# Recommended reading for plane trip? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 25, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563 "2007-04-25T07:09:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/1 "2007-04-25T07:09:48Z")
I have a long trip coming up; from Seattle: a four hour flight to Ohio, then a 2.5 hour flight to Maine. What type of book(s) would you recommend for flying? Longer books are okay; I’ll be flying back, too. What book held you captivated throughout the dings, blips, beeps, turbulence, and screaming children of a long flight? Any genre recommendation is okay - I’ll read just about anything. My bookshelf here at home has everything from Martin Amis to J.D. Salinger, but many of the popular authors among the Dopers I’ve not read or heard much about except for here. So anything you guys can throw out, I’m willing to look into. Hit me! ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/2 "2007-04-25T07:21:12Z")
_The Langoliers_ by Stephen King (a novella from the book Four Past Midnight _Debt of Honor_ by Tom Clancy _The Flight of the Phoenix_ by Elleston Trevor ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/3 "2007-04-25T07:45:14Z")
[One of MacArthur Job’s Air Disaster books.](http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/store/html.asp?/bookweb/details.cgi?ITEMNO=9781875671113) Make sure you display the cover prominently to the other passengers ;). Seriously, they’re a good read if you have any interest in aircraft. I just spent 6 hours in an aeroplane and the time shot by thanks to Ian Rankin and his John Rebus crime books. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/4 "2007-04-25T07:53:53Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![Atrael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Atrael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atrael)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/5 "2007-04-25T14:54:56Z")
I like books by [James Rollins](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-2726253-8718216?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=James%20Rollins). They are fast-paced adventure, with a hint of psuedo-science and mythology thrown in. You don’t have to pay a lot of attention to the plot, and they usually get going pretty quick. I find them a great travel book because they go fast. I also like some of the stuff by [David Morrell](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/103-2726253-8718216?%5Fencoding=UTF8&search-type=ss&index=books&field-author=David%20Morrell'). Particularly _Creepers_ was pretty good. I don’t like all of his stuff, but there are a couple that are pretty good. Have a fun trip! ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/6 "2007-04-25T15:58:42Z")
“The Road” by Cormac McCarthy. Best book in ages. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/7 "2007-04-25T16:12:56Z")
“World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks. Seriously. The reason I mention it is that I started and finished this book on a four-hour flight. I thought it was that interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/8 "2007-04-25T17:08:40Z")
A Simple Plan or The Ruins, by [Scott Smith.](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-2763124-1212158?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=scott+smith&Go.x=7&Go.y=15) Both are very simply written, plot-driven, and interesting. I preferred A Simple Plan, although you may have already seen the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/9 "2007-04-25T17:17:52Z")
Flying 22 hours to Singapore I read the Lord Of the Rings trilogy ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/10 "2007-04-25T17:23:49Z")
I got stuck in at the Atlanta airport for five hours. I ended up buying Micheal Crichton’s Timeline at the bookstore. I had the book finished before I got home. It sounds like a cliche, but it was hard to put down. Don’t judge it by the movie if you’ve seen it. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/11 "2007-04-25T18:16:18Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] A Simple Plan or The Ruins, by [Scott Smith.](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/102-2763124-1212158?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=scott+smith&Go.x=7&Go.y=15) Both are very simply written, plot-driven, and interesting. I preferred A Simple Plan, although you may have already seen the movie. [/QUOTE] Another vote for Scott Smith. His books are terrific for air travel. I read _A Simple Plan_ on a plane a few years ago, and it made the trip seem much briefer and smoother. I read _The Ruins_ at home in bed, but I can imagine it as flight entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/12 "2007-04-25T18:37:25Z")
Airframe? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/13 "2007-04-25T19:01:12Z")
Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander. Love her stuff. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/14 "2007-04-25T19:23:24Z")
Anything by Terry Pratchett. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/15 "2007-04-25T19:39:58Z")
Do you like light satirical fantasy? Ursula LeGuin has a collection of short stories called [**Changing Planes**](http://www.ursulakleguin.com/ChangingPlanes.html). The common thread is that the gateway to any of these alternate worlds can only be found in the discomfort and tedium of air travel. A perfect airplane book. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/16 "2007-04-25T19:47:43Z")
Just about anything by Bill Bryson, I’d say. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/17 "2007-04-25T19:59:28Z")
[‘Relic’](http://www.prestonchild.com/books/relic/?fCMS=042a33f020eee2066d0a00de4a8211f0), by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I started to read the first chapter one night before bed and wound up staying up until 4 am because I could not close it. I don’t know if it’s one of those formula books like Robin Cook does, but it was beyond gripping. I heard they made a movie out of it that stunk. It’s kind of long. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/18 "2007-04-25T20:29:01Z")
[QUOTE=Nawth Chucka] [‘Relic’](http://www.prestonchild.com/books/relic/?fCMS=042a33f020eee2066d0a00de4a8211f0), by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I started to read the first chapter one night before bed and wound up staying up until 4 am because I could not close it. I don’t know if it’s one of those formula books like Robin Cook does, but it was beyond gripping. I heard they made a movie out of it that stunk. It’s kind of long. [/QUOTE] Time to go get _Reliquary_ and _Cabinet of Curisoities_. They continue the story and they’re even better. ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/19 "2007-04-25T20:38:07Z")
Anne Rice’s “The Witching Hour” got me through a couple of cross-country flights. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563/20 "2007-04-25T21:03:29Z")
[QUOTE=Doctor Who] “World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War” by Max Brooks. Seriously. The reason I mention it is that I started and finished this book on a four-hour flight. I thought it was that interesting. [/QUOTE] I second this, and recomend you get “The Zombie Survival Guide” also by Max Brooks, to go with it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommended-reading-for-plane-trip/401563.md?page=2)