11/22/63

I just realized I I realized I forgot to update my last Salle’s Book Club read: “11/22/63.” Many Americans probably recognize the date right away — it’s the day President Kennedy was assassinated. The story follows Jake Epping, who discovers a portal back to the past. The catch? It always leads to Lisbon Falls on September 9, 1958. From there, he sets out to prevent Kennedy’s assassination. On the surface, it could sound like a typical time‑travel novel — but since it’s Stephen King, of course, it’s anything but typical.

Like most of King’s works, it’s packed with adventure, humor, romance, and his trademark deep dives into the details of 1950s and 60s America. I won’t spoil the story, but I do want to share one idea that really struck me. Many might think the book is about the consequences of changing the past. But what fascinated me was this: “the past is obdurate.” In other words, the past has a will of its own. It resists being changed, fighting back in strange and stubborn ways.

These days, I feel like having an interest in some kind of superior existence — not an almighty power, but something steady enough to lean on. In difficult times, I find myself wishing for a presence with goodwill, something that can guide us toward a better future. Reading 11/22/63, I couldn’t help but imagine time itself as that existence — stubborn, unyielding, yet quietly shaping the path ahead.