Ruth Haines
The term airport book is used to describe a certain type of book that is typically bought and read by travellers. These books are usually fast-paced, easy to read, and superficially engaging, serving as inexpensive entertainment for travellers. They are often mass-produced paperbacks with general appeal, designed to be read during a flight and potentially discarded afterwards. Airport book can also refer to a specific children's book by Lisa Brown, which follows a family's journey through an airport, and is meant to introduce young readers to the experience of air travel.
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What You'll Learn
Airport books are usually long, fast-paced, and easy to read
Airport books are designed to meet the demands of a specific market: travellers looking for an inexpensive, engaging, and entertaining read during their journey. They are usually long, fast-paced, and easy to read, with superficially engaging plots that are not necessarily profound. The genre is often contrasted with literary fiction, implying that airport novels have little lasting value beyond their entertainment factor.
The length of airport books is a key feature, ensuring readers remain occupied throughout their journey. This length also attracts prolific authors, who can produce many variations of the same successful formula. Airport novels are typically written by authors known for their high output, with their names often appearing in larger type than the title on the book covers.
The books are mass-produced, general-audience paperbacks that can be found in airport bookstores, newsstands, or kiosks. They are often compared to the cheap pulp magazines and paperbacks historically sold at railway station newsstands, suggesting that publishers have long been aware of this specific market.
Airport books are characterised by their fast-paced, boilerplate genre-fiction plots, which can include thriller, romance, or sex scene tropes. They are designed to be easy to read and finish, even amidst the interruptions of travel, such as announcements, meals, and flight attendants. They are also unlikely to be judged by others for reading them in public, given their mass-market appeal.
While airport books may not offer profound or philosophically challenging narratives, they provide a form of "literary junk food" that serves a specific purpose for travellers seeking an undemanding and entertaining read during their journey.
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They are designed to be superficially engaging and entertaining
The term “airport novel” is mildly pejorative, implying that the book is designed to be superficially engaging and entertaining. They are typically inexpensive, fast-paced, and easy to read, serving as a form of entertainment during travel. The length of airport novels is also considered, ensuring that readers do not finish the book before their journey ends. This makes the genre attractive to prolific authors who can build their brand by producing numerous variations of the same story.
Airport novels are often contrasted with literary fiction, implying that they have little lasting value beyond their ability to distract and amuse readers during their travels. They are sometimes referred to as "junk food for the literature world," reflecting their mass-produced nature and general appeal to a wide audience.
These novels are usually found in airport bookstores or newsstands, catering to travellers seeking something engaging to read during their journey. They are not intended to be profound or philosophically challenging but rather to provide a fun and distracting experience. The social function they serve is more important than the plot or characters.
The success of airport novels lies in their ability to offer readers a sense of familiarity and comfort. Readers know what to expect from these books, and the well-known authors' names, often printed in larger type than the title, reinforce this sense of familiarity. While they may not provide deep intellectual stimulation, airport novels can be enjoyable and satisfying for readers seeking a light read during their travels.
In summary, airport novels are designed to be superficially engaging and entertaining. They are crafted to meet the specific demands of travellers looking for an easy and distracting read during their journey. While they may not be considered high literature, they serve a valuable purpose in providing entertainment and escapism for readers on the go.
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They are often sold at newsstands and kiosks in airports
Airport novels are designed to meet the demands of a specific market. They are often sold at newsstands and kiosks in airports, targeting travellers looking for an inexpensive form of entertainment during their journey. The books are typically long and fast-paced, with prolific authors producing many variations of the same story. The well-known authors' names are usually in larger type than the title on the covers.
The description "airport novel" implies that the book has little lasting value beyond its utility as in-flight entertainment. They are superficially engaging and typically lack profound or challenging content. Airport novels are often contrasted with literary fiction, which aspires to have a longer-lasting impact on readers.
The rise of e-readers and electronic devices has not diminished the popularity of airport novels. Paper books remain a popular choice for travellers, as they do not require batteries and are less devastating to lose. Additionally, some airlines still require electronic devices to be turned off during takeoff and landing, making paper books a convenient option for passengers.
Airport novels are typically mass-produced, general audience paperbacks that are easily accessible to travellers. They are often displayed at newsstands or bookstores located between security and the departure gates, catering to those who have forgotten their e-readers or are seeking additional entertainment for their trip.
While the term "airport novel" may carry a mildly pejorative connotation, it represents a successful marketing strategy that continues to thrive in the publishing industry.
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They are sometimes considered to be of little lasting value
The description "airport novel" is mildly pejorative, implying that such books have little lasting value and are useful chiefly as an inexpensive form of entertainment during travel. They are designed to meet the demands of a very specific market and are superficially engaging without being necessarily profound. They are usually written to be more entertaining than philosophically challenging.
Airport novels are typically quite long, fast-paced, and easy to read. They are often mass-produced, general-audience paperbacks that can be bought cheaply at an airport bookshop to fill one's time during a flight. They are sometimes contrasted with literary fiction, so that a novel with literary aspirations would be disparaged by the "airport novel" label.
The genre attracts prolific authors, who use their outputs as a sort of branding; each author is identified with a certain sort of story, and they produce many variations of the same thing. Well-known authors' names are usually in type larger than the title on the covers of airport novels, often in embossed letters.
The rise of e-readers has led to an increase in genre fiction, as it is harder to judge what someone is reading on an e-reader. However, paperbacks still have their advantages, as they do not need batteries, and some airlines insist that electronic devices are turned off during takeoff and landing.
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They can be a behind-the-scenes look at real people at work
The term "airport book" typically refers to a specific type of book that people often buy and read while travelling. These books are usually mass-produced, inexpensive, and designed to be entertaining and engaging, but not necessarily profound. They are often characterised as "junk food for the literature world".
However, there are also books that specifically discuss what happens at an airport, such as "The Airport Book" by Lisa Brown. This book is a brilliant introduction to air travel for children, depicting the chaotic nature of airports in a multi-layered way that is not overwhelming. It follows a biracial family on their journey to the airport, through the airport, and on the airplane, with the youngest family member's sock monkey going on its own adventure. It includes all the typical stores and characters you would expect to see at an airport, making it a fun and educational read for children and adults alike.
Another book that discusses what happens at an airport is "Airport" by Arthur Hailey. This book is over 55 years old, but still spellbinding, with detailed background information and realistic portrayals of characters. It provides a detailed description of day-to-day life in an airport, including the agencies responsible for airport safety and why they may fail, making it an informative read for anyone interested in aviation.
These books offer a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of airports and the people who work there, providing a fascinating insight into the complex world of air travel. They can be a great resource for both children and adults to learn about the airport experience and the many people who contribute to making it function.
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Frequently asked questions
An airport book is a book that is bought cheaply at an airport bookshop to read during a flight. They are usually fast-paced, easy to read, and superficially engaging.
Airport books are similar to pulp magazines and other reading materials sold at newsstands and kiosks to travellers. They are also comparable to "junk food" in the literature world.
Airport books are typically written by prolific authors such as John Grisham, Sue Grafton, James Patterson, and Dan Brown. They are often published as eBooks and can be bought at non-airport bookstores or online.
