My Top 5 Books to Read on a Plane

The world is so busy these days. There is hardly any time to sit and enjoy a good book. Although there are alternatives, such as books on tape, I am just not as satisfied with listening to a story or watching a movie. It is rare to see me without a book in my hand or vicinity. If I had to travel far enough to need a plane ticket, I would never board the plain without a book to pass the time. The question is: what kind of book would I want to have with me. I would not want to take a long, intense novel. When living in such a small area, I would have to fly from my hometown to a larger airport, so I would be annoyed at having to stop reading and deal with the necessities. However, I have found the perfect solution: anthologies and collected works of certain authors. Short stories and poems are exactly right, since I would be able to put the book aside after a short story, if I needed to attend to other matters.

One such book, if you enjoy the macabre, is the Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe. Poe was a brilliant writer whose stories and poems are enjoyed by many. Although his work can be rather morbid, there is always such feeling and passion. I find it easy to identify with the speaker of "Annabel Lee." Although I did not lose my love (who is a man, anyway), I can easily imagine how bereft I would be if I did lose him. Also, I love the devious Montresor who leads Fortunato to his doom in "The Cask of the Amontillado." "The fall of the House of Usher" is very dark and creepy, and I love to hear it read aloud, as well as reading it. "The Tell-Tale Heart" is a wonderful example of how a guilty conscience can drive a person insane. In this collection, there are many wonderfully sad and slightly mad pieces to enjoy.

If you like scary stories, there is always Mr. Stephen King. One of my favorite books of his is The Skeleton Crew, which is the first book of his books that I read. After reading the first story, "The Mist," I was reluctant to go to the bus stop on foggy mornings for quite some time. "The Raft" was a good lesson in making certain somebody knows where you are going, as it will give them a good idea where to start looking for you. I am a fan of King's books, and I am never able to put them down. If I have this book with me, I can become completely absorbed in the story which I am currently reading, and when it is finished, I am able to put it down before starting the next story. It is an excellent traveling companion.

Now there will definitely be some anthologies on my list, and one of my favorites is Out of This World. There is a short story by J.D. Robb with her character, Eve Dallas. I love that series, so I was glad to get to read that. The bonus was a short story by Susan Krinard, whose work I also enjoy, and a story of a different style than her usual work. I enjoyed reading the short stories of Laurell Hamilton and Maggie Shayne Both writers have caught my interest, and I look forward to reading their books. This anthology deals with futuristic, off-planet and otherworldly characters and stories. It was enjoyable, and I would be glad to have that book on a plane with me.

Another such collection of multiple best-selling artists is My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. The title alone caught my attention, and the list of authors was impressive, so I took a chance. I loved it. I enjoyed reading a story by Charlaine Harris that has the same background as the Sookie Stackhouse books, but I liked the female vampire as the main character. Susan Krinard also writes in this anthology, and I repeat that I love her work. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite writers, and she did not disappoint me in her short story for this book. I sincerely enjoyed meeting Jim Butcher's wizard/detective, Harry Dresden. I liked him immediately. There were many stories, and I could continue all day complimenting them. However, I will proceed.

My final choice as a good book with which to travel by air is Haunted Homeland, by Michael Norman. In this book, Norman shares the ghost stories, folklore and legends that he encountered across the North American continent. If the reader likes ghost stories and haunted houses, this book would be perfect for that person. The ghost stories are not only from across the continent, but they range from ancient superstitions to modern poltergeists. There are many instances where he has to consider the source and circumstances of the tale, but there are enough unexplainable stories to give the reader a good chill. Since the book is divided into different areas and different types of subject matter, the reader can be absorbed in the stories while still being able to find a place to stop reading and get ready to leave the plane.

There are many anthologies and collected works in every genre. I love the macabre, scary and supernatural stories, but I also like other genres, such as: science fiction, fantasy, romance, mystery, murder, biographical. It is not easy to narrow the list to my favorite five books to take on a flight with me, but I did recall these when I thought of a plane ride and the attention-breaking events that can occur (having to let somebody pass, having to go to the restroom, having to catch a connecting flight, etc.). The books mentioned above have wonderful stories written by excellent authors that will entertain a traveler and anybody else, for that matter.

Sources:

Kenyon, Sherrilyn, et al. My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding. (2006) St. Martin's Press, New York.
King, Stephen. The Skeleton Crew. (1985) Penguin Putnam, Inc., New York.
Norman, Michael. Haunted Homeland. (2006) Tom Doherty and Associates, LLC, New York.
Poe, Edgar Allan. The Collected Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. Modern Library Edition. Random House, Inc. New York.
Robb, J.D., et al. Out of This World. (2001) Penguin Putnam, Inc. New York.