Science Fiction and History

Some of the most optimistic popular literature is science fiction and fantasy. And, some of that literature explores history. One recurring feature of this blog will be to explore some of these books from time to time.

I just finished reading Jack McDevitt’s novel, Time Travelers Never Die, published in 2009. Granted, time travel stories are a dime a dozen, and I tend to shy away from them. But, the premise of this book caught my attention. The time travelers go back in time to visit famous people in history at critical times during their lives.

The plot is, well…OK… not spectacular, but a readable quest story. The people the travelers visit are apparently chosen at random as they seek the father of one who has disappeared in time. But, the encounters are fascinating. They offer us insights into how famous persons of history might have behaved in their daily lives.

For instance, we get to see Shakespeare backstage after the performance of Hamlet in 16th century England. We meet Aristarchus of Samothrace, head librarian of the Library of Alexandria in Egypt during the second century BC and see the inner workings of the library as a research institution. We meet Socrates as he is conversing with students just before drinking the cup of hemlock. Gallileo, Ben Franklin, Thomas Paine, Ben Jonson, Winston Churchill, and many others are briefly visited and shown with their “hair down”. Finally, we get a sense of what it might have been like to have lived in each of those times in history.

This book makes you think, presents memorable historical snippets in a fun way, and may lead you to visit or revisit some of the people again, on your own.