It’s that time of the year. Ha ha. Okay, bad pun, but true. At the start of the new year, time is on everyone’s mind: the passing of it, past, present, future, planning how we will spend the new year with our lists upon lists of resolutions and goals. Heck, participating in the BAM Challenge may be one of your resolutions and it certainly is a time commitment. Time can be an abstract concept, or it can be one of the most precise measurements in the world. History is the study of the times of a place, historical fiction is set in a certain time, epics take place over time. Biographies are a way to immerse yourself in a specific time period and look at it through the eyes of the person living it. Your first challenge of the year: read a book involving time.
Random suggestions:
- Time travel
- The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
- First Among Sequels by Jasper Fforde
- When I Fall in Love by Lynn Kurland
- Brasyl by Ian McDonald
- Historical events, places and people
- The War: an Intimate History, 1941-1945 by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns
- The Hundred Years’ War AD 1337-1453 by Anne Curry
- The Dynasties of China: a History by Bamber Gascoigne
- The Lion and the Unicorn: Gladstone vs. Disraeli by Richard Aldous
- Historical fiction
- Annette Vallon by James Tipton
- City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling
- The Seanachie by Bob Huerter
- Daughter of the Sun by Barbara Wood
- The Religion by Tim Willocks
- Fiction set in historical times (yes, there is a difference between this and historical fiction)
- Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
- Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson
- River God: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Wilbur Smith
- The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer
- Epic fiction
- The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough
- The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
- The Godfather by Mario Puzo
- Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
- The science of time
- A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
- The Nature of Space and Time by Stephen Hawking
- Travels in Four Dimensions: the Enigmas of Space and Time by Robin Le Poidevin
- The New Time Travelers: a Journey to the Frontiers of Physics by David Toomey
- A World Without Time: the Forgotten Legacy of Godel and Einstein by Palle Yourgrau
- Calendars
- Mapping Time: the Calendar and Its History by E. G. Richards
- Calendar: Humanity’s Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year by David Ewing Duncan
- Empires of Time by Anthony Aveni
- Marking Time: the Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar by Duncan Steel
- Time titles
- Five O’Clock Shadow by Genie Davis
- Five O’Clock Lightning: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the Greatest Baseball Team in History, the 1927 New York Yankees by Harvey Frommer
- Midnight by Dean Koontz
- Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
- The One O’Clock Chop by Ralph Fletcher (YA)
- The Two O’Clock War: The 1973 Yom Kippur Conflict and the Airlift that Saved Israel by Walter J. Boyne
- No Girl Needs a Husband Seven Days a Week by Nina Foxx
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (YA)
- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (YA)
- The Worst Hard Time: the Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan
- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson
Book A Month Challenge 
I love your list of suggestions, thanks! Lots to consider, and I’ll have to make a decision soon because my reading time is so limited it may take all month to read even a short book. The tough part will be choosing — so many titles on this list alone that I’d love to read! So many books, so little time! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist!) 🙂
Hmm. You could argue that most books are about time in one way or another. Still, I like the the theme, it’ll be a great way to focus a review. Not sure yet what I’ll read. For time travel fans, I’d add the Doomsday Book by Connie Willis to that list.
I was worried that the first challenge would be difficult because I am traveling this month. However, time seems to fit perfectly. I have to read a historical novel for our Readers’ Advisory program. Now I just have to pick
I second Doomsday Book for time travel – Connie Willis is such a wonderful author.
So, what is the difference between Historical Fiction and Fiction set in Historical Times? Does the attention to historical detail/accuracy make the difference?
And in a pleasant coincidence for me, I started The House on the Strand just a few days ago — a nice fit for the theme. (Is using a book I was already reading cheating?)
Hi Ariel,
The main difference between “historical fiction” and “fiction set in historical times” from a genre point of view is that another “genre” takes precedence over the historical setting. Example: The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin is a mystery set in medieval England. The historical detail is very important and creates a rich setting, however the mystery is the more important element of the story. Does that help?
And yes! Definitely feel free to use BAM as an opportunity/goose to finish books you’ve already started 🙂
Let’s not forget The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (RIP).
Well, I’ve been making lists of authors I need to read that I haven’t (oh, there’s so many, too!). Madeline L’Engle is on my author-to-read list, so I think I’ll read _A Wrinkle in Time_. I just placed a hold on it, so we’ll see *how much time* (sorry couldn’t resist) it takes to get to me. My local library is generally pretty quick, so maybe I’ll actually finish the book in time (ouch, sorry, didn’t mean that one!).
Thanks for explaining the difference between historical fiction and fiction set in historical times. I was wondering, too!
As an aside, I read _Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil_ a few years ago (and visited Savannah about the same time). It’s quite an interesting look into Savannah life if someone is interested in a book set in Georgia.
Hmm, I wondered if a book like Eco’s _The Name of the Rose_ would make it on this list. It seems it would. Before I saw the comments about Willis’s book, I wondered where the Scifi and Time Travel books were on that list. If we can count Alternative History as a form of the time theme, the novels of Harry Turtledove and Eric Flint would likely fit the bill too.
There are a lot of good suggestions. Some of them I have read already, and I was pleased to see them again. I am debating now if I want to pick something new, or use this month’s challenge as an opportunity to reread something I have enjoyed. We’ll see. Happy reading to all.
Hee! I got an ARC of a “time” themed book for Library Thing Early Reviewers! I hope killing two reviews with one book is ok with all parties (very excited!)
So many titles to choose from. I wonder if Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy might be included on this list. I just started reading the Golden Compass. Looking forward to sharing my thoughts on this month’s book.
[…] I’ll be doing something a little different over the next while. I’m participating in a Book a Month challenge. Check it out if you might be interested. My initial thoughts were that I read anyway, so […]
And I’ll add “Forever” by Pete Hamill–I’ve been wanting to sink into that book ever since I picked it up at a book sale.
I’m looking forward to reading about all of these suggestions!
I decided to take this opportunity to read the much heralded Time Traveller’s Wife. Picked it up yesterday and am about half-way (the joy of holidays!)Have posted my initial reactions on my blog- would like to know how others have found it especially compared to Diana Gabaldon’s time travel series, which are among my favourite(Canadian spelling) in the world!!
I decided to read The Worst Hard Time. The library has it for hold for me and I will pick it up tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to this.
Here’s to 2008…a new year…a new book…a wonderful challenge!
How about the time you may spend waiting? I am going with that, and here’s my choice for this challenge.
Parke Godwin, _Waiting for the Galactic Bus_. I’ll post my review and link to it here as soon as I get it done.
Happy reading.
[…] Book A Month Challenge theme for January is time, an excellent choice that should be easy to connect with “books on the mind.” I think […]
Hmm, looks like I’m going with “The Time Traveler’s Wife” unless “The Other Boelyn Girl” comes in at the library. 🙂 Time Travel or Historical Fiction…you gotta love it!
Well, I cheated a bit because I did finish it last month, but it so fits the subject that I have to go for it.
Review of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon can be found here: http://uncagedbird.vox.com/library/post/bam-1.html
Oh, this is exciting! I may be able to use this BAM business to get me through some of the books that have been on my bookshelf for eons. I’m going to read one of two books (or maybe both), both of which are, I think, historical fiction:
“Middle Passage” by Charles Johnson – seems to be a YA novel; set on a slave ship in 1830
“The Lady and the Unicorn” by Tracy Chevalier – set in Paris, 1490.
Here’s mine!
http://otterevilreads.livejournal.com/7581.html
Replay by Ken Grimwood
I’ve just gotten ‘A Watched Pot: How We Experience Time’ by Michael Flaherty to read for this month’s selection — unless I really don’t like it & then I have some backups!
Title: The New Policeman
Author: Kate Thompson
Genre: Fantasy
Age Level: YA
A book about time and where it is going. This book has very short chapters that open with the musical score for traditional Irish music. It’s a shame that the book didn’t come with a CD of the songs! The Irish setting, with the main character playing the fiddle since the age of five is captivating as is the setting of Tir na Nog, the land of eternal youth. Time is being trapped into Tir na Nog, and the fairies there are starting to age. Also time is being lost in our world and life gets more and more frantic. The short chapters would encourage a reluctant reader to keep going and the pacing is very quick. I read it in one night!
Book: Daughter of Time
Author: Josephine Tey
Genre: Mystery
I don’t usually read mysteries and tend to bury myself in long dense books from the 18th and 19th century, but this was a great change of pace. I highly recommend! You can read my review at:
http://rdaisygal.livejournal.com/186457.html
Title: The Mauritius Command
Author: Patrick O’Brian
Genre: Nautical Adventure/Historical Fiction
I read this book for the challenge as it was set during the Napoleonic Wars. My review is at:
http://krinek.blogspot.com/2008/01/mauritius-command-by-patrick-obrian.html
I read:
The Time it Takes To Fall
Margaret Lazarus Dean.
General Fiction, Adult
And my review is at:
http://ellbeecee.blogspot.com/2008/01/bam-challenge-1-time-it-takes-to-fall.html
I read Rollback by Robert J. Sawyer; my review for this fantastic Sci-Fi novel can be read at:
http://civillibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/01/readers-advisory-anyone.html
Thanks again, Katie, for the BAM Challenge!
Title: Flaubert’s Parrot
Author: Julian Barnes
Genre: Literary fiction
Age level: Adult
http://www.bmorrison.com/blog
Signed up as: Ariel W.
Title: The House on the Strand
Author: Daphne DuMaurier
Genre: Fiction, Horror; Fiction, Sci-fi
Age Level: Adult
Here’s my addition to this month’s reviews.
Title: Never Deceive a Duke
Author: Liz Carlyle
Genere: Romance
Age Group: Adult
For my review, please visit the entry on my reading blog at:
http://recreationalreading.blogspot.com
I’ve got Crazy ’08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History by Cait Murphy (Adult non-fiction; sports history). I haven’t finished it yet, but I’ll post a review when I’m done, along with my other related reads this month:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/418708?shelf=book-a-month-2008-challenge
Here’s my addition.
Title: World Without Us
Author: Alan Weisman
Genre: Nonfiction
Age group: Adult/older high school
The book explores what would happen to the Earth if humans were to disappear en masse, and while exploring the premise, Weisman covers past, present, and future of our planet.
Here’s my review:
http://crowinator.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/bam-challenge-january-world-without-us/
Title: A Handbook to Luck
Author: Cristina Garcia
Genre: Fiction
Age Group: Adult
This book explores the intersection of three really great characters across a 20 year period.
See my review at:
http://www.chelabella.com/blog.htm
Here’s mine:
Title: Empires of Time: Calendars, Clocks and Cultures
Author: Anthony Aveni
Genre: Nonfiction, science/sociology
Age Group: Adult
http://august2010.blogspot.com/2008/01/empires-of-time.html
[…] A book about time for the January Book A Month Challenge: […]
Title: A Watched Pot: How We Experience Time
Author: Michael G. Flaherty
Genre: Nonfiction
Age level: Adult
a study of variation in perceived passage of time
review url: http://mymindonbooks.com/?p=379
Title: The Black Dahlia
Author: James Ellroy
Genre: Mystery
Age Level: ADULT!
http://quietgrrrl.livejournal.com/249897.html#cutid1
Yeah! I did it. Two books, no less.
Title: The Winter Room
Author: Gary Paulsen
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Age Level: Youth
Title: The Worst Hard Time
Author: Timothy Egan
Genre: Historical Nonfiction
Age Level: Adult
review url: http://skyork.blogspot.com/
The Worst Hard Time
Timothy Egan
History
Adults
My Review: http://othemts.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/book-review-the-worst-hard-time/
I read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells. Genre: Science Fiction, Age Level: Adult.
Here is my review.
Now wait for last year, by Philip K. Dick
Science Fiction
Adults
The year is 2055, and Terra has been siding with the Lilistars, earthlings’ ancestors, against an insect-like alien race, the reegs. Dr. Eric Sweetscent is fighting and planning on leaving his drug-addled wife, Kathryn, when she drops a dose of JJ-180 in his drink. JJ-180 is not only instantly addictive, it also causes the user to go forwards or backwards through time. As Eric doses himself to both obtain the antidote from the future and try to end this destructive war, he realizes that the multiple futures and pasts are from different timelines, different realities, and there’s the possibility that he’s mucking up his present with each attempt.
An interesting meditation on past and future selves and how they affect the choices we make each day.
As someone who reads a ton of Dick, I’d throw this one in his middling pile. He did a ton of work on character development, and the plot comes together somehow, but he sacrificed some neat time travel opportunities for one of his Divorce Dramas. Ubik was a more effective use of time-changing.
For this challenge I read a collection of short stories called Time Capsule, and I also read The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
Reviews are here: http://blog.threegoodrats.com/2008/01/january-time.html
For this challenge I read a collection of short stories called Time Capsule, and I also read The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Reviews are here: http://blog.threegoodrats.com/2008/01/january-time.html
Henceforth, my BAM entries as well as other book reviews, will be posted here: http://nincompooperies.blogspot.com/
Well, I did finish the The Time Traveler’s Wife and I did not love it. If you would like to hear more, visit my blog at http://janeonbooks.edublogs.org
Well folks, I finished Parke Godwin’s _Waiting for the Galactic Bus_. Here is my small note on it:
http://danceswithbooks.livejournal.com/35582.html
Looking forward to next month. I see from the comments some great choices. I will have to make a note for later reading. Best to all.
Here’s my review – http://library-chic.blogspot.com/2008/01/book-month-challenge-review-1.html
I read Jasper Fforde’s “Something Rotten”
I read In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker. You can read my review here:
http://mnlibrarygirl.blogspot.com/2008/01/january-bam-challenge-review.html
Book A Month Challenge: Changing Times
In keeping with January’s theme of “Time ”, I read the biography of someone who lived through much of an extraordinary century and saw amazing changes in world around her.
Phillips, Julie. James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2006.
Adult Biography
http://lisletters.fiander.info/2008/01/book-month-challenge-changing-times.html
Review: Marking time
Book a Month Challenge: January 2008
Title: Marking time : the epic quest to invent the perfect calendar
Author: Duncan Steel
Genre: Non-fiction / Science
Age level: Adults
The Book a Month Challenge for January was to read a book about time. Since I had just been formulating my idea for a perfect calendar (I may post more about that later …), I thought it might be interesting to read about calendars and how our current calendar came to be. So on a lunch break (on the perks of working at a library) I picked up Marking Time and got started. And while I had high asperations of learning everything I had ever wanted to about calendars, I found myself distracted by the writing and bogged down by the lengthy introduction and background and outline and explanation. I never actually made it to the point of learning about the calendar. I tried skipping a few chapters into the book to see if I could get past Steel’s commentary to the actual history, but found that even several chapters in, the peanut gallery was still shouting over the story.
So I didn’t finish the book I chose for this month’s challenge. Luckily I had already started reading Love in the time of cholera by Gabrielle Garcia Marquez. The benefit is this month you get a two-for-one book review.
Book a Month Challenge: January 2008
Title: Love in the time of cholera
Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Genre: Nonfiction
Age level: Adults
The Book a Month Challenge for January was to read a book about time. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I tried reading Marking Time but found myself distracted and bogged down by the author’s writing and style. Over Christmas I had started reading Love in the time of cholera and decided to count finishing that book and writing a review as my completion of the Book a Month Challenge.
I have to say, I enjoyed Love in the time of cholera much more than Marking time. It wasn’t the difference of fiction and nonfiction that swayed my opinion. In this case, it was the difference between mediocre writing (Steel) and amazing writing (Garcia Marquez). In college I read One hundred years of solitude, also by Garcia Marquez, and enjoyed it (probably one of my favorite books in the Post-Modernism course I took). But at the time, I took really good writing for granted. I was only reading for my classes, and everything in my literature classes was good writing.
Now, several years past my degree, I found myself sinking into Love in the time of cholera like slipping into a warm bath on a cool evening after a hard day. It was so soothing to read a well written book. I found myself reaching into the recesses of my mind, trying to pull the things I had learned in my literature classes back into the light of day to analyze and critique the book. Nearly every chapter I wanted to tug on Clint’s arm and press the book into his hands with a fervent, “You must read this.” (He didn’t take me up on the offer.)
Having praised the book so highly, I should offer a warning: Love in the time of cholera is not for everyone. The book is about love–both emotional and physical love. Some may find the language offensive. I myself was slightly disturbed by the premise of the story. Boy loves girl, girl marries another man, boy remains “faithful” to girl’s memory over next fifty years by having over six hundred affairs but never telling anyone about girl. Girl’s husband finally dies, boy returns and sweeps girl off her feet. I’m as much a romantic as anyone, and the idea of someone faithfully waiting for his true love is sweet. But I don’t consider over six hundred affairs faithful.
I’m glad I read Love in the time of cholera. It was nice to think “in literature” again. Maybe next time I’ll dig out my old reading list and start finishing those books I was supposed to read and never made it through …
Title: The Time Traveler’s Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Genre: Fiction, general/romance
Age Group: Adult
http://ericalynnb.blogspot.com/2008/01/time-travelers-wife.html
I’ve had this on my shelf for a while;thanks for picking this theme and inspiring me to finally read it, because I really loved it!
Book: The Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Quest to Follow the Bible As Literally as Possible
Author: A. J. Jacobs
Genre: Memoir
Check out my review here: http://healthyreading.blogspot.com/2008/01/year-of-living-biblically.html
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
Adult Fiction
I enjoyed the book enough, but wouldn’t say I loved it.
http://maurathelibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/01/bam-jan-08-time-travelers-wife.html
I read The Year of Living Biblically, by AJ Jacobs. It’s non-fiction and I really liked it. Review is here- http://foodcraftsbooksgirl.vox.com/library/post/books-the-year-of-living-biblically.html
We read Ivory: A Legend of Past and Future by Mike Resnick. We both loved it. Here is our review:
http://j0n3zclan.blogspot.com/2008/01/ivory-legend-of-past-and-future-by-mike.html
Nice that I waited until almost the last moment to write my own review 😉
Title: Where the Heart Leads
Author: Stephanie Laurens
Genre: Romance
Age level: Adult
Young Librarian
Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf: A Year Told Through Stuff by Jennifer Holm
Review is here – http://fauxmiddlechild.vox.com/library/post/reading-hodge-podge-december-part-1.html
I’ll remember to put my BAM review it its own post next month.
I know, I know. It’s February already. But, I did post my review in January!
Title: Just A Geek
Author: Wil Wheaton
Genre: Biography
Age level: Adults
http://christajoy.blogspot.com/2008/01/bam_31.html
Ivory: A legend of past and future
http://j0n3zclan.blogspot.com/2008/01/ivory-legend-of-past-and-future-by-mike.html
Title: A Wrinkle in Time
Author: Madeline L’Engle
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Age Level: Late Elementary
http://hedgehoglibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/02/book-review-wrinkle-in-time.html
Title: An Acceptable Time
Author: Madeleine L’Engle
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Age Level: Preteen / YA
http://www.blog.kalda.ca/archives/308
[…] January challenge was to read & review a book on the theme of time. I rather randomly chose Madeleine […]
Title: Mistress of the Art of Death
Author: Ariana Franklin
Genre: mystery
Age Level: YA/Adult
http://bookishbiker.vox.com/library/post/january-bamc-mistress-of-the-art-of-death.html
Title: The Other Boleyn Girl
Author: Philippa Gregory
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level: Adult
http://brightsidereading.blogspot.com/2008/02/other-boleyn-girl.html
Title: Race: A History Beyond Black and White
Author: Marc Aronson
Genre: Non-fiction
Age level: Young adult
http://libraryliz.blogspot.com/2008/01/bam-challenge-1.html
Title : The Pillars of the Earth
Author: Ken Follett
Genre: Historical Fiction
Age Level : Adult
http://www.vclblog1.blogspot.com/
Blog post date Feb 8,2008
(Sorry this is so late — I ran out of … time). Pun intended.
Title: _A Wrinkle in Time_
Author: Madeleine L’Engle
Genre: Fiction, General
Age level: Juvenile
Find my review at:
http://learninglibtech.blogspot.com/2008/02/bam-challenge-january-review-wrinkle-in.html
Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Author: Brian Selznick
Genre: Historical fiction + art
Age level: Juvenile
Winner of this year’s Caldecott Prize
So how does Hugo fit the theme? He is from a long line of clockmakers and, when the story begins, is responsible for keeping all of the clocks in Paris’s Montparnasse Station running on time.
But what is this book, really. On one level, it is an art book. Drawings far outnumber the pages of text, and the book was extravagantly published so that there are no gutters (white spaces) between left and right hand pages. Many of the drawings are evocative of the earliest days of cinema – one of the themes of this book.
While the book is set in the 1930s, Hugo (the main character) learns a lot about the early days of French cinema, and even meets one of the key figures. Film buffs — or those parents who would like to encourage film buffery in their childre — will especially enjoy.
The book is also an excellent adventure story. Hugo (age 10 or 12) lives on his own in Montparnasse station. An orphan, he lives by his wits and is careful who he trusts. When he does make a friend his own age (Isabelle), both are wary. They gradually learn to trust each other, with some devastating effects.
This book is also about mechanics and technology. Hugo is a mechanical whiz and his big project, an automaton, connects him to his father (his past), but also helps him to find his future.
I’m a new librarian, and I haven’t written a “book report” in ages. Hopefully, I will get better at this as our monthly challenges continue. I’ll try to be more timely, too 🙂
I finally wrote my book review at http://weavinglibrarian.blogspot.com/
Title: The Nazarene
Author: Sholem Asch
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Now to go on to my February book
Title:The Book Thief
Author: Marcus Zusack
Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Title: The Time Travelers/Gideon the Cutpurse
Author: Linda Buckley-Archer
Genre: Fantasy
Reading Level: Youth, Early Young Adult
http://fourrussos.blogspot.com/2008/01/bom-blog-1.html
Title: Affinity
Author: Sarah Waters
Genre: Historical Fiction
Readling Level: Adult
TIME Period: 19th century
Theme: Doing TIME (in Millbank Penitentiary, London)
Style: Diary entries following two different TIMELINES
Title: My Year of Meats
Author: Ruth Ozeki
Genre: Fiction
Reading Level: Adult
Mostly an enjoyable read, but I wouldn’t say I loved it.
Find my review at: http://theunclassifiedlibrarian.blogspot.com/2008/03/bam-challenge-my-year-of-meats-by-ruth.html
Title: Slammerkin
Author: Emma Donoghue
Genre: Fiction
Reading Level: Adult
I picked this book because the main character’s heart belongs to clothing.
You can find my review at:
http://recreationalreading.blogspot.com/2008/03/book-10-slammerkin.html
I read a couple of books that fit this category in January.
For Historical Fiction, I read the Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, a wonderful story of one woman from childhood in Africa through slavery in the US, to freedom in Canada.
I also read To-Do List by Sasha Cagen, and that is definitely around time (the things we have to do).