Time travel: When and where would you go?

[Pat Floyd]

In our To Say Nothing of the Dog discussion, Annie raised the question of what one time and place we would choose if we could time travel. I would like to expand the proposal to the three wishes of tradition, thinking one might want to go to the ancient, the medieval, and the modern worlds--but on this thread the wishes may all be spent in one time period if you wish.

My first thought was that I would like to have been in Washington with a seat down front for Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. I let go with regret Sandy Kofax's perfect game and Marion Anderson's Lincoln Memorial concert.

Next I would choose a season in London with Shakespeare, attending plays at the Globe Theatre.

What would we be like in a radically different time? I don't know, but some things surely wouldn't change. In the ancient world I choose visits to the library at Alexandria with ability to read all the languages represented. In regard to other possibilities of the ancient world, I decided that things known by faith are best left that way.

If we should discover a way to make tangible the worlds of the mind, I would choose to be a house guest of Russell's and Holmes' for a leisurely visit with them in Sussex.

[2bnallegory]

If I could I would like to go see each of the Seven Wonders in their time of greatness.

[Pat Floyd]

The seven wonders would make a great trip. I considered the hanging gardens of Babylon.

[Jennifer]

My daughter and I are both fascinated by Rome. Other than that, I'd love to see an English country home in the '20's. I would love to have gone to India as Gandhi was making himself known. Would have loved to see the 1904 World's Fair, China during the Song Dynasty. England during the height of the cathedral schools in the middle ages, a hundred other places and times....
Jennifer

[pontalba]

The Library at Alexandria is most appealing, given the ability and time to read all or most of it. But I think it would depend...would we interact, or be the proverbial "fly on the wall"? :) In that last mode, I'd have to choose Europe between the wars I think. I'd love to see Cicero's delivery of his orations as well.

[annie]

In the '20s I might like to have been Dandy Gilmore, but being the maid, like my grandmother, would have been less fun.
So I think that for the purposes of this question, one is observing & not participating.

I would have liked to see some true "wise women" operating - to have learned about their knowledge of herbs and dealing with disease & health.

I would like to see Saxon England before the Norman Yoke - to see if they really did civilise us!

And yes, to see a real Shakespeare play would have been amazing - though of course, no-one then knew that his plays were going to stand the test of time so much better than all the others on offer!

[MaryL]

Finally narrowed it down: I would like to return to 1917 Pittsburgh and accompany my Grandmother's grandfather to England-where he disappeared completely. We sort of assumed he died in the pandemic of 1918/19 since the private 'tec couldn't find him, but...!

[jtb1951]

In honor of the opening of the 2011 baseball season I would choose to be at Game 5 (the decisive game) of the 1908 World Series, the last time the Cubs won the Series! Yoicks!!!

John.

[Jennifer]

In honor of the opening of the 2011 baseball season I would choose to be at Game 5 (the decisive game) of the 1908 World Series, the last time the Cubs won the Series! Yoicks!!!

John.
John,
After watching the Ken Burns baseball series, I couldn't pick just one event in baseball. What a venerable and constantly entertaining sport...
Jennifer

[annie]

I did a little "time travel" of my own this last week. Sorting out my grandparents' books, I came across one inscribed: Elizabeth Farrer, reward, Wesleyan Sunday School, Eversholt, Xmas 1897.
This was no connection to the family that I knew of, but I did know the lovely village of Eversholt (http://www.eversholtvillage.co.uk/) in Bedfordshire. It has a remarkable cricket pitch, with a tree in the middle - if you hit it, you get a 6!
I made a contact, who found that Elizabeth's family were recorded there in the 1891 census, in 1897 she would have been 11. In 1901 the family were there, but she was living in Wymington, a village not far from my grandmother's family home. She had older sisters who wold have been a similar age to Elizabeth, and who had been "in service".
I heard many tales of their time in "great houses" but would not remember one "Lizzy" or "Bessy" among others!
I think it most likely that my grandparents picked it up in a sale, but I like to fancy that Elizabeth might have lent or shared her book and it got passed along.
The book is called "Tim's Friend" by Annie M. Barton: it is an improving typical Victorian tale, and was read both to my mother and to me.
I have now sent it, with pleasure, to the Eversholt history society.

[Pat Floyd]

Annie, that book was a fascinating discovery. I appreciate your earlier post as well. I too would like to see wise women at work, and I doubt the value of the Norman's civilizing quality.

Mary, your time travel would certainly have an interesting purpose.

John, an even more interesting time travel proposition would be to travel into the future and discover when the Cubs will win the World Series again.

I would like to see Gregg Maddux's 1994 season when he had a 1.56 ERA, only 32 bases on balls, 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 156 strikeouts. But John, I could pick only one Maddux game and I would wickedly choose July 22, 1997, when he beat the Cubs with just 76 pitches.

[Jennifer]

I would like to see Gregg Maddux's 2003 season when he had a 1.56 ERA, only 32 bases on balls, 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 156 strikeouts. But John, I could pick only one Maddux game and I would wickedly choose July 22, 1997, when he beat the Cubs with just 76 pitches.
Pat,
Your level of expertise with baseball makes me want to suggest (or see if you have already read it) a book called "Wait Til Next Year" by Doris Kearns Goodwin. This is a memoir of her childhood which was steeped in baseball and I think you would love it if you haven't read it...
Best regards,
Jennifer

[Pat Floyd]

Thanks, Jennifer. I have read Doris Kearns Goodwin' book and enjoyed it very much.

[Jennifer]

Thanks, Jennifer. I have read Doris Kearns Goodwin' book and enjoyed it very much.
You know, I listened to it, and she was the reader. I especially enjoy when the authors perform their own books. I went on a "memoir" spree a few years ago and listened to a bunch of them. Two others that stood out were "All Over But the Shouting" by Rick Bragg and "Kitchen Privileges" by Mary Higgins Clark. Both were read by the authors and both were captivating.
Jennifer

[jtb1951]

John, an even more interesting time travel proposition would be to travel into the future and discover when the Cubs will win the World Series again.

I would like to see Gregg Maddux's 1994 season when he had a 1.56 ERA, only 32 bases on balls, 10 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 156 strikeouts. But John, I could pick only one Maddux game and I would wickedly choose July 22, 1997, when he beat the Cubs with just 76 pitches.

Wicked, indeed, Pat:) I remember watching a chunk of that game on tv; the 2 #31's (retired Cubs#), Jenkins and Maddux, are my favorite Cubs pitchers ever, and I just had the chance to see Fergie on my trip out to Arizona!

As to travelling forward in time, I was honoring the accepted sci-fi time-travel convention of only being able to go back in time:p (although it sure would be nice to know if they will ever win the World Series again, period!)

P.S. I love baseball junkies!:)

John.

[Pat Floyd]

I love baseball junkies, too, John. I'm sure it was great to see Fergie. I hope he's doing well.