven by their blind constraint. Along with Dor, they are all prisoners of the same device. Only when the protagonist frees Dor, does Dor begin to understand the sentence and the meaning of the very thing he invented. He is a slave, perhaps in Plato's Cave, where he is only exposed to the shadows of thoughts and reality from outside the cave.

He eventually becomes the master of the thing that once held him. He holds the hourglass, where he was once imprisoned and which now maintains control. Before he can guide the others through their obsessions, he is without direction as he discerns the meaning of his hourglass.... The suffering and death of his wife was beyond his control in his former life. Would he now have the opportunity to relieve the suffering of others before they ran out of time?

As the story comes to a climax, Dor must discover a way to intervene in the lives of Sarah and Victor. He must provide both of them the keys to escaping their own bonds, but first, Dor as the master of time, must now discover the significance of time. Having the power to effect a thing, we learn, is not the same as having real understanding of the thing. We are often blinded by the very thing we are compelled to worship.

I found the story well-written, with an abbreviated writing style making me feel like I was reading the thoughts of the characters instead of waiting for an author to develop the players for me. I was pleasantly shocked on reading how the sands of time represent "every moment of the universe." Overall, Mitch Albom presents a book where the focus is not on the style, but on the underlying development of the grand theme of time.

I was so engaged by the presentation of the story that I would have guessed it was merely about 50 pages instead of the actual 240. But as I learned, "Time Flies." Read more ›

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fable about time September 7, 2012

By sobryan

Format:Hardcover

" The Time Keeper" by Mitch Albom. Release date: Sept. 4, Hyperion Publishing
"Where did the time go?" "Time flies." "I ran out of time." "It's like time stood still." They're just a few examples of the time-related phrases that we all use, words that imply is something that we can't control.
But, what if you could, would you want what comes with the responsibility?
Time - whether it's too or too little - and how it's handled by fallible humans is the subject of best-selling author Mitch Albom's latest , "The Time Keeper." Just as with his other hits - "Tuesdays with Morrie," "Have a Little Faith," "One More Day" and "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," his novel is a thought provoker, urging readers to find the depth in his simple, yet imaginative writings. He has once again taken a simple theme and created an inspirational tale that lingers in the mind long after the last page is read.

Time is first noticed 600,000 years by Dor, an ordinary man with an extraordinary need to count, measure and bring order to his days. He is the first man on earth to count hours, literally becoming Father Time. Rather than embracing time as a gift from God, Dor challenges Him when his wife dies.
Dor is banished to a cave when voices rise up from a pool as they ask, plead and demand more time. Centuries have passed, and Dor doesn't have the spiritual strength to take much more. God agrees to free him if he can help two people, a teenage girl named Sarah and an elderly man, Victor, embrace the true meaning of time. Armed with a magical hourglass, Dor travels through time into today's society, one dominated and dictated by time.

He finds the lonely, heartbroken girl ready to kill herself. Victor is counting on his money to help him cheat death and live forever.... One wants to cut her time short, while the other selfishly considers cryogenics so he can have another lifetime in the future. Dor's mission is to help them understand that time is a precious gift, one not to be squandered or manipulated. Instead, it should be embraced and lived fully. Can he save them in time?

Albom's story is a reminder that we, as earthy beings, are not keepers of our time, but we are its celebrants. As such, it's up to each of us to decide how to spend whatever time we've been given. and not waste the precious gift. Actions today have consequences tomorrow. "The Time Keeper" inspires readers to take personal stock, take time to make time and appreciate the precious gift - before it's too late. Read more ›

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Time flies when you read this September 8, 2012

By mer584

Format:Hardcover

I devoured this book in an evening. There is a pleasant mix of reality, fantasy,love/heartache, and even the slightest touch of history thrown in.

Anyone who has loved someone, missed someone, regretted a decision they have made, or felt the occasional pangs of loneliness will be able to relate to these characters. Every character has a deep sadness that surrounds their closest relationships. This sadness is what makes the characters rich and relatable.

The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars was because I thought it had a little bit of cheesyness at a couple of moments near the end. I don't mind this, it does not detract from my personal enjoyment of the book; however, I acknowledge it as a weakness that could have been avoided.

Would recommend. Depending on your mood, have a couple of tissues near by just in case.

78 of 98 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Still shaking my head...that's 150 minutes I'll never get back! September 7, 2012

By libragirl1073

Format:Hardcover

I was very excited about "the time keeper"; I am a fan of Alboum's work over-all, but do think his work can be hit or miss. Though I am sad to say it, this book, for me was a miss. I bought it the day of release and read the book in about 2.5 hours. I think the only reason I kept reading it was because I was waiting for it to get better-after all, it had so much potential! I was waiting fo the life changing message-the message that would inspire me to savor every moment. What I found was a greedy old man who, at 86, could not accept the end and a typical teenager who is shy and unsure of herself. I think Albom made Sarah a bit too sterotypical for his own good. Being raised by a single mom, neglected by her father, chubby and akward when it comes to boys? Check, check, check, and check. It was very difficult for me to relate to both Sarah and Victor because they were so cookie-cutter, almost like Albom did not have the TIME to develop them as characters we would relate to and root for. I also think time is good. If, like Alboum states in the book, man's days are limited so they can realize how precious they are than would it not make sense for days, hours, minutes to be counted as well, if only for the same reason? I think Albom was confused on what he wanted to teach us this time around--does he want us to appreciate the time we have by not recognizing it? Or value the life we live because we appreciate time and it's limitations it inheritely has on all of us? I gave Albom 2 Stars because I did adore the love story between Dor and Alli (Father Time and his wife)...and when all was said and done and I was reading the letter from Albom to his readers, he mentioned his own wife and his own love story, and I cried, because it was authentic and beautiful, and real.