Airplane Books: What are good books to read on a flight?

If you are not on a plane and want to read a marvelous book, try Walter Isaacson’s Einstein. A blend of history, science, and a powerful personal narrative, it belongs on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the shaping of the modern world. But if you are going on a trip, leave Einstein behind. Not only is it slightly unwieldy at nearly 700 pages, but brief moments to dip into it do not allow for a full digestion of Einstein’s more complex work. It is an accessible book, but not the best to jump in and out of for a few minutes at 30,000 ft as the flight attendant offers peanuts.

Here is what I mean by a good Airplane Books: something reasonably short, so it can be digested quickly. Something that is somewhat episodic, so it can withstand interruptions. But not something that is purely cotton candy so as to be escapism. After all, you want to pass the time enjoyably but you do want only to pass the time,

Here are some of my favorite Airplane Books…

1. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. This thin book is about his rise from poverty and his journey into business, science, and politics – not his service during the American Revolution.
2. Bright Lights Big City by Jay McInerney. One of the few literary works written in the second person, which makes it a bit captivating and a bit creepy.
3. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson. The original wild story by the original wild man.
4. The Making of the President 1960 by Theodore White. The book that started the entire historical genre, as process, media, and personalities began to drive the decision.
5. The Selling of the President by Joe McGinnis. Madison Avenue becomes more dominant by 1968.
6. Scoop, Black Mischief, The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold, Three books by Evelyn Waugh. Some satire, some social commentary, some absurdism.
7. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. It is a good idea to reflect every once in awhile
8. The World of Suzie Wong by Richard Mason. Colonial Hong Kong, including issues of race, sexual mores, and class, but through a boy-meets-girl narrative.
9. King Rat by James Clavell. Story of POWs in occupied Singapore by a master story-teller who was there.
10. Anything by P.G. Wodehouse or Damon Runyan. Let’s face it, Wodehouse and Runyan pack more into a sentence than just about anyone. Wodehouse’s protagonists are upper-class Brits; Runyan’s lower-class Yanks. But the story is the same. And there is always a happy ending.

11. The Zimmerman Telegram by Barbara Tuchman. She received two Pulitzer Prizes, so this is a lesser work. But it still encompasses Great Power politics, World War I, espionage, arms races, and issues all current today, told in a lively narrative fashion.

12. Postscript (February 19, 2018): Let me add A Horse Walks into a Bar by David Grossman, which won the 2017 Man Booker International prize. This curious novel takes place nominally within the confines of a mediocre comedian's two-hour show. But the superb author that Grossman is, he can take you on quite a journey without leaving the room.

These are some of the better Airplane Books. Yes, you can tell I am oriented more toward modern history than literature, but I try to have a sprinkling across the board.

What would you recommend from your list?