Daylight Saving Time is Basically Time Travel!
"Spring Forward, Fall Back."
It's that time of year again! On November 6, we all had to set our clocks back an hour as we mark the end of daylight saving time. Every year, there are debates about whether we should cancel the practice. Admittedly, I've never really had a strong opinion, other than maybe some mild annoyance. But it does always feel a little like time travel to me. With that in mind, I've decided to acknowledge the day with a list of library materials about traveling through time!
But first, a book about the history of daylight saving time.
Seize the daylight : the curious and contentious story of daylight saving time by David Prerau
Daylight saving time is practiced by dozens of countries around the world. It's also a rather controversial practice and has been since it's origin. In Seize the Daylight, David Prerau documents the history of daylight savings, as well as the prominent historical figures who had strong opinions on the matter, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Winston Churchill and Kaiser Wilhelm. This is an older book, published in 2005, so it won't have details on the more recent debates about daylight saving time but you will learn of the origins of the practice and its role in 20th century politics.
Documentaries
Genius by Stephen Hawking. Episode 1, Can We Time Travel?
In his show Genius, Stephen Hawking puts ordinary people to the test in a series of goofy physical and mental challenges. In this episode, contestants try to determine if time travel is possible. Hawking walks the contestants and viewers through the history and science of time travel in a way that's accessible to non-scientists. The entire Genius series is also available in both DVD and eVideo formats.
Sci-Phi: Science Fiction as Philosophy. Episode 8, Doctor Who and Time Travel Paradoxes
As part of the Great Courses lecture series, philosophy professor David Kyle Johnson explores the philosophy of science fiction. In Episode 8, Professor Johnson uses Doctor Who and Futurama to tackle the issue of time travel paradoxes. You can watch the entire Sci-Phi series on either DVD or eVideo.
Non-Fiction Books
Time travel : ten short lessons by Brain Clegg
Science writer Brian Clegg translates the complex science of time travel into easy-to-understand mini lessons. Broken down into ten lessons, Clegg discusses quantum physics, paradoxes and the practicalities of time travel.
Time travel by James Gleick
From H.G. Wells' The Time Machine to Doctor Who and from Einstein to Hawking, time travel has fascinated scientists and non-scientists alike for over a century. In this book, science historian James Gleick tracks the history of time travel in both popular culture and scientific thought.
Fiction
Tales from the café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
There's a hidden café in Tokyo that is known for more than just it's coffee. Locals know that the café also offers customers the chance to travel back in time. Follow along with four people as they confront their past in order to move forward with their futures.
One last stop By Casey McQuiston
August is a cynical twenty-something living in New York City. She feels stuck in her life and is having a hard time finding anything the smile about. Enter Jane. August sees Jane everyday on the train and suddenly things are a little brighter. But when she realizes that Jane is actually from the 1970s, she must figure out how to save her subway crush who is lost in time.
And this is how to stay alive by Shingai Njeri Kagunda
After her brother dies by suicide, Nyokabi's aunt shows her how to travel back in time to before his death. As Nyokabi becomes obsessed with keeping her brother alive, she learns that messing with time has consequences.
The Night Shift by Natalka Burian
New York City is hiding a secret: a network of hidden passageways that allow people to travel across time and space to other parts of the city. Jean initially starts using the passages just to shorten her nightly commute but soon finds herself investigating their strange origins after her friend Iggy goes missing.
The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart
The Fairbanks is affectionately known as the Paradox Hotel because of its location next to a timeport, which is like an airport but for time travelers. It's a weird place at the best of times but these are not the best times. Several world leaders are in town for an important meeting, the timeline is behaving strange and the hotel is snowed in. No one is going anywhere. Oh, and there's a killer on the loose.
Do you have a favourite book or movie about time travel? Would you travel through time if you could? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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