# First 'Time Travel' Book...



## mosaix (Jan 30, 2010)

There's an interesting article in this month's Analog about time travel.

It poses the question 'What was the first book where time travel was an essential theme in the story?'

The answer is surprising but, on reflection, obvious. 

Guesses please:

1) Title
2) Author
3) Date Written

Answer, if no-one guesses, in a while.

Analog readers not permitted to post.


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## Parson (Jan 30, 2010)

Trick Question... No one really knows.

Contenders:



700s BCE to 300s CE - _Mahabharath_
200s to 400s CE - Talmud
720 CE - "Urashima Tarō"
1733 - Samuel Madden’s _Memoirs of the Twentieth Century_
Source: Wikipedia


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## mosaix (Jan 30, 2010)

It's a very well know story, that everyone will have heard of.


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## Dave (Jan 30, 2010)

Is it something from the Bible?

Otherwise, "Rip Van Winkle" or "A Christmas Carol".


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## mosaix (Jan 30, 2010)

Dave said:


> Is it something from the Bible?
> 
> Otherwise, "Rip Van Winkle" or "A Christmas Carol".



Well done Dave:

1) Christmas Carol
2) Charles Dickens
3) 1843


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## Dave (Jan 31, 2010)

So, which was the first book to feature an actual 'Time Machine' as opposed to some supernatural reason? (It's not a quiz, I don't know the answer!)

HG Wells wrote a short story about time travellers before he wrote 'The Time Machine'; 'The Chronic Argonauts' but apparently there were several other precedents.


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## mosaix (Jan 31, 2010)

Dave said:


> So, which was the first book to feature an actual 'Time Machine' as opposed to some supernatural reason? (It's not a quiz, I don't know the answer!)
> 
> HG Wells wrote a short story about time travellers before he wrote 'The Time Machine'; 'The Chronic Argonauts' but apparently there were several other precedents.



According to Analog:

*The Clock That Went Backwards* by* Edward Page Mitchell, 1881.*


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