When I set out to gather our staff’s favorite time travel books, I never anticipated such an enthusiastic response. It’s clear BCPL is obsessed! We have a passion for stories that explore the endless possibilities of ‘what if’ scenarios.
These top picks blend history, science and fantasy and take you on a journey through different eras and alternate futures.
By Scott Alexander Howard
Grant Brumback, Public Service Associate at the Scheben Branch, recommends The Other Valley, “an emotional rollercoaster that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The book explores consequences in a way that makes you question your own choices and helps you relate to the story and characters.”
By Matt Haig
Lacy Hollin, Videographer for the District, recommends The Midnight Library. “Nora gets the chance to travel back in time and explore alternate lives in a magical library between life and death, with each book revealing a new path she could have taken. This story is one of my favorites because it reminds us over-thinkers to embrace our lives as they are and cherish the little things that truly bring us joy.”
by H. G. Wells
Sarah Kent, Page at the Florence Branch, recommends The Time Machine. “I have come across references to this book in movies, TV shows, and other books and wanted to understand those references. I’m glad I did. It sparked my interest in other classic Sci-fi/fantasy novels. There’s nothing quite like them.”
by Audrey Niffenegger
Cara Frank, Early Literacy Librarian for the District, recommends The Time Traveler’s Wife. “This sweeping love story intertwines the lives of a time traveler and his wife at various points in time. This is one of my favorite books of all time – a smart book full of references to music, poetry, and art that also pulls on your heartstrings.”
By Ransom Riggs
Kaitlyn Whaley, Page at the Scheben Branch, recommends Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. “It’s not necessarily time travel, but has to do with time loops that let people live the same day over and over again to avoid aging and external dangers. The character of Jacob accidentally enters one of these time loops and experiences life in the 1940s.”
By Connie Willis
Kathy Dreifuss, Cataloging Librarian for the District, recommends Blackout. “Blackout follows time travelers from 2060 sent to World War II London to witness key aspects of the war years. With richly portrayed characters and multiple subplots, this book will appeal to both lovers of historical fiction and science fiction.
_ 2 recommendations! _
By Kaliane Bradley
Kathleen Piercefield, Circulation Associate at the Walton Branch, highly recommends The Ministry of Time. “A civil servant comes face to face with a British naval officer who would have died in the Arctic along with the rest of the doomed Franklin Expedition, had he not been extracted by a government agency experimenting with time travel. Her assignment is to assist the officer in adjusting to the 21st century while determining if we can change history. The story is funny, profound, moving, romantic, and full of surprises at every turn.”
Debbie Bjurquist, YS Associate at the Scheben Branch also recommends The Ministry of Time. “A member of a doomed 1854 arctic expedition was ‘saved’ by a time travel machine and taken to present-day England. He was assigned to the care of a modern female secret agent to help assimilate into British society. I liked his perspectives and reactions, and it was fun to see the relationship develop between two main characters with very different worldviews.
By Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Stella Childress, Community Events Liaison for the District, recommends Before the Coffee Gets Cold. “Cozy and profound, this book tells the story of visitors to a small back-alley coffee shop in Tokyo that offers a chance to travel back in time. Each visitor grapples with the question: what would I change? In order to return to the present, time travelers must drink the coffee they are served before it gets cold. The first in its series, this book is a good introduction to contemporary Japanese fiction and magical realism.”
by Diana Gabaldon
Jenny Poole, Page at the Scheben Branch, recommends The Outlander Series. “A British nurse in the 1940s steps through standing stones in Scotland and is transported back in time to the early 1700s. There are also time jumps forward in this incredible adventure.”
By Seanan McGuire
Emily Embry, Youth Services Specialist at the Florence Branch, recommends Middlegame. “Less of a ‘travel through time’ story and more of a ‘reset time until we get it right’ story, it’s the perfect blend of fantasy and sci-fi!”
by Deborah Harkness
Dawna Bach, Public Service Director for the District, recommends A Discovery of Witches. “While there is not much time travel in the first book, this series is full of it! Fans of paranormal romance, Anglophiles and bibliophiles will enjoy this series, especially those who were fans of the Twilight Series in their youth. Witches, vampires and demons are species that secretly live among humans and sparks fly after a witch discovers an ancient manuscript in the Bodleian Library.
By Kei Sanbe
D. Pina, Teen Librarian at the Scheben Branch, recommends Erased. “I love books that explore what might happen if you could bend reality. The protagonist travels back and forth between being a kid and being an adult as he tries to solve and prevent a series of murders. The story had me mesmerized!”
By Victor Zugg
Gary Dunbar, Interlibrary Loan Assistant for the District, recommends the A Ripple in Time Series. “The first series takes place in late 1600’s, South Carolina. It starts off like the Lost series, passengers on an airplane go back in time. It’s a well written, moving story with well thought out characters and a good conclusion.”
*note: this title is not currently available at BCPL
By Barbara Davis
Anastasia Perez, Walton Branch Manager, recommends The Echo of Old Books, “a captivating tale of the enchantment of books and the bravery to transform our own narratives”.
Even MORE Time Travel Content:
Tracey Howerton, Local History Librarian at the Main Library, recommends The Lewis A. Loder Diaries, but start with the Time Travel is Real: The Lewis A Lodor Diaries blog written by Tracey. “Just a quick pass-through Mr. Loder’s diaries enable one to travel back in time for a moment. Weather reports, floods, steamboard traffic, boat accidents, drownings, incidents from Loder’s life and more – the content ranges from the dramatic and tragic to the seemingly mundane.
