The time-travel researchers in the book speak of present, past, and future as the first, second, and third states of being. How does this language frame the characters’ relationships to time? If these states of being are understood as states of mind, how do characters move between them?

Consider the differences between Ridge’s perceptions of 1999 and those of the other characters. What does Ridge misunderstand or fail to grasp about the experience of living in 1999? Conversely, what does his outside perspective allow him to see?

Why is Ridge fascinated by the year 1999? What does this fascination reveal about his understanding of history and of himself?