Slight Delay; Airplane Reading Poll

Sorry, WN readers -- I had to go out of town unexpectedly for a funeral, and I'm just back and getting off to a slow start this week. Check back Wednesday for a full report on ABA meetings (minus the "strictly confidential" stuff I can't tell ya), book reviews, and other doings.

I'm slightly ashamed to report that on the plane I read half of a book I should have finished ages ago, and two brainless girl magazines, as is my wont. Question to the readership: what's your idea of a perfect airplane read?

Comments

jennifer said…
The first variable in selecting airplane reading is the length of the flight. If it's transatlantic (or to further flung places) then the book I'm reading needs to have a rich narrative and an engaging plot. And, as a bonus, it can be a thick trade paperback. This will likely be the book I haul around to read in coffee shops or on the beach while on vacation. Last summer for an eight hour flight, I chose Shadow of the Wind, which met all the criteria.

If the flight is short (2 to 3 hours), then a mass market mystery or thriller is perfect. The goal is to finish reading it on the plane and to leave it in the seat pocket. Except last year, when I decided Confessions of a Shopaholic was the sort of light fare I deserved for the flight, everyone around me was reading literary fiction. I sat amid a see of Philip Roth and Vikram Seth and Jeffrey Eugenides, to name a few, and felt like a total loser. I like to think I'm open-minded, but truthfully, I'm a book snob.

But, I love eye candy for waiting at the gate and on the runway so only a glossy magazine will do until take-off. I'm partial to InStyle, but it's inevitable I will declare it the greatest waste of money as soon as I'm finished catching up on trends.
10:27 AM
Book Nerd said…
I'm exactly the same, Jennifer! Only my magazine drug of choice is Marie Claire or even O, which have semi-intelligent articles along with the makeup tips. And it's awfully hard not to make intellectual-comparison tips based on plane reading...
10:29 AM
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