How to Stop Time

By: Matt Haig

Narrated by: Mark Meadows

"'The first rule is that you don't fall in love,' he said.... 'There are other rules too, but that is the main one. No falling in love. No staying in love. No daydreaming of love. If you stick to this you will just about be okay.'"

A love story across the ages - and for the ages - about a man lost in time, the woman who could save him, and the lifetimes it can take to 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. 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.

So Tom moves back his to London, his old home, to become a high school history teacher - the perfect job for someone who has witnessed the city's history first hand. Better yet, a captivating French teacher at his school seems fascinated by him. But the Albatross Society, the secretive group which protects people like Tom, has one rule: Never fall in love. As painful memories of his past and the erratic behavior of the Society's watchful leader threaten to derail his new life and romance, the one thing he can't have just happens to be the one thing that might save him. Tom will have to decide once and for all whether to remain stuck in the past, or finally begin living in the present.

How to Stop Time is a bighearted, wildly original novel about losing and finding yourself, the inevitability of change, and how with enough time to learn, we just might find happiness.

©2018 Matt Haig (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Matt Haig’s latest book, How To Stop Time, is marvelous in every sense of the word. Clever, funny, poignant, and written with Haig’s trademark blend of crystalline prose and deft storytelling, this is a book that stirs the heart and mind in equal measure. A hugely enjoyable read.” (Deborah Harkness, author of The All Souls Trilogy)

"Inventive and heartfelt and unusual. . . . [How To Stop Time] made for a great summer read." (Kristin Hannah, New York Times best-selling author of The Nightingale)

"Mark Meadows is the expert narrator of this compelling audiobook.... Meadows does a fantastic job bringing to life all of the people Hazard interacts with over the centuries - from William Shakespeare to F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Captain Cook, and more." (AudioFile)

I couldn’t stop listening

I am amazed by the combinations of concepts expressed in such creative and personable writing. It’s not just the plot...which is full of twists, it’s also the themes and hopefulness expressed in this book. I couldn’t stop listening and now my dogs are annoyed!

Great book!

A very interesting perspective on the importance and the actual meaning of time. Gives a lot to think about.

Wish there were more

Very nice and easy read. Would have really loved for this to be a series so that each period of his life could have been more intimately explored. I feel there was more material here to be explored. But overall a nice read.

interesting concept good storyline .

overall good written story over the ending was kind of boring very good narration on this

loved it!

fun concept, great characters. I love that the author brought some history into the book as well, although I think I would have liked a bit more. The reader really brought it to life also.

I finished this last night and I already miss it.

What a beautiful story about what is truly important in life, but also includes fun bits of historical fiction (sometimes a little egregious and obvious with the celebrities in the way of Forrest Gump). When I realized I only had an hour left in this book, I wanted to stop time myself to let it stay with me longer, even though I was eager for the (predictable) conclusion. The power in this book was not the element of surprise, however, but the insightful reflections on life, so beautifully written, so elegantly articulated. I felt near heartbroken from the poignancy and sweetness, at times. Mark Meadows’ narration was masterful. I highly recommend!

Not a bad book.

interesting idea played out over what we all wish and others could say would be a nightmare.

Really Enjoyed This

It was a really good book. Well written and the narrator was perfect for it. Would reccomend to anyone for a good read.

Amazing narration

I love anything by Matt Haig. the narrator here glides effortlessly between authentic foreign accents. I enjoyed the story as well. Very interesting and different.

Awesome Narration

Interesting story and characters. Something was missing. I think it was faith. Ending was a little off too, probably the swear words. But I really enjoyed it.