Airplane Reading

by Christopher Schaberg (Editor), Mark Yakich (Editor)

In Airplane Reading, Christopher Schaberg and Mark Yakich bring together a range of essays about air travel. Discerning and full of wonder, this prismatic collection features perspectives from a variety of writers, airline workers, and everyday travelers. At turns irreverent, philosophical, and earnest, each essay is a veritable journey in and of itself. And together, they illuminate the at once strange and ordinary world of flight. Contributors: Lisa Kay Adam Sarah Allison Jane Armstrong Thomas Beller Ian Bogost Alicia Catt Laura Cayouette Kim Chinquee Lucy Corin Douglas R. Dechow Nicoletta-Laura Dobrescu Tony D Souza Jeani Elbaum Pia Z. Ehrhardt Roxane Gay Thomas Gibbs Aaron Gilbreath Anne Gisleson Anya Groner Julian Hanna Rebecca Renee Hess Susan Hodara Pam Houston Harold Jaffe Chelsey Johnson Nina Katchadourian Alethea Kehas Greg Keeler Alison Kinney Anna Leahy Allyson Goldin Loomis Jason Harrington Kevin Haworth Randy Malamud Dustin Michael Ander Monson Timothy Morton Peter Olson Christiana Z. Peppard Amanda Pleva Arthur Plotnik Neal Pollack Connie Porter Stephen Rea Hugo Reinert Jack Saux Roger Sedarat Nicole Sheets Stewart Sinclair Hal Sirowitz Jess Stoner Anca L. Szilagyi Priscila Uppal Matthew Vollmer Joanna Walsh Tarn Wilson"

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Essays, Anthologies

232 pages, Paperback

Published July 29, 2016

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of travel books, so I thought I would really enjoy this book. Although I have been on an airplane countless times, and have traveled to 65 countries, my favorite smell is jet fuel, and I love sitting in an airplane seat, with the feeling of possibility and excitement.

That said, this book was a mixed bag of different essays reflecting air travel. Some we're really interesting and exciting, like one towards the end of someone who's mom worked for United Airlines reservations and flew all over the world using her flight benefits. Unfortunately, too many other essays seemed like they we're being written for a grade from their college professor, almost like abstract poetry, then to really capture the feelings and emotions of air travel.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of essays related to air travel. A lot of them were not very interesting. It feels like someone just asked a bunch of writers "hey do you want to write something for this book on air travel" and they tried to muster something up

DNF 30%


[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of 50+ short essays, all of them quick reads that let you dip in and out of the book. My personal favorites were those from Dustin Michael, Jane Armstrong, Connie Porter, Lucy Corin, Jason Harrington, Alison Kinney, and Peter Olson. Spoiler (not really): On page 26, the answer is "doe."

[TK Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly mind soothing in depressing times. Half of the stories are quite good and I especially like the story second to the last, perhaps because I read it most recently and it involved British HK.