couldn't happen nowadays  but very enjoyable
347924
great movie ..  a lot of intrigue.. if you like old suspense movies you will like this.  great cast ..
2155043
Ages ago I tried hard to read other LeCarre books to no avail. I recently heard the author interviewed and decided to try the first Smiley book. I really enjoyed this one and in these current tumultuous times, was reminded of another world not so long ago.
3984925
I never read this as a child, but have seen both the PBS & Netflix versions. I really enjoyed reading this, even though I am in my sixties. It was very relaxing & entertaining.
1473597
It is nice to find out that literature like that is still written in this day and age. Between my 10th and 15th year of age I was a 'sucker' for stories like this one - I am an avid reader. Now I am in my mid-fifties, and still enjoy having that kind of reading at hand for "those idle days".
Although the hero of the story loves bicycles this book is not about cycling or even a cycling tour description... the old Royal Sunbeam is merely a vehicle to get him in and out of the time warp. The rest is about being a 21st century youngster arriving in an earlier (and in many ways less complicated) time and society of late 1920s England, and having some exciting adventures there. Well, I don't want to take the fun away telling more, only so much: I recommend this book to readers of all ages, but especially the young ones.
3596697
This was a very enjoyable book and he left room for a lot more stories. When I have time, I'll read it again. The characters went from just family to a miss-mash such as could easily happen under the circumstances. I liked that he didn't just shoot-em-up everybody without giving them a chance to join his group and make it stronger. There are some end-of-the-world circumstances here that deserve some second thoughts.
1836817
I have had the pleasure of being many of the male characters in "Seventeen." My 17th year seems ages ago but while reading this book, I WAS 17. I am currently the father of teenagers--one of them is 17--and enjoyed the story from that point of view as well. Tarkington caught the essence of what "Dion and the Belmonts" would sing about 55 years later. ("Why Must I be a Teen-ager in Love?")
In my opinion that would be enough to make this a classic. But, as the book has stood still and Time has not, it has also now become a sort of time machine to the way we were in the early 1900's. Whether we have lost or gained something in almost 100 years is up to the reader to decide. But, whether the reader would want to stay 1n 1905 or not, I can almost guarantee a wonderful visit to that time and place.
2149431
Good read, really enjoyed it probably will read again
4560746
My Kindle app recommended this book and it was a pleasant surprise. I had no idea it was a 'young adult' book until about mid way in. My point is, that shouldn't matter. I am in my 30s and find it a very refreshing read. It's a mix between a Winkle in Time (which I loved so much as a kid) and maybe Divergent. I love that the main characters are women, smart and calling the shots. It also makes you think about time travel and all the little details you don't really realize could happen if it were really possible.
1500094
I am a widower and retired. While shopping for the holidays I was attracted by the sparklers on the cover of this book.  Not really being a romance novel reading individual, I decided to give this one a try, since my mind was cluttered with other matters.

I found it to be refreshingly delightful and authentic to locations, also a fast moving page turner. I found the characters to be realistic and somewhat comparable to my own experiences. Not that I consider myself comparable to her hero Leo Wilson. The characters speak in everyday language we all understand. A good read to take your mind off the current daily news. Im giving it 5 stars.
2134804
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip down memory lane. It was hilarious watching stuff that would NEVER make it by our oversensitive, butt-hurt society today, yet it was never vulgar, and everyone was subject to be lampooned. Wish the ENTIRE series was available, but maybe one day.
817365
Caroline Linden originally released this book in 2008.  I did not read it then but am very happy I had the opportunity to read it today.
She did a wonderful job on presenting the realities of romance and marriage during that era.
I loved how both Anthony and Celia grew during the course of the story.  I thought the dialogue was very authentic and the plot line interesting.

I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
3073871
This book may have been intended for young adults but at the ripe old age of 51 I really enjoyed reading it.  I would love to see a sequel or more time travel books by this author.  I find time travel intriguing but most time travel books are romances, and after reading a few they all seem the same.  This book was very refreshing.  I really got a feel for the time period and I enjoyed reading about younger characters.
107423
A lovely story that could only be written where it was.
1180986
This was an old fashioned book when I read it as a girl about 1950. I then had only seen tenements from out side as we rode by on the train but I knew poverty existed and was ready to think more about it. I had countless times picnicked in the beautiful country and been allowed to play in the water so I could identify with that part too.

As an adult I enjoyed reading Michael O'Halloran again. I borrowed it from the library. By then I appreciated both the music and the investment aspects more. By then I had climbed to the top floor apartment taking home a seriously injured child from the playground where I worked. I was a little surprised that a childhood classic was still so interesting.

Now as a Senior Citizen I enjoyed all of it for the third time and really got a different perspective on the men in the book as I know more how important trust and having others in ones life can be. I also enjoyed the women in the book.
1350207
Wonderful adventure/melodrama set I know not where, and I know not when.  The old-timey language and customs and settings are a refreshing break, and the story was good to start with, and had a satisfying ending. These days of twisting plots and tech touches were abandoned when I allowed myself this breath of fresh air.
3707409
Back in 1977 this was the first full novel I ever read, and I couldn't put it down. Not because of the plot or storyline, which at the time was excellent, but rather the style that it was written in. Mister Stewart, who is no longer with us, had an unpretentious simplicity to his writing that maintained a high level intelligence.

I enjoyed reading this work again, in spite of the fact that most of the things predicted to happen in the late nineties and early twenty first century never came about and humanity passed through those two decades intact.
It was certainly a rewarding experience to read it again. I do recommend it.
1150898
I found this a very pleasant trip to another time.  The author was able to weave a tale of events from the past with modern characters in a pleasing manner.