Reading on an 11 and a half hour flight?

[Cailin]

Any recommendations for something that will keep me enthralled? Have a feeling I'm not going to be doing much sleeping.

Beside my bed I have the followng waiting to be read

All Quiet on the Western Front
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell
Never Let me Go
Shadow of the Wind
Out Stealing Horses


Would you pick one from this list or something completely different?

[LadyWentworth]

I would definitely choose All Quiet On the Western Front. I loved that one. It is one of the few books in the past 5 years or so that I became really engrossed in.

[Cailin]

That's a great recommendation! It's a book I borrowed from my brother and he had similar things to say about it. :thumbs_up

[Kafka's Crow]

I once re-read A Hero of Our Time by Mikhail Lermontov on a 9 hour flight. On my way back I read The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason. Out of the books above, I would recommend The Shadow of the Wind because on a flight you do need a real page-turner as the distractions of the in-flight entertainment, alcohol, food etc can easily tempt you away from reading.

[Dark Muse]

I usually cannot read on planes, but I remeber coming back from Italy, it was such a long flight, and there was nothing to do but sit there, and I could sleep, so my sister lent me Still Life With Woodpecker by Tom Robbins, and I read it the reminder of the flight and almost finnished it on the plane. I just loved it, and sense reading that book fell in love with the author.

[johann cruyff]

All Quiet on the Western Front is great, but since you'll be reading just for the sake of passing the time, I wouldn't go with that one, you wouldn't exactly be doing justice to the book. So, as Kafka's Crow said, maybe it would be better if you picked something lightweight, a page-turner.

[patrickbeverley]

Take All Quiet on the Western Front and get Things Snowball by Rich Hall to clear your head and refresh you when you've had enough Remarque for the time being.

[Nossa]

If you're only passing time, don't read something like 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. I'd personally pick something like a chick lit or even a Nicci French thriller or something.

[waryan]

I think Jonathan Strange would be a good pick to pass the time along- it really involved me anyway.

[kasie]

Lightweight is the operative word - remember not only your weight allowance but that you'll be carrying whatever you choose down all those corridors. (She says, with the voice of experience!) Therefore, don't even consider Jonathan Strange! Pick something which will not require too much concentration - you'll be surprised how tiring travelling is, you may even nod off in spite of yourself and your surroundings: it's not just the flight, it's the getting to the airport, the boarding procedures, the hanging around waiting. Pick something you can leave behind if necessary or exchange with a fellow-traveller or new friend at the other end of your journey. There are several books that were formerly mine somewhere in Australia....and their replacements ended up goodness knows where, one went straight to the lady sitting next to me on the flight home and others went to members of my travel party. I set out with two books, bought four more en route, read other people's books - and came home with none, had to buy something at the station for the final three hour train journey home. You have been warned!

[Cailin]

Thanks folks for the suggestions - reckon I'll take Remarque and check out those others you've suggested to see which one I'll take for the home leg!



If you're only passing time, don't read something like 'All Quiet on the Western Front'. I'd personally pick something like a chick lit or even a Nicci French thriller or something.

Sorry Nossa, but if I take chick lit I'll feel like hurling myself out of the plane!! :lol:

BTW, headin to SA - so any recommendations of lit I should purchase while I'm out there?

[Cailin]

[QUOTE=kasie;602622]Lightweight is the operative word - remember not only your weight allowance but that you'll be carrying whatever you choose down all those corridors. (She says, with the voice of experience!) Therefore, don't even consider Jonathan Strange! QUOTE]

You're right about this kasie! I'm struggling with the weight of Jonathan Strange at the mo and figure it's not the best travel companion!

Still, want to take something that engages the mind - past (adored) travel companions have been Isabel Allende and Adichie (Half of a Yellow Sun). I love coming back from a holiday with an associated memory of a fabulous reading experience. Not that I sit it out in the hotel with my book - but you know what I mean!

[papayahed]

For pure page-turnerness I go for Michael Chricton or Neil Gaiman and I always try to push The eight by Katerine Neville or One Hundred years of solitude if you haen't already read it.

[Niamh]

I'm off on a 14 hour flight soon. I've donw it before and heavy books where tough going. I'll probably go with some light reads, maybe even a couple of kids books. But then again, i can sleep on planes and its a night flight so...
Why not try an Alexander MacCall Smith book?

[Nossa]

Sorry Nossa, but if I take chick lit I'll feel like hurling myself out of the plane!! :lol:



:lol: I just realised that I didn't even know if you were a 'chick' to begin with :lol: I apologise. Alright then, to make it up for you, try The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom, it's a small and very interesting read.

[Cailin]

You're alright Nossa! My username means "girl" in the Irish language!!:lol: :lol:

[Nossa]

You're alright Nossa! My username means "girl" in the Irish language!!:lol: :lol:

I really can't win here, can I? :lol: You know what? just take whatever you feel like reading :p

[Cailin]

I'm off on a 14 hour flight soon. I've donw it before and heavy books where tough going. I'll probably go with some light reads, maybe even a couple of kids books. But then again, i can sleep on planes and its a night flight so...
Why not try an Alexander MacCall Smith book?

Good idea about kids books Niamh! When I was in college did a course in teenage fiction and loved it! Any recommendations for when I head to Hodges Figgis?;)

PS you're lucky you can sleep on planes - mine is a night flight too but I'm not a relaxed flier!:blush:

[Niamh]

Oh man i love that bookshop! Dont get the chance to go in there or Chapters that often. Get most of my books in work. (H&H Dublin Airport)
Yes! Try the Artemis Fowl series, Or Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan. There is also The Fourth Horseman by Kate Thompson, which is very good.
Or The Across the wall books by Garth Nix. They are great.( sabriel etc)
Or...The Prydian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. :)

[downing]

The Shadow of the Wind - I liked that immensely!

[Kafka's Crow]

Oh man i love that bookshop! Dont get the chance to go in there or Chapters that often. Get most of my books in work. (H&H Dublin Airport)
Yes! Try the Artemis Fowl series, Or Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan. There is also The Fourth Horseman by Kate Thompson, which is very good.
Or The Across the wall books by Garth Nix. They are great.( sabriel etc)
Or...The Prydian Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. :)

Oh yes, let's keep it simple (and Irish!) Artemis Fowl all the way. Even the series about those naughty siblings (Will and Marty?) is hilarious. Try The Legend of Spud Murphy or The Legend of the Worst Boy in the World. Eoin Colfer is absolutely hilarious:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Murphy-Young-Puffin-Story/dp/0141317086/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217199659&sr=8-1

[Niamh]

K.C. the new Artemis fowl book is out at the end of the week. :) its very good.:thumbs_up