How to Stop Time
- Downloads：2478
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-03-18 03:14:57
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Matt Haig
- ISBN：B071W9MZ3H
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
I am old。 That is the first thing to tell you。 The thing you are least likely to believe。 If you saw me you would probably think I was about forty， but you would be very wrong。
Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret。
He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old， but owing to a rare condition， he's been alive for centuries。 From Elizabethan England to Jazz Age Paris， from New York to the South Seas， Tom has seen a lot， and now craves an ordinary life。 Always changing his identity to stay alive， Tom has the perfect cover - working as a history teacher at a London comprehensive。 Here he can teach the kids about wars and witch hunts as if he'd never witnessed them first-hand。 He can try and tame the past that is fast catching up with him。
The only thing Tom mustn't do is fall in love。
How to Stop Time is a wild and bittersweet story about losing and finding yourself， about the certainty of change and about the lifetimes it can take to really learn how to live。
Tom Hazard has a dangerous secret。
He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old， but owing to a rare condition， he's been alive for centuries。 From Elizabethan England to Jazz Age Paris， from New York to the South Seas， Tom has seen a lot， and now craves an ordinary life。 Always changing his identity to stay alive， Tom has the perfect cover - working as a history teacher at a London comprehensive。 Here he can teach the kids about wars and witch hunts as if he'd never witnessed them first-hand。 He can try and tame the past that is fast catching up with him。
The only thing Tom mustn't do is fall in love。
How to Stop Time is a wild and bittersweet story about losing and finding yourself， about the certainty of change and about the lifetimes it can take to really learn how to live。
Reviews
Claude
，
To be reading this at such a turbulent time is another experience in itself。 Matt Haig explores the various wonders of life - from the painful to the extraordinary - and asks readers to embrace each part of it。 Because to shun ourselves away from the uncertain is to hold ourselves back from truly living。 This sentiment was so reminiscent of Rilke that I felt so moved by it。The book has its flaws。 Some parts were anticlimactic and admittedly I wish the plot had more to offer。 But overall this ser To be reading this at such a turbulent time is another experience in itself。 Matt Haig explores the various wonders of life - from the painful to the extraordinary - and asks readers to embrace each part of it。 Because to shun ourselves away from the uncertain is to hold ourselves back from truly living。 This sentiment was so reminiscent of Rilke that I felt so moved by it。The book has its flaws。 Some parts were anticlimactic and admittedly I wish the plot had more to offer。 But overall this serves as a good introspection on life and its many nuances， and how it's never too late to live every moment of your life - even after 400 years。 。。。more
Gily
，
As usual interesting and intriguing
Sarah Setorgi
，
I do believe that the story became somehow boring for the lack of a plot， but I must admit that all the feelings and emotions the protagonist has shown by his words were very meaningful。 As I was reading it， a feeling of wanting to read it again arose all over and over again。。。 I give it a four-star because I think it deserved it though the author could have done better to provide a plot。 And also the way the author ended the story could have been better。。。 Unlike the very slow pace of the stor I do believe that the story became somehow boring for the lack of a plot， but I must admit that all the feelings and emotions the protagonist has shown by his words were very meaningful。 As I was reading it， a feeling of wanting to read it again arose all over and over again。。。 I give it a four-star because I think it deserved it though the author could have done better to provide a plot。 And also the way the author ended the story could have been better。。。 Unlike the very slow pace of the storyline， what the reader was expecting to know from the first moment of the story took place very fast as if you really didn't expect it！ 。。。more
Greg
，
I could have done without some of the language， but otherwise this was a delightfully creative novel about one long-lived man's life through 400+ years of history， interposed with his present-day challenges。 I did think he was a bit too easily led astray by others， but that was kind of a necessary plot device。 I'd like to have seen more development of his relationship with Marian and Omai in particular， but more about Camille， Agnes， Mary Peters， and others would have been nice as well。 I can un I could have done without some of the language， but otherwise this was a delightfully creative novel about one long-lived man's life through 400+ years of history， interposed with his present-day challenges。 I did think he was a bit too easily led astray by others， but that was kind of a necessary plot device。 I'd like to have seen more development of his relationship with Marian and Omai in particular， but more about Camille， Agnes， Mary Peters， and others would have been nice as well。 I can understand the dissatisfaction expressed in some of the less positive reviews， and it may be that my own enjoyment of the book was because I listened to it as an audiobook instead。 It's not an action-oriented story， even when the plot cried out for it。 I would describe it as an often slow， but somehow comfortable and thought-provoking tale。 。。。more
Domonique
，
So good！ This was a little different from books I normally read， but it sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a shot， and I am really glad I did。 I loved how the author talked about time， it's fluidity and how differently it passes for everyone。 Time is eternal， it's going to happen whether we're here or not。 This made me think of time and life in general in a interesting light。 I'll definitely be reading more from this author So good！ This was a little different from books I normally read， but it sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a shot， and I am really glad I did。 I loved how the author talked about time， it's fluidity and how differently it passes for everyone。 Time is eternal， it's going to happen whether we're here or not。 This made me think of time and life in general in a interesting light。 I'll definitely be reading more from this author 。。。more
Omi🥀
，
Un po’ deludente！ Mi dispiace ci speravo tanto。。。
Henrik
，
Jag borde älska den här boken。 Precis som Midnattsbiblioteket läste jag den på en dag med stort nöje。 Men författaren tar tyvärr till några klyschor och genvägar i sitt berättande här （bla ett kärleksgnabb som känns krystat och dumt）。 Ibland blir det väl mycket Forrest Gump。 Trots det rekommenderar jag den， men läs Midnattsbiblioteket först。
Shanthala Satish
，
Confession time- I read the book mainly because they said there will be a movie based on it and Benedict cumberbatch might be a part of it。______My reading experience was Okie。。。ish I think。 Plot moved really really slowly。 And the ending was abrupt but good。 Loving someone for centuries， mourning， missing them each day 。。。 God！ The concept gives me heartache！ For me That much of love is the fantasy itself， not the non aging part。 The thing is， I knew the ending right after first few pages - its Confession time- I read the book mainly because they said there will be a movie based on it and Benedict cumberbatch might be a part of it。______My reading experience was Okie。。。ish I think。 Plot moved really really slowly。 And the ending was abrupt but good。 Loving someone for centuries， mourning， missing them each day 。。。 God！ The concept gives me heartache！ For me That much of love is the fantasy itself， not the non aging part。 The thing is， I knew the ending right after first few pages - its that obvious， no space for surprises。 So I couldn't fully enjoy and appreciate the book that didn't kept me on toes。 。。。more
Jennifer G
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I found this book to be very unique and loved the story about a man who ages very slowly and is 400+ years old， but only looks to be in his 30s。 While I liked the story and didn't want to put it down， I found the ending to be disappointing。 I found this book to be very unique and loved the story about a man who ages very slowly and is 400+ years old， but only looks to be in his 30s。 While I liked the story and didn't want to put it down， I found the ending to be disappointing。 。。。more
Rosemary
，
Maybe 2。5？ I had a very hard time getting into this book and just as I decided it was time to put it down， it picked up。 I liked the premise but I probably read it too close to the Invisible Life of Addie Larue and couldn’t stop comparing the two。
Michael Altman
，
This is one of the most enjoyable and well written novels on longevity of human life and all of it's positivity and mostly it's negative impact on the main characters。 It is very emotional， very very sad， very enlightening， and very historically correct。 I would have given this book 5 stars but I found the ending to be a bit sappy and sanctimonious。 Given that， the author did wrap up the lifeline of the remaining characters without leaving the reader hanging。 Why do people， still， find different This is one of the most enjoyable and well written novels on longevity of human life and all of it's positivity and mostly it's negative impact on the main characters。 It is very emotional， very very sad， very enlightening， and very historically correct。 I would have given this book 5 stars but I found the ending to be a bit sappy and sanctimonious。 Given that， the author did wrap up the lifeline of the remaining characters without leaving the reader hanging。 Why do people， still， find different to be disturbing and wrong and many times， evil？！ Why has man turned the beauty of Christianity and the legacy of Jesus Christ into something ugly and wicked， with total lack of compassion and empathy and common sense？？ 。。。more
Clare
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Kind of a downer the whole way through until the end， but a great book
Michelle Barkley
，
Very enjoyable。
Jessica
，
I was totally in the mood for this。 Time， moving， quarantine， with some adventure thrown in and great voice characters on the audio。
Jowat3cableone。Net watson
，
this book had so much steam。。。。and then it fizzled out for the last 1/4 of the book。 I loved the concept， loved the "out there" thinking BUT was disappointed in how this came to closure。 Felt like the author had a plan but no idea on how to close out the book。。。 this book had so much steam。。。。and then it fizzled out for the last 1/4 of the book。 I loved the concept， loved the "out there" thinking BUT was disappointed in how this came to closure。 Felt like the author had a plan but no idea on how to close out the book。。。 。。。more
Pauline Mountain
，
This was an interesting premise and raised an interesting question: how would you live your life if you knew you would not die？ Like many British authors， Haig values appearances of things over the reality of thing and this weakens the overall narrative more than it would in another's hands。 The snippets of historic times he gets mostly right， but he seems to mistake the sleeping habits of Elizabethan England。 This is， admittedly， nit-picking， but it's something that grated against me more and m This was an interesting premise and raised an interesting question: how would you live your life if you knew you would not die？ Like many British authors， Haig values appearances of things over the reality of thing and this weakens the overall narrative more than it would in another's hands。 The snippets of historic times he gets mostly right， but he seems to mistake the sleeping habits of Elizabethan England。 This is， admittedly， nit-picking， but it's something that grated against me more and more in a book I otherwise enjoyed。 。。。more
Shannon
，
A slow read at times I felt like closing but there are poignant reminders about time and living in the present that kept me reading especially with our current political climate。
Erin Goettsch
，
Another book about people living outside of time。 Matt Haig is a delightful storyteller but this had a Forrest Gump quality where the character is present for too many famous moments/people throughout history， except instead of for comic relief like FG， it felt very earnest， which made it。。。 not my favorite。 I liked this fine but didn’t love it。 It had a sweet ending。
Courtney
，
Eh。 2。5。 Not terrible， also not much plot。 Lots of inner monologue
Anna
，
Matt Haig is quickly becoming a new favourite author of mine。 Similar to The Midnight Library， this book was fast paced and packed with so many different places and characters。 An amazing message about life。 It would be a great book for a high school English class。
Katelyn
，
3。5 StarsI enjoyed the story， but it could slow at times。 I feel it could have been longer， or a series maybe。 But I do think it would be a great as a film， and especially the transitions between the past and modern day。
Cassie
，
I had such high hopes for this story after falling in love with another book by Matt Haig earlier this year， but sadly it wasn’t my favorite。 Tom Hazard is 439 years old， but physically ages 1 year for every 15 lived。 Throughout the story， we learn about his life， and his quest to live his truth， with some fun historical references along the way。 Relatively flat throughout， it was only at page 300 of 325 when we finally get some action， and of course， a happy ending。
Julia
，
Absolutely fantastic book， loved every minute of it as always with Matt Haig books。
Susan
，
It was fine。
Edie Cheng
，
Audiobook review。 I did not love this book， I though about stopping several times。 In the pro side， I listened to the end because I did want to hear what happens。 But overall the conceit of the book - people who can live far longer than normal - was put forth in the drabbest， most unimaginative and lackluster protagonist ever。 Compared to other books that have a time play angle （think Discovery of Witches， Outlander） the experience of living through interesting times is completely wasted。 And， t Audiobook review。 I did not love this book， I though about stopping several times。 In the pro side， I listened to the end because I did want to hear what happens。 But overall the conceit of the book - people who can live far longer than normal - was put forth in the drabbest， most unimaginative and lackluster protagonist ever。 Compared to other books that have a time play angle （think Discovery of Witches， Outlander） the experience of living through interesting times is completely wasted。 And， the overall premise of forming no attachments in life - how stupid is that。 So， not recommended and also， the audiobook narrator was really very heavy with the voices and accents。 probably more like 2。5 stars 。。。more
Charles McGonigal
，
Highlander but with Buffy's Watcher's Council （alas， no Giles） rather than "There can be only one。" I really could hear Queen theme music playing over many of the scenes。 Highlander but with Buffy's Watcher's Council （alas， no Giles） rather than "There can be only one。" I really could hear Queen theme music playing over many of the scenes。 。。。more
Kelly
，
Some parts of this book were deep and interesting。 Occasionally， an overall perspective on life was expressed with a bit of incite。 Overall， however， this book seemed rushed and not very well organized。 The lack of character development and subplot lines bugged me especially toward the end。 I hate it when a book drags on， and I guess I hate it just as much when a book feels neglected & ends abruptly。
Mijn
，
First half was great， second half dragged and was very repetitive and lost suspense。 Sometimes difficult to read if you are not native speaker。 Some parts were very inspiring。
Molly
，
Not your typical fantasy book。 Very entertaining， especially for a former history teacher。 Highly recommended！
Mike Schneider
，
Tom Hazard has just moved back to London， his old home， to settle down and become a high school history teacher。 And on his first day at school， he meets a captivating French teacher at his school who seems fascinated by him。 But Tom has a dangerous secret。 He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old， but owing to a rare condition， he's been alive for centuries。 Tom has lived history--performing with Shakespeare， exploring the high seas with Captain Cook， and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald。 Now， Tom Hazard has just moved back to London， his old home， to settle down and become a high school history teacher。 And on his first day at school， he meets a captivating French teacher at his school who seems fascinated by him。 But Tom has a dangerous secret。 He may look like an ordinary 41-year-old， but owing to a rare condition， he's been alive for centuries。 Tom has lived history--performing with Shakespeare， exploring the high seas with Captain Cook， and sharing cocktails with Fitzgerald。 Now， he just wants an ordinary life。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=How to Stop Time
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=How to Stop Time&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,How to Stop Time&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0