First dates are usually awkward events that have become part of the courting ritual landscape for the 21st century. Books have been written about them, films have poked fun at them, and gossip has been passed about each and every one. There are many opinions concerning first dates, as women have mulled over them and men have found ways of getting – or avoiding - them. While our society contains many unspoken rules about first dates, it is always useful to have a few tips on hand when assessing the person across from you at the dinner table.

In Niffenegger’s first book, she introduces us to Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire, lovers who are constantly separated and reunited over their lifetimes because of Henry’s inexplicable and unpredictable time traveling (the time travel is later attributed to a rare genetic disorder known as Crono- Displacement). The story begins with 28 year old Henry and 20 year old Clare meeting in the library where Henry works, and even though Clare has known him her entire life, this is the first time in real time that Henry has ever met Clare.