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Need a great in-flight book

post #1 of 31
4/22/09 at 2:31am
Thread Starter 
Here's the deal. I was at the office today when someone gave me a $25 gift certificate to a major book chain (www.chapters.ca). Now, I'm flying overseas in a week's time and all my own books are packed up in boxes, so I figured this would be a great way to get something for the plane.

So what's worth reading? I don't keep up with contemporary literature at all, and so have no idea what's out there and probably couldn't name more than 10 authors who were born after 1950. Nor do I have any clue about recent nonfiction, unless it's an academic book in my field (French history).

Point me in the right direction, styleforum. Twelve hours of my life hinge on it.
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post #2 of 31
4/22/09 at 3:52am
I guess it depends on your taste, I'm not sure if any of these catch your fancy, but I'll list a few of my favorite "modern" books. I know a lot of these are cliche for someone born in 1978 on the gen x/y cusp, but what the heck here it is. Sex, Drugs, and Coco Puffs by Chuck Klosterman (a series of pop culture essays that I found hilarous and kind of changed my life when I found it 6 years ago) A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (a memoir of sorts that I constantly re-read, as it makes me glad to be alive) Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, r.i.p. (kind of a pain to read with all the end notes, but I was almost in tears laughing at some parts, and it really is a great read . . . but actually probably not what you want for a plane ride) Generation X by Douglas Copland (what can I say the book that really named a generation, I really like most of Copland's work, but I'm putting this one as it's his "classic") The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (another great read by an author who seems to get life)
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post #3 of 31
4/22/09 at 4:04am
Good Non-fiction for flights:

The Game by Neil Strauss

Cocaine: An Unauthorized Biography by Dominic Streatfeild

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
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post #4 of 31
4/22/09 at 4:31am
Yes Man. Ignoring the fact they Americanised it into a movie that was godawful, it is the best book Ive read all year. You will knock it off on a decent length flight, laugh your ass off right through, and get off the plane a better person for having read it.
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post #5 of 31
4/22/09 at 7:38am
Hmmm...I'd check into something from Salman Rushdie. If you can get your hands on Haroun and the Sea of Stories that would be quick - otherwise, Midnight's Children is another good option.

Also: T.C. Boyle - Friend of the Earth was quite good, and I have Talk Talk on my fixin-to-read list. His short stories, though, are outstanding.

Or: for a bit of Madcap, pick up something from Christopher Moore: currently reading Fool, which is quite good, but you might like Dirty Job better. Or, Bloodsucking Fiends. But these are somewhat lightweight so don't expect any heavy meanings here.
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post #6 of 31
4/22/09 at 11:25am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas View Post

Or: for a bit of Madcap, pick up something from Christopher Moore: currently reading Fool, which is quite good, but you might like Dirty Job better. Or, Bloodsucking Fiends. But these are somewhat lightweight so don't expect any heavy meanings here.

Is he a good writer? He is my next door neighbor, though it looks like he is moving, but I have never read one of his books.
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post #7 of 31
4/22/09 at 11:44am
To Kill a Mockingbird turned out to be the perfect read for me on an overseas flight. I finished it just as we began our descent.
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post #8 of 31
4/22/09 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
Is he a good writer? He is my next door neighbor, though it looks like he is moving, but I have never read one of his books.

I burn with envy at your good fortune. I adore (most of) his writing, but take that with a grain of salt: I post a lot in DT's. I think a sense of whimsy is helpful (or even essential) in reading his books. I think "Dirty Job" just might be his best work, but retain a soft spot for "Coyote Blue" and "Lamb". ditto "The Stupidest Angel".
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post #9 of 31
4/22/09 at 12:14pm
I'll go with what I know works. I once read 350 pages of "The Dice Man" on an intercontinental flight. It's a pretty entertaining read. About a regular guy who gets fed up with his life and decides to start rolling a dice to decide his every move. http://www.amazon.com/Dice-Man-Luke-.../dp/0879518642
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post #10 of 31
4/22/09 at 12:14pm
Any of David Sedaris' works will be great for an in flight book. Short pithy, incredibly humorous essays.
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post #11 of 31
4/22/09 at 2:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by holymadness View Post
Here's the deal. I was at the office today when someone gave me a $25 gift certificate to a major book chain (www.chapters.ca). Now, I'm flying overseas in a week's time and all my own books are packed up in boxes, so I figured this would be a great way to get something for the plane.
Instead of reading, you should play a video game on the flight. Books are a total waste of time. They're boring, and they scared women away. Mail your gift certificate to me, and I'll make sure it's disposed of properly.
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post #12 of 31
4/22/09 at 2:21pm
Read something that is somewhat related to your field but fun:

Kristin Ross - May '68 and it's afterlives

That way I won't be the only person on the forum to have read it and we can have some nice conversations.
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post #13 of 31
4/22/09 at 2:25pm
12 hours? The Yiddish Policemen Union by Chabon. Bonus points if you're flying over Alaska
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post #14 of 31
4/22/09 at 2:36pm
Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

An interesting read and you learn all sorts of odd/neat tidbits about medical history and the limits of the human body.
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post #15 of 31
4/22/09 at 9:24pm
If you're flying to Asia:

Shogun or Tai-Pan by James Clavell

Great airplane books, keep the pages turning, thematically appropriate.
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