How to stop time - Matt Haig
The key to happiness wasn’t being yourself, because what did that even mean? Everyone had many selves. No. The key to happiness is finding the life that suits you the best. - Matt Haig
How I discovered it
Matt Haig is the definiton of art himself. By far one of the authors that distinguishes himself from the rest, because it is the only that can speak the soul’s language even in a fiction book. Reason to stay alive is the first book which I read by Matt Haig and it simply opened the door to all his books. How to stop time is the first fiction book I read from him, and it was as insiring as the rest of them. Another masterpiece writted by Matt.
Who should read it ?
Cliche or not it is a book for everyone, no matter the age or language background. It is written in simple words that flow clamly like a river. It took me roughly a week to read the book and absorb everything about it. Matt has a alot of empathy for the the humanity, especially for the negative parts of it. He is using his gift to create a beautiful story which the reader lives at the same time as the characters.
Matt uses words just like a tin opener. We are the tins. - Jeanette Winterson
Summary and impact on me
In simple words the book is about Tom hazard’s live. The main caracther is not the usual one, he ages slowly and hasa few hundres years. There is a small community of people with the same condition as him which is lead by Hendrich. There is one simple rule which everyone must follow and that is that every few years everyone must change their identity and start to live a new life somewhere elese. This helps with heeping this society secret, away from scientist which want to run experiements. Tom lived in in many cities and countries and none was misterious anymore. His dream was to simply live in one place that could call it home.
The book is writted beautifully and takes the reader in the present and past at the same time. His past stories and greatest love give meaning to Tom’s action in the present. Hundreds of years with hundreds of memories from which loveing is the most important. His life becomes more difficult when he falls in love and has to leave his wife and kid when people have speculations about this age. he spends the rest of the years looking again for them, and finds out that his daughter has the same condition as him.
His internal battles between respecting the community’s rule but also wanting to live a normal live are slowly eating him alive. This is the human condition. Even if we have all the time in the world for everying, there is always a bridge between logic and heart.
The books ending takes you through all the emotions that exist. You will live at the same time with the carather and fight with him for a normal life, to find his daughter and to love again. i will not spoil you anymore on how this ends because the best way is to discover it by yourself.
How the book changed me
Sometimes I wish I would life forever. I wish I had the time to read all the books in the world, to discoiver every culture and country, to wake up and drink my coffee with my mom. I wish I could look at the people I love and never wonder about time and when I will lose them. I wish I never had the time pressure to be successul. I wish I could rest and never think about being productinve. An yet even if with all the time in the world ther magic of living dissapears and what we don’t like now we will be seeking later.
No matter how much or litte time you have, it is precious.
Conclusion
A ficiton book about someones that doesn’t age and yet it’s so easy to realte to. Gorgeous book, easy to read, easy to live between the page. A must read!
