I'll look for a duplicate; this copy is not available

I have to admit that when I first started this book it was touch and go...iffy as to whether or not I would even finish it. But as time went on, the more I got into it, the more I really really liked it. By the end of it, I had a huge lump in my throat and yes, even tears. What a truly truly sweet story!

The story is of Henry and Clare; he is a time-traveler...he has a condition called Chrono-Displacement Disorder in which he travels past and future, never knowing when or where he'll end up. And Clare is the woman who waits for him always, from their first meeting in a place near her home called The Meadow when she is a little girl until she is old. This is a story about fate; it is about the fact that each of us has some kind of inevitable and unchangeable destiny. Henry understands this and even more so does Clare.

What's really great about this book is that while at first the time travel can be a little disorienting, eventually the reader gets used to what the author is doing. Both Henry and Clare's voices are telling the tale so you get both perspectives, a great development of both characters and simply a riveting story.

I would very highly recommend the book to anyone with one caveat...you want to stay with it if it seems iffy at first...in the long run you certainly will not regret it.

NOTE TO THE LAST THREE PARTICIPANTS BY YOUR NAMES!!!

I'm so Happy you all want to read this book. You will be very happy you did (IMHO). Here is the order for the bookring.

1. resQgeek, VA
2. amber-h, GA
3. junegirl, WI
4. alrescate, MO
5. libby2, Nebraska
6. sleone, CA
7. ellymae58, CA
8. Eucalia, CA

I'm so STUPID!! You guys live in MN, not MO!!!
9. RlyLv2Rd, MN
10. eriko1908, MN
11. crazygrace, MN
12. ragdyann422, MN
13. orchidfancier, CT
14. back to quinnsmom, CA

Happy reading ! Enjoy!

Arrived in the mail yesterday, which is perfect timing! I'm almost done with the book I'm currently reading, and I was trying to figure out what I was going to read next. I'm leaving for Italy in a few days, so this book is going to visit Europe with me!

This is truly a treasure of a book. I was immediately drawn in and completely captivated by this story. I found the book to be highly original, and one of the most romantic stories I've ever read. The idea of a relationship being experienced in the non-sequential fashion was extremely well presented, and provided a terrific vehicle to explore the depth of the relationship.

I read a lot of this book at Dulles Int'l. Airport while waiting for my flight to Europe. The book has now visited Venice and Cortina d'Ampezzo in Italy! Now it's time for some more domestic travel, and I'll be sending it on soon.

The book is going into the mail today for amber-h in Georgia. I've added a couple of postcards from the book's journeys for you all to enjoy.

Got it this weekend! Thanks!

This book was by far one of the best things that I've read in the past few years. It does take a little while to get used to the two completely separate voices, but once there, it flows beautifully, and is a wonderful story.

On its way to junegirl. Hope you enjoy it!

Received in the mail today. Thanks!

What an amazing, lovely, bittersweet, fascinating gem of a first novel The Time Traveler's Wife turned out to be! I loved the framing conceit of this novel -- time travel melded with a love story -- and have an immense respect for the author for thinking up something so inventive and fresh. The time travel element I'd encountered before, mostly in films (e.g., Terminator, 12 Monkeys) and have always found those Escher-print-like time loop conundrums endlessly compelling. (I'm reminded of the scene in 12 Monkeys when the Bruce Willis character is present as a child witnessing his adult self's demise in an airport.) One thing Niffenegger does extremely well -- she keeps the love story at the heart of the novel, rather than becoming overly interested in the more spectacular elements of the time travel. Thus, the novel struck a perfect balance between intellectual curiousity and emotional power, for this reader. I also especially liked that the novel was written from both Henry and Clare's points of view; I found both voices authentic and had no problem switching between the two. The doubled point of view added to the novel's impact, like harmony does in music. I've heard it said that first-time novelists write about themselves. While minor, this is my only complaint about the book. In the story, Clare comes across as an idealized Botticelli whose patience can only be described as saint-like. She has gorgeous red hair, produces interesting art involving papermaking, and is described as unequivocally good in bed. The photo of Audrey Niffenegger on the back jacket reveals . . . . a woman with coppery red hair who is described as a "visual artist" and an expert on fine book production, and, one assumes, a goddess d'amour. In her acknowledgements, Audrey thanks "Roger Carlson of Bookman's Alley", "Steve Kay of Vintage Vinyl" and "Carol Prieto, realtor supreme." In the course of the story, we are taken to Bookman's Alley where a proprietor named Roger (I think I recall this particular name but am not 100% sure) who saves special books for Clare, to Vintage Vinyl where Clare finds records for Henry,and (best of all plugs) a realtor named Carol. But in the big picture, so what? Life imitates art, or is it the other way around?! Oh yes, one other thing I must mention. Excellent use of poetry and quotes in the epilogues and prefaces to sections. Rilke, Homer, Byatt -- these excerpts are so skillfully placed they almost seem written specifically for this book. Many heartfelt thanks, quinnsmom, for offering this book in a ring.

This arrived in today's mail...thankfully it didn't get damp from the mailman leaving the mailbox door open while the rain dropped out of the sky.

The postcards are lovely! I'm looking forward to reading this as soon as I finish another ray.

I have finally been able to pick this up and I am enjoying it quite a bit! It's such a lovely story; I've become quite involved with Clare & Henry. I hope to have this one finished in a couple of days.

Wow! What a heartrending ending. I was quite touched by the last half of this book. The first half was just a good story but the second half really got to me. I felt the tears well up several times. I can't help wishing that there was Henry in my life; even though I probably would not deal as well as Clare. I plan to watch for Niffenegger's next book...although this will be a tough act to follow.

My only real gripe....Henry reveals they tear down Wrigley Field to build a megastadium. Blasphemy!

This is one book that disproves the old saw people use to speak out against Bookcrossing. I might not have bought this book if I was in the bookstore but now that quinnsmom has shared it, I will be getting a copy of my own.

I put this in the mail today. I hope it reaches Nebraska quickly!

Wow! Mailed on April 19th - received today Thursday, April 22d! That's pretty fast - even if it is only one state away! I just finished my last book a couple of days ago and have not started another in anticipation of this one's arrival. I actually picked it up - read a page and then another, and then another - 10 pages later and I am already pulled into the story - I will read this book next! I've been waiting for a really good book to come along - I'm guessing this may just be the one. Thanks quinnsmom, for starting this bookring - after reading all the glowing reviews from the previous bookring readers, I am really anxious to read it. I'll journal again after reading. Oh, thanks too for including the great postcards - I can dream can't I?

At last! A really good book! I've been waiting for such a long time to discover a wonderful story that I could dive into and enjoy. I absolutely loved this book! This is my favorite book of 2004 so far and right up there with my all-time favorites. I highly recommend this to everyone - what a great story by a talented author (can't believe this is her first novel). I was so moved by the love story of Clare and Henry - actually I was moved to tears often in the last pages - so beautifully written. The story is certainly an original one and it does take a little time to get used to the switching back and forth from Henry's voice to Clare's - and the story being told out of sequence really takes patience in the beginning, but you soon catch on and it's effortless after that. Thanks to quinnsmom for bringing this marvelous novel to my attention - I am so grateful that I read it. This will be mailed to selone in California this week.

Mailed to Selone today by media-mail. Get ready for a great book.

Received today, thank you! I'll start this right away.

Released on Monday, June 14, 2004 at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

Wow, this really was a great , compelling read. I had planned to take a week to read it and found I couldn't let the story go. I even dreamt of it last night.
Sending it on to EllyMae58.

This unexpectedly arrived today. I'm a little overwhelmed by the immensity of the book, but if I can read all 700+ pages of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I can read this one too! Plus, everyone's comments are positive, so that makes me anxious to read this, and see if I feel the same.

Thanks for sharing the book, quinnsmom, and thanks for mailing it to me, sleone. I will start reading it as soon as I've finished my current book.

I just started reading this today, and already I've read 100+ pages. This story is captivating me! I hate that I have to go to bed, I want to stay up all night and read this. :)

At least now I understand the significance of the cover photo!

I have been completely losing myself in this book!
I only have about 150 more pages!

It didn't matter that it was way past my bedtime. I had to finish this, so I stayed up to do just that. I couldn't put the book down. I cried so much at the end of book. What a sap I am.
Clare and Henry are such wonderful characters; and Clare practically had a lifetime with Henry because of his early visits with her.

All I can say is wow. Thank you SOO much for sharing this book, quinnsmom, it was absolutely amazing. I was enchanted. This is easily one of the best books I've ever read!

The only thing that bothered me: they are in a future in which time-traveling is a disease, but yet they didn't have the technology to make Henry some FEET?

I will PM the next person for an address and get this back on the road ASAP.

Off to Eucalia on 6/26. Happy reading, I hope you enjoy it as much as the rest of us have!!

I just received this book in the mail! Thanks EllyMae58 for sending the book and the goodies! As seems to be usual, several bookring books have arrived at once so I have a few books to read before this one. But I will get to it as soon as I can and I am looking forward to reading it!

I started reading this book last night. I'm already 200 pages in and I'm loving it!

Released on Monday, July 12, 2004 at sent to bookcrosser in Mailed, Bookring Controlled Releases.

I loved this book! It is told in the first person by both Henry, the time traveler, and Clare, the time traveler's wife. The idea of time travel in this book is a fresh one--time travel is the result of a genetic abnormality brought on by stress, similar to epilepsy. Henry has no control over when he leaves the present, where and when he ends up, or how long he will stay there. And he can bring nothing with him so he always ends up somewhere, somewhen with no clothes, no I.D., and no money. The story involves all the implications of this situation. The new ideas presented in this story are what I liked best about it, but it was also very well written. I really hope that Audrey Niffenegger writes more novels, but this is going to be a tough act to follow.

I sent this book on to RlyLv2Rd today. Thanks quinnsmom for sharing this with us!

I have heard SO MANY great things about this book. Just finished a trade, so I will start this one immediately. Once again, quinnsmom puts a smile on my face!

Wow! What can I add to the other journals comments. They are so right on the money it is eerie. How can you not fall in love with this book? What a creative, unique, moving, enveloping story about the power of love and beauty. There is not a single sentence I would have changed. The author is obviously an amazingly creative person. I agree with all the other comments. It was a bit hard to get into and disorienting at first. I kept trying to sort of categorize everything and kind of memorize all the facts...as soon I I just read the story and watched it unfold, the beauty of the writing and muse was apparent and simple. This book is an A+! Thanks quinnsmom.

PS: Hubby isn't quite as pleased...no cooking, cleaning, mowing or anything outside of reading for two days...you just can't put it down!

Off to eriko1908. I will bring it to her at work either Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks again quinnsmom!

PS: Glad to see the "book" has also done a little "traveling." Sorry I couldn't take it to the Italian Alps, (like the gorgeous postcard enclosed) but hey, I think it enjoyed it's brief stay here in Minneapolis. I guess if I were motivated I could have taken it to the new Ikea opening or Mall of America.

So do you think if I take this book to the Mall of America or Ikea that it will like me more than it likes you?? :o)

Just teasing...this book arrived safe & sound at my work today...except for being intimidated by the size of the book -- I can't wait to read it!! :o)

I loved this book!! I've been suggesting it to others from the moment I was on page 100 & on...I took everybody's suggestions and tried really hard to not try to figure out the whole time-line of the book from the beginning on...I think it helped...

I don't know how in the world the author was able to keep the story straight, and who was coming or going when, but I'm glad she was able to...

Hope this is enjoyed by those that follow!!

I will be bringing it with me on Monday to hand it off to it's next reader!! :o)

Thank-you soooo much for sharing quinnsmom!!

Sorry it has taken me so long to register this book. I'd offer excuses, but, well, why? I have it, I'm reading it, I will finish soon, and send it on it's merry way. I'll journal again after having read it.

After a couple of false starts, I forced myself into getting to at least the third chapter, which from previous experience is as far into a dreadful book as anyone need go. After the third chapter, I was unable to put this book down. I became very involved with the characters and their individual takes on Henry's disease. Oh, how I love a book that will make me feel - happy, sad, even confused (don't ask, you'll know when you read it.) I'll be sending it on to Ragdyann422 shortly.

Picked up from CrazyGrace at our pseudo-meetup... :) Looking forward to reading it!

Wow! Everyone was like "oh, it'll take you a couple chapters to get into this one".... Um no way! I was sucked in from the get-go. I had forgotten what a hopeless (or should I say "hopeful!") romantic I was.

Being from Chicago originally, I loved the references.... particularly to the Clark & Belmont area.... makes me miss home!!

Beautiful story telling, compelling characters.... It was so neat to have the story told from both Henry & Clare's perspectives....

I really can't do this book justice with my review... you just have to read it yourself! :)