All Our Wrong Todays

By: Elan Mastai

Narrated by: Elan Mastai

Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's Summary

You know the future that people in the 1950s imagined we'd have? Well, it happened. In Tom Barren's 2016, humanity thrives in a techno-utopian paradise of flying cars, moving sidewalks, and moon bases, where avocados never go bad and punk rock never existed...because it wasn't necessary.

Except Tom just can't seem to find his place in this dazzling, idealistic world, and that's before his life gets turned upside down. Utterly blindsided by an accident of fate, Tom makes a rash decision that drastically changes not only his own life, but the very fabric of the universe itself. In a time-travel mishap, Tom finds himself stranded in our 2016, what we think of as the real world. For Tom, our normal reality seems like a dystopian wasteland.

But when he discovers wonderfully unexpected versions of his family, his career, and - maybe, just maybe - his soul mate, Tom has a decision to make. Does he fix the flow of history, bringing his utopian universe back into existence, or does he try to forge a new life in our messy, unpredictable reality? Tom's search for the answer takes him across countries, continents, and timelines in a quest to figure out, finally, who he really is and what his future - our future - is supposed to be.

All Our Wrong Todays is about the versions of ourselves that we shed and grow into over time. It is a story of friendship and family, of unexpected journeys and alternate paths, and of love in its multitude of forms. Filled with humor and heart, and saturated with insight and intelligence and a mind-bending talent for invention, this novel signals the arrival of a major talent.

©2017 Elan Mastai (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

"A thrilling tale of time travel and alternate timelines with a refreshingly optimistic view of humanity's future." (Andy Weir, New York Times best-selling author of The Martian)

"Elan Mastai has conjured up a witty and freewheeling time-traveling romance that packs an emotional wallop. All Our Wrong Todays is a page-turning delight." (Maria Semple, author of Today Will Be Different and Where'd You Go, Bernadette)

"Elan Mastai is the perfect choice to narrate his own book about an imperfect, hapless man whose actions change the very fabric of the universe. Mastai counters the drama of the tale with a wry, humorous reading.... Mastai performs this with bravado and tremendous humor. This is time-travel for non-science fiction fans - and an audiobook to be enjoyed by everyone." ( AudioFile)

Really fun time travel novel

The first half of this time travel novel was good, but not great. Still, it set the stage for a really fun second half. I liked the characters, but it was the plot that made this one of the best time travel novels I have read or listened to (The best is Time and Again by Jack Finney). This novel had a fun, Back To The Future feel to it. Many plot and time twists and turns. This is more of a light, fun, summer-read kind of novel than a serious science one, and it totally hit the mark for me. The side effects of trying to change the past is at the center of this story. And it is a fun love story, too. The narrator had a perfect voice for the protagonist in the first person narrative. While there were flaws that I could list, how can I rate one of my very favorite time travel stories less than a 5? I smiled a lot while listening. It was fun, light entertainment at its best, and I ended out loving it.

8 people found this helpful

Excellent listen!

It took me an hour or two to really get into this book. The main character is pretty miserable in the beginning. Once the story unfolds it's very engaging and exciting, a must listen if your into sci fi/time travel!

6 people found this helpful

An Interesting Listen...

I can understand a little griping about the narration at occasional points, though I think overall the author did a good job.
The story felt a little silly at times but remained entertaining and later took on more depth with the main character as the story progressed.
The author has interesting ideas on time travel and various technologies that add to the joy of listening.

5 people found this helpful

Just..wow

Upon discovering this book I have found not only an amazing author but also an amazing narrator. just my luck they are the same person!
This story is not an action adventure or time travel romp in the traditional sense. yet it still fills that void.
this book is sad. heart breakingly so.
this book is also funny.
it is serious and it will make you think.. Oh will it make you think.
get this book. you owe it to yourself.

5 people found this helpful

awesome!

loved this book, the story gripped me right from the start, didn't need any time to get into the book. entertaining!!!

5 people found this helpful

A bit flat

The story was just a bit flat. It was ok, but books should make me want to read/hear more and I would have to remind myself to turn it back on so I could finish it and move on.

4 people found this helpful

I enjoyed the twists and turns.

Great characters and suspense. Enjoyed the audio book. I recommend this if you enjoy time travel and male point of view.

2 people found this helpful

One of my favorite books - ever

I bought this on the recommendation of a friend - we both like science fiction but he assured me this was beyond that - science fiction mixed with philosophy and intense character development. It's a completely different approach to time travel and the infamous "butterfly effect" - impossible to review without giving away the plot but I'll say 2 things. The reader, who is also the author, was amazing (although my friend who made the recommendation did not care for the reader). It's also one of the 10 best books I've ever listened to.

1 person found this helpful

Unique time travel story well narrated by author

I am usually skeptical of self-narrated books, and was initially concerned about this one too, as he tended to trail off at the end of sentences (a real problem dirt listening while driving). But as the story gained momentum, the narration perfectly fit the emotion of the moment.

3 people found this helpful

Couldn’t Stand the Whining

After a couple of hours of listening to the book, I gave up. Much of it consisted of the protagonist whining about his previous life, and there weren’t any other characters that could offset the chronic negativity.

Save your money for other books such as Dark Matter or The Punch Escrow. They both do an excellent job of what this book purports to do: consider the “what if” of lives lived and sacrifices made in alternate realities.

2 people found this helpful