Review of Time and Again

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Ben Madeley
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Review of Time and Again

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Time and Again" by Joe D. Haines, Jr., MD.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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Joe D. Haines, Jr., MD's book, Time and Again: Tales from the Past and Future, is a book of short stories. There are 17 different stories in total in the book. Some of the stories follow the same characters, while others are completely separate. There are three that follow Abraham Lincoln, four that follow a Native American Indian named Sonny, and another three that follow a doctor. The rest seem to be unrelated and individual stories. Most of the stories in the book follow a few similar themes. They are history, sometimes with elements of time travel, sci-fi, and medical treatment, and sometimes with time travel aspects. The themes seem to stem from the author's key interests and previous work experiences.

The book has several positive aspects. It's a really enjoyable read, with several interesting stories and relatable characters. I enjoy the fact that the stories are short, and I can read each one quickly and then move on to something new. I particularly liked reading about Sonny, his visions from the ancestors, and his general desire to honor his Indian heritage while also possibly causing a bit of trouble along the way. I think the four short stories about him could be part of a larger novel. I also enjoyed reading about the doctor because I felt I was getting a real insight into the author's life and wanted to learn more about him. There was something to like about almost all of the stories, and the blessing with short stories is that even if you don't enjoy one so much, you can finish it quickly and move on to a new one.

On the negative side, I can't find much to criticize. My only criticism is that there were some errors, although they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book, and there were a couple of stories that I didn't really enjoy and one about Ernest Hemingway that I didn't understand. I think this was probably due to my not having read any books by Ernest Hemingway before.

I rate Time and Again: Tales from the Past and Future 5 out of 5. I don't feel I have reason to take a point away, and I enjoyed reading the book. I'll look out for future novels by the author too.

This book should appeal to readers who like short stories, particularly those interested in history, time-travel sci-fi, or stories about doctors.

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Time and Again
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Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala
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Post by Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala »

I enjoy short stories and it seems I'll also enjoy this book. Thanks for the review!
Documented history is a gift from the past to the future! - NqobileM
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