Reading on the aeroplane

There's a reason there's a genre called 'airport fiction'. It acknowledges the sort of brain-dead stupor that most of us degenerate into when we settle in for a long-haul flight to somewhere, regardless of whether that somewhere is for business or pleasure. Light and fluffy, fast paced and exciting, an airport novel must be interesting without being profound. It is a well known truism that one's capacity for intellectual reading is checked with one's luggage and is stowed in the hold until disembarkation. One cannot concentrate on an aeroplane. One is merely reading for distraction from the sheer boredom that is aeroplane travel.

I always think very carefully about my holiday reading matter. Along with the culturally relevant titles tomes that pertain to my destination - A Model American, Happiness of Kati, The Civilization of Angkor, I always pack something that will maintain my attention for the flight, along with a few glossy decorating magazines.

This trip I've chosen Martin Boyd's The Cardboard Crown - a novel I started reading last week and loved immediately. It was a perfect one to put aside for the trip. Ive heard this title described an an Australian Jane Austin. I'm inclined to disagree, but certainly the class of society, the sublime characterisation and the poetic writing are reminiscent of Austin's work. I think it will be perfect for tomorrow afternoon.

Jemimah is ecstatically happy to be allowed to read Paul Jennings' Spookiest Stories. Holidays are the only time she is given the freedom to read books of this genre, and like any books that Mummy disapproves of, she adores them. To be honest, I really don't mind. I figure that they are the perfect airport fiction for kids. This is when they should be read!

Mr PD has packed And Another Thing, Eoin Colfer's attempt at a sixth installment of the Hitchhiker Guide trilogy. He admits, though, that he'll probably just watch the movies and sleep.

Do you read different books when you're on holidays? Do you read more or less? Are your books more light and fluffy because you're feeling lazy or more erudite because you have more time to sit and think? Do you, like me, like to read novels relevant to your destination?

Talk to me about travel and reading. Two of my favourite subjects in the world.