Three Lives to Live

by Anne Lindbergh

Amazed when the twin image of herself suddenly drops into her life, wearing old-fashioned clothing and unable to use a microwave, a young girl is further intrigued when her unsurprised grandmother warns her not to ask questions.

Genres: Time Travel, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade, Childrens, Fantasy, Science Fiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Anne Spencer Lindbergh, daughter of Anne Morrow Lindbergh and Charles Lindbergh; sister of Reeve Lindbergh.

Also published under the name Anne Lindbergh Feydy.

New York Times obituary

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I FOUND IT!

For years, I have thought about this book from time to time. I vividly recalled reading a really good book, narrated by a girl living with her grandmother and involving time travel down a laundry chute. I had no idea what the title was or who the author was, so I despaired of ever finding it again and even began to think it was just a weird convoluted dream I had. Yet I remembered certain tiny details, like the fact that the girl's twin sister organized her books by color starting with the yellow Nancy Drews, and I remembered the cover image of a girl in a dress falling down into a basement.

I told my grandma about this and with one google search later she found the book in question. Yeah, I should have thought to try that a long time ago, but I was never at a computer when the book crossed my mind.

I HAVE TO RE-READ THIS.

[Kricket · Rating 5 out of 5]

re-re-read, Feb 2024: I love rereading my childhood faves when I have a head cold. This one is still pretty delightful, although the fact that Garet is dieting at age 12 gave me the icks on this go around. Ahh, the 90s.

re-read, March 2008: As a child, I read this book so many times I still have parts of it memorized. I just had the inspiration to see if Lindbergh had published anything else since I grew up, only to find that she died in 1993. Where have I been?? Sigh.

Garet lives with her Grandma Atkins (gratkins) in the same large dusty house where Gratkins grew up. One day, another 13 year old girl who looks kind of like Garet falls from the laundry chute into their basement. Soon she is living happily with Garet and Gratkins, going to school with Garet and watching the soaps with Gratkins. But where did Daisy really come from, and who is she? Upon rereading, it's just as good as I remember it being. Clever, kick-in-the-pants dialog and the true thirteen-year-old experience.

[Douglas Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne Lindbergh, daughter of the famous Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wrote several novels of which this is one of her best. Most of her novels employ a time travel theme of some type and this is no exception.

While the story fairly quickly introduces the time travel element, the surprise twist at the end is what makes this story great and the primary reason I gave it 5 stars. I truly wasn't prepared or ready for it.

I have read many of her other books and found them all enjoyable to some degree , some more than others. It's a shame we can't get more from this talented author since she passed away several years ago.

[Kelley Stoneking · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little read. I would have rated this higher if I were younger. As a tween, I would have loved it!

[Meghan]

I read this years ago and thanks to this site I can reread it because, while I remembered the cover, liking the story and very basic plot points, I do not remember much else. I'm so glad I found it and can't wait to get my hands on a copy to try it again!

[Amanda Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally found this book! every once in a while I would remember this great book I had read when I was younger about traveling in time and a laundry shoot but I could never remember what it was called!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book as a child! Can't wait to read it again.

[Tazendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom first mentioned it one day because she was interested in reading it with me, and I wanted to give it a try, so I accepted.

One of my most favorite books EVER!!!


Positive: The story was beautiful and mysterious, and Garet writing her story as
a auto biography......I must say, she is one MARVELOUS writer! I have to admit
if the story was not in her autobiography, the story wouldn't be as amusing.
Also, like I said before, it's mysterious in a good way, because of the "time tunnel" (the place where Garet and Daisy have slid into the future, if you don't know what I'm talking about), Daisy, Gratkins, Garet, and the part where Garet visits the past.
I could feel exactly what Garet was feeling, and why she felt it.
It was also nice to share the same feelings with my mom, who read the book to me.
The main characters are all awesome characters! (Or as readers in the book might possibly say, ONE awesome character ;) )


Negative: Nothing, pretty much!

I recommend this book to children who like mysteries, children reading with their moms, kids from 4-6 grade about, and even adults, who like this kind of mystery and wonder.

5 stars!

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THIS BOOK TO DEATH!!!! FIRST TIME I READ THIS I THINK I WAS IN ELEMENTARY? MAYBE EARLY MIDDLE SCHOOL?? BUT I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT BACK TO THIS BOOK THROUGHOUT THE YEARS (CURRENTLY IN COLLEGE). I'VE EVEN HAD DREAMS WHERE A PHENOMENON MUCH LIKE THE ONE IN HERE HAPPENS, LIKE GOING DOWN A PIPE AND SHOOTING INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD OR TIME. I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS BOOK! IT'S BEEN SO MANY YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS BOOK!... BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE CHARACTER WAS CATHERINE OR CAT OR CATY. WHOOPS. THIS WAS SUCH A FUN BOOK!!! I LOVEEEEEEEEEED AND LOVE IT!! I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH A PHASE AS A LITTLE GIRL AND TRYING TO EAT LIKE DAISY LOLLL. LAUNDRY CHUTES FASCINATED ME! I WOULD ALWAYS PEER DOWN THEM OR LOOK UP AT THEM TO SEE IF SUCH A MAGICAL, WONDERFUL, AWESOME THING LIKE TRANSPORTING TO A DIFFERENT TIME OR WORLD COULD HAPPEN. THIS BOOK GAVE BIRTH TO MY LOVE FOR FANTASY. FOR MAGIC, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A EVERYDAY SCHOOL KIND OF BOOK, I THOUGHT THIS BOOK TASTED MAGICAL! LOL. LOVEEEEEEEEEEE THIS BOOK! I RECCOMEND! READ IT!X)))))) KYAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHXD

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clever and original kids' book, the plot is timey-wimey wibbly-wobbly but makes basic sense within the context. Also subtly provides food for thought about the nature vs. nurture debate, in other words, how much of our personality is because of DNA, how much is because of our surroundings, how much is personal choice? When a kids' book can bring up things like that in a natural way, it's well written.

[Dixie Goode · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garet is writing her autobiography but she seems to get confused between writing her life story and that of her twin, Daisy. Daisy comes up in every line of her compulsively long narrative but Daisy only entered Garet's world recently, even if they are "twins" (or are they?)

This is a fun, quirky, somewhat magical book with a unique narrative style.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started reading this book in 4th grade and i only read the begining because i had checked it out in my schools library. So i don't know what happened but if you could tell me tha would be great! Thanks!

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much I read it more than a dozen times. It was pretty lively and highly entertaining for my 12 year old self back then. Whoever has my copy (I've given away most of my books when I had to move out), I hope they are enjoying it just as much as I did :)

[Rania · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book needs to be printed again... Read it when I was in Junior High, I think, and was just thinking about it today. Tried to find it online and the book goes for as much as $131! Kids today so need to read this book.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story to give Steven Moffat a run for his money! Avoid spoilers if at all possible (even stay away from the Goodreads description), it makes the story more interesting. I like that the hints are there, but for the most part subtle.

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently re-read this out loud to my daughter, and it was just as fun and funny as I remember--except even better, since I was sharing it with her.

[Sruthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is pretty good but really, really confusing.

[Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

So weird and good.

[Susanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious! And the first book I've read that really captures what being a thirteen-year-old girl feels like.

[Leslie Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book as a kid, and enjoyed it as an adult. However, it wasn't the same because I have lost that childlike wonder. It has been replaced by responsibility.

[Michelle]

Listed as Q3 = A good story with some faults, P3 = A booktalk on this title will excite most people’s interest

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing book, an autobiography of a girl named Garet Atkins, who writes about her life with her 'sister' Daisy, who came from the laundry chute with a sign stating "Be fifty years ahead of your time! Acme Superior Household Products Give You A New Lease On Life!". While she continuously questions her grandmother, Gratkins, about Daisy's whereabouts as to where she came from. Her only response was "she came from the laundry chute". Since the book is a biography of the character Garet Atkins, who was a twelve to the therteen-year-old girl, the writing style was mediocre to match with the writing of a preteen. This gives the book a more realistic type of setting, like reading a diary. This book gives a whole different type of genre, mixing sci-fi-fantasy and mystery. Having time travel/cloning with an unpredictable twist that would give you an all-new perspective of how you saw the book till that moment.

[Evan Þ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This's a short kids' story with a fun premise, and a fun solution to the mystery, but the steps in-between drag somewhat.

Our protagonist unexpectedly acquires a sister who appears out of nowhere, with our protagonist's grandmother blithely accepting her without questioning where she's from. But protagonist is annoyed and insists on investigating... or trying to nag her into revealing the mystery; the actual investigations mainly involve annoying her and the grandmother and schoolteachers.

I wish the premise had been done better, even though the actual revelation of where she's from is very good.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very odd book. I don't understand the high average rating, even keeping in mind it is a child/youth book. The wrapup at the end was pretty fun with the active time travel, but I spent a whole book getting there! Then it was done in a few pages.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just as good as when I was 10 and read it for the first time.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fun bit of time travel or maybe more accurately parallel universes. Quick read.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books as a middle schooler. Warning, some adult themes, so I'll hold off on giving it to my girls until they are a bit older, but such a fun storyline.

[Bethany T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found a copy of this--I remembered liking it at a kid and it held up pretty well.

[Sari Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just popped into my head the other day; I don't know why. I haven't read it since I was a kid, and I'm not sure that I read it more than once, but I loved it. I want to revisit it and remind myself why I was so obsessed with it.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated but cute story of a girl and her grandma who have a quiet life till a "twin" drops into their lives through the laundry chute. A twin of the Grandma from 50 years ago that somehow looks exactly like the grand daughter.