Planes, Trains and Automobiles -- and Books

Remember Planes, Trains and Automobiles, a movie from about 20 years ago? It stars Steve Martin as a businessman trying to get home for the holidays (this being an American movie, the holiday is Thanksgiving). When his flight is cancelled due to bad weather, his troubles have just begun. Along comes a well-meaning but obnoxious salesman, played by John Candy, who determines to "help" his new friend get home. Imagine a thermometer that measures frustration. As Steve Martin’s frustration temperature begins to rise, so does the comedy.

If this were real life and we readers were in the situation Steve Martin finds himself in, there would be no movie-worthy comedy. Our frustration levels would remain low. Why? Simple: we’d have a good book with us to help pass the time. I’ve been glad to learn a trip is going to take longer than expected – reading time is precious and there never seems to be enough of it.

I once took a very long train ride sitting next to someone who had brought a copy of People magazine. That was it. No knitting, no laptop, no novel. She wanted to "chat," and I obliged for a time, but her small talk couldn’t compete with the book I was reading. (It was The House of Sleep by Jonathan Coe, a great novel, published, alas, by another company. This blog is meant to be honest, and therefore will honour a variety of books, not just those I've had the pleasure of guiding to the light of day.) When she got up to go to the washroom, I resumed reading and did not look up when she returned. The rest of the trip passed peacefully, but I could tell my new friend was now acutely aware of the limitations of a single copy of People. I didn’t let it bother me.

I thought she should have known better.

Let’s say we’re going somewhere, to a place far enough away to require travel on bus, train or plane. If we’re asked, "How are you getting there?" We can answer, "By book." For example, I’m taking The Shock Doctrine to Montreal. You?