Books on a plane

[louise]

Hi my fellow readers!

I'm asking a bit of advice here. I'm going to Argentina (!!!OMG) in less than two months. It's a twelve hour flight, and I really don't need a lot of sleep, so I'll probably spend some hours awake in that big metal bird in the sky. And waiting, waiting, waiting in the airport. So I was wondering if anyone of you knew any nice books that would bring me in the right Argentinian/travel/holiday/hot late summer on another continent/airplane/I'm going to a foreign country/I am so nervous/airport - mood. I'll probably be less nervous if I have everything planned out. What kind of socks I'll wear, what underwear I'll take with me. I read the whole Trotter guide on Argentina. I'm a bad planner though. Help me out here!

Also, I have a beloved cousin (actually, 3) who I'll visit in Argentina. He's 18 and now works as a clown at a circus and is extremely funny. Also, he has muscles and laughs at me because I cannot pronounce the Spanish 'r'. I might bring him a book, and belgian chocolate. I'm still thinking about a book, so if you can throw me a title for that too, you'd be even more awesome and I'll write you a cheesy poem.

Hmm. Maybe I'll need another book on the way back. And for the hot evenings on the porch of my family's villa outside Buenos Aires. Aagh. I need to plan!

Crazy Louise thanks you for the input you'll hopefully put in.

[gilmoreren]

Hmm. Holiday reads? Or more about Argentina?

Rough guide to Argentina?

Some south american fiction like borges or garcia marquez (if you haven't read one hundred years of solitude i urge you to give it a try)

You could try to find some holiday/travelogue type novels, part stories and part anecdotes about places...

[Bina]

Whoa, the title I read snakes instead of books!

I have no idea what you´ve read so far but when I go on a trip I usually take books from different genres and for different moods with me. Something funny, Stephanie Plum or Thursday Next? A childrens book, I´m reading the Narnia chronicles. For crime definitely Agatha Christie, my favorite is cards on the table.
For travels I also really liked No Place for a Lady: Tales of Adventurous Women Travelers by Barbara Hodgson. She´s written illustrated novels, too. Or you might try In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin.

So cool that you get to go to Argentina!

[louise]

In Patagonia sounds good, I'll check it out. I probably won't get to see that region though, I'd have to buy additional plane tickets to get there. My sisters went there with my dad (there wasn't enough money for me to come last year...) and the pictures are amazing. Friends of mine went birdwatching there and Saturday they're having a Patagonia photo night. I really like the look and atmosphere the place has. That's what I saw on photos and saw in Argentinian films, but I think that feeling is quite accurate

[Dominique]

Argentina sounds so exciting!
Yes I immediately though of Snakes on a Plane as well, how funny!

I think the best books to read while travelling are the kind that aren't so dense you find it difficult to concentrate with background noise, but are engrosssing and more than a light read.

One like that that I like is "The Snow Flower and The Secret Fan" by Lisa See
I also think collections of short stories are fantastic for travelling, try Margaret Atwoods short stories they are very good "The Tent", "Bluebeard's Egg", "Good Bones". Also Sylvia Plath's "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams" is great, as is Truman Capote's "The Grass Harp and Other Stories" and "Music for Chameleons".

[Hanna]

I used to live in Bolivia, which is not that different from Argentina in many aspects, so if you have any questions about what to bring or whatever, feel free to ask! How about reading som of the greats of South America? Maria Luisa Bombal, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, or my personal favorite; Jose Marti?

[zeldafitzgerald]

I like to read Bill Bryson when I'm traveling. Even if I'm not traveling to where he is in his books, I love the sense of adventure he communicates when writing about traveling. They are also light, humorous, and fun to read on a plane.

[Isa]

You could also read "Sand in My Bra and Other Misadventures: Funny Women Write from the Road (Travelers' Tales)" by Jennifer Leo, that should put you in the mood!