by Ken Grimwood
First published 1986
Jeff Winston collapses from a heart attack at his office desk in 1988. He opens his eyes in his Emory University dorm room in 1963, eighteen years old again but retaining every memory of his failed marriage and disappointing career. This strange resurrection happens five more times. Each replay of his life offers new possibilities. He becomes wealthy by betting on sporting events he remembers. He pursues different women. He tries to prevent disasters like airplane crashes. But the cycles continue, and Jeff realizes he is not alone in this experience. He discovers others trapped in similar loops, including Pamela Phillips, who becomes both his partner in understanding this phenomenon and his greatest love. As the replays progress, Jeff finds that each new life brings him closer to a truth about time, choice, and what it means to live fully.
Genres: science-fiction, literary-fiction, fantasy, time-travel
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: second-chance, time-loop
Setting: Emory University, United States
Period: 1963, 1988
311 pages · Hardcover · Arbor House Pub Co
Content warnings: death, mental-illness