The Currency Of Time, Brandon Stuart

Patrick Felson, 70 years old, wakes one morning and stiffly makes his way down the hallway to start his day.  But this day is different for Patrick.   As he is staring at a collage of family portraits in the hall, he feels a terrific pain and realises he is having a stroke.

When he comes back to consciousness, he slowly begins to realise that this is not the same date he woke up on.   Somehow, he has been transported back a decade.  His wife, who he loved dearly, but was estranged emotionally from, is still there.  Patrick goes to her and tells her how much he loves her and they have a perfect day.

When Patrick awakes next he has traveled back another decade.  He is able to reconnect with his children.  This pattern continues; each time Patrick awakes he has retreated another decade and is able to rectify some of the emotional damage he has done to himself and others.  This continues back to his childhood and the trauma of losing a sibling.  Patrick comes to realise the factors that have held him back his whole life and start to change them.

This book is recommended for general fiction readers.  Stuart has created an interesting framework for the book, and the reader moves with Patrick from decade to decade, wishing as he does that things had been different and pleased that he is undoing some of the emotional damage.  The book is life-affirming and leaves the reader with positive thoughts.