Do you need to be North American to enjoy this book?

[michal]

I have started this novel awhile back and I have to be honest: It does not intrigue me much. Of course, this could just be a matter of taste, but the whole topic doesn't spark my imagination and I have wondered if that's because for me, in my country, for my culture, this event was not a fraction as meaningful as it was in North America. I obviously understand what an impact it had on all USA citizens buy to me it's just a faraway historical event. No one here asks: Where ere you when it happened and even if historical events were to be changes... well, it would have no affect on my personal and cultural history.
But maybe I am just reading too much into it. Maybe it is just a matter of taste and mood.
What yall say?

[Moderator]

I'd say that the true crux of the book has much less to do with the assassination than it does with Jake's story and that is universal. Perhaps you haven't gotten far enough into the book yet.

[Spideyman]

Just think of the book as a story with real and fictional history within. Grasp the love story theme and make that you main theme, not the history. There are many science fiction books that deal with time travel at different points of history and for different countries. Personally, I don't think it being an America historical event should detract from a wonderful love story, as well as time travel (butterfly effect- change the past and what happens to the future).

[unclelouie]

Without already having some knowledge of the JFK assassination and the historical context of this novel, I cannot see how one could fully enjoy it on every level. Yes, one could still enjoy it, having no background knowledge of the JFK assassination. However, imagine reading this novel... having no idea who LBJ was. No idea who Lee Harvery Oswald was, or about the conspiracy theories. Having no clue about the begininngs of the Vietnam conflict, the Civil Rights movement, etc. It would be like me reading an alternate history novel about Belgium or Paraguay. Yes, I may enjoy the book, but not on the same level as someone familair with the history of those nations.

[GNTLGNT]

....actually, I feel the "historical" aspect is just a framework for a beautiful and heart wrenching love story...

[Lily Sawyer]

I have started this novel awhile back and I have to be honest: It does not intrigue me much. Of course, this could just be a matter of taste, but the whole topic doesn't spark my imagination...What yall say?

I don't think you have to be an American or from North America for 11/22/63 to resonate.
You also don't have to have lost a child for Pet Semetery to ring true, or live in a parallel universe to appreciate Wolf's character in The Talisman.
It's much less about the what-ifs regarding a Kennedy assassination and more about the what-ifs when choices have to be made - and true, abiding love must be sacrificed.
If it grabs you, it grabs you. I don't care much for Vienna, but I know people who l-o-v-e that city.
Don't worry. If it's not your speed, then move on to another one you haven't read. Lord knows there's enough Stephen King material out there to give a person a choice.

[blunthead]

I am North American, so I have no way of knowing.

[fushingfeef]

As long as you're not a Kennedy.

[jimson]

I think it would be a good read for anyone.

In some ways it's a bit of an historical thriller, and I'm not sure non-Americans could really appreciate it in the same way, but the whole world is probably familiar with the story of the Kennedy assassination, so I could be wrong.

King's books are all set in N America, and if you enjoy his other American stories, I see no reason why you wouldn't enjoy this one.

[carrie's younger brother]

...but the whole world is probably familiar with the story of the Kennedy assassination...

That's a pretty broad statement there. I really don't think it's true at all. You're thinking pretty ethnocentrically.

[jimson]

That's a pretty broad statement there. I really don't think it's true at all. You're thinking pretty ethnocentrically.

Not really. As much as any, from the Cuban missile crisis, the "I am a Berliner" speech, Vietnam etc. I think the Kennedy Presidency was pretty significant world wide.

[jimson]

I also think that more than pretty much any other US President, he was internationally admired.

[mustangclaire]

I live in England, I enjoyed the book immensley... so read away.

[unclelouie]

That's a pretty broad statement there. I really don't think it's true at all. You're thinking pretty ethnocentrically.

Yeah, ever seen a Jay Leno or Howard Stern street interview? Half the people in the country dont even know how the Speaker of the House or Vice President is. And the other half think MLK abolished slavery. haha

[jimson]

Yeah, ever seen a Jay Leno or Howard Stern street interview? Half the people in the country dont even know how the Speaker of the House or Vice President is. And the other half think MLK abolished slavery. haha

Well then, it would resonate no less to Europeans than to half of this country, would it?

[Walter Oobleck]

Do you need to be North American to enjoy this book?

Reminds me of stamp collecting. You can have my stamp collection when you can pry it from...my gluey little hands. Yes, little.
But back in the day, JFK was an honored and well-liked man...even given his faults...that weren't as well known as they are today.
Marilyn thought she'd be the First Lady...it's true...I read it in a book.
And worldwide, his image was on stamps from around the world.
So, I'd say, one need not be a North American to enjoy the read.
Stamp collectors from around the world w/his image in their book will fondly remember Camelot.

[champ1966]

I don't think you need to know who JFK was at all for the novel to work for you.Replace JFK with a fictional character and you still have the same result.The whole saving his life and changing history reminds me so much of the Greg Stillson character in The Dead Zone same senatio just in reverse

By killing Stillson,Johnny prevents a nuclear war

JFK is really just a minor character in the plot IMO.The main crux of the story is the love affair and the butterfly effect

May I suggest a read of Stephen Fry's Making History a similar story whereby going back and preventing Hitler's birth has an unpleasent reaction

[doowopgirl]

I agree with what everyone says here, but perhaps this story just isn't doing it for you. Also, sometimes a story sits better on a second time around.

[The Nameless]

I am from England, and was born almost 20 years after JFK and I have enjoyed the book twice. To be honest, the 2 main premises for the book are right there and known from the beginning - Man goes back in time, the aim is to stop JFK's death. They happen very early at the start and late on at the end of the book, an interest in them may be beneficial, but the main story is why he is the right man for the job, and when he goes back in time, how he uses his inside knowledge, who he meets along the way, what friendships and relationships he builds up. All (well, most) of those things are not sci-fi based, and there are no typical Stephen King monsters. The bulk of the book is just beautifully written fiction.

[Chris1974100]

Im a filipino, I enjoyed reading 11/22/63, great historical novel not perfect but its good, and yeah President Kennedy is just a minor character here its Jake, Sadine, Oswald are the major character in this novel

[starkblast19]

Well I am from all the way over here and I have never had the chance to be all the way over there but as soon as I pick up and start reading one of Mr Kings books where ever it's located, I am there or where, whether I have been where or there or not!