Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-173.44.108.107-20150505225435/@comment-80.100.143.134-20150814215731

Assuming the Dutch version has the same details as the American, I may have found your answer:

- In the seventh chapter of the first book, just past midnight on the second day of the FAYZ, Sam tells Astrid his birthday is on the 22nd of November, five days before Thanksgiving, eleven days in the future.

- 22 + 5 = 27, so in the first year of the book Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 27th of November.

- Since Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, the 27th of November in the first year of the book must be the fourth Thursday of the month.

- So far, this has only been the case thrice in this century: in 2003, 2008 and 2014.

- Mobile internet is widespread among the students of the Perdido Beach School (I concluded this from the first chapter of the first book), so 2003 is essentially ruled out (or did you Americans have mobile internet so early?).

- The first book was published in 2008, so it can't be assumed Grant would've let the story take place in 2014, since he couldn't have had any idea of the technology in the latter year.

- Only 2008 remains... so the FAYZ started on the 10th of November (22 - 11 - 1 = 10). ;)