What can I read on a really long flight?

[glitterbiscuits]

I'm a bit stuck as my attention span is getting shorter as I get older.

I've just read Educated by Tara Westover- highly recommend that one.
I'm now reading Unnatural Causes by Dr RIchard Shepherd - not grabbed me yet.

I will have a bash at anything! Fiction or not. But I don't really like fantasy novels, chick lit, anything twee or soppy or historical fiction (although I did like Philippa Gregory's White Queen), or anything with children as the main characters.

Something page turning, not too heavy duty, that I can read in short bursts. Can anyone inspire me please?

Have you read This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay?

No I haven't. But I like medical stuff. Good idea. Thanks

I’ve also just finished Educated and am browsing Mumsnet looking for more ideas! If you enjoyed that I suggest The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Some similarities to Educated (it’s the story of the author growing up and succeeding despite a weird and neglectful upbringing) and a terrific read.

Thanks JunefromBethesda. I will have a look.
Based on a bit of Mumsnet research Ive just bought Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.
It sounded a bit similar to Anne Tyler in style. Has some good reviews.

The night circus by Erin Morgenstern. I'm going on an eight hour flight next week and will be rereading it.

The power of one. If you've never read it.

Just downloaded the first 5 Game of Thrones books for my long flight and holiday coming up. I didn't like them first time I tried - but I'm enjoying them now I've seen the tv show so can put faces to all those names.

Bring a book that you feel obliged to read, but just haven't been able to get into, or a bunch of magazines that you've been meaning to go through. In other words, use the opportunity to force yourself to read something that you weren't otherwise reading.

Sapiens? Or Marian Keyes which looks like chick lit but is much better! I find concentrating hard on planes so would suggest a couple of options including an easy on just in case you can't deal with the heavy ones

The Nightingale, Kristen Hannah
All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doeer
The Taster, V S Alexander

They have been around a while but are decent historical fiction and not too heavy going. All concerning WWII and women's experience. Also, if you have not read the novel, Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly was fascinating to me and much more compelling than the movie.

Have a good trip.

Oops I just saw you don't like historical fiction. My suggestions are that general genre but not typical.

The immortalists Chloe Benjamin
Four children visit a gypsy who can tell you the date you'll die.
How does it change the way you live your life?
Does it become a self-fulfilling prophecy or is it escapable?

Like pp, I usually take 3 different options so I have variety. Almost use it like changing TV channels to break up the time. I have 1 magazine (super light reading), one light read and one heavy.

If you're interested in the Adam Kay book, I'd say that would fill the light reading slot. But i read it in one day (also while travelling) so you might need something else. For me, I'd probably take a Shardlake book, but you might class that as historical fiction?

My heavy book would be something long that I've been waiting to get stuck into, right now for me that would be A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. Or something like Prisoners of Geography. Something to think about and concentrate on.

I'm supposed to read Lorna Doone before we visit the area in the Autumn. But I have a massive hardback copy, it's not very travel friendly but I suppose if I'm trapped in a plane I'd get a good chunk done.

I find taking “obligation” books on planes or away generally doesn’t work, I read a few pages then get distracted and irritated. I’d much rather have something that’s actually going to pull me in and keep my attention.

Funnily enough I’m also reading Educated at the moment. I was looking through my kindle library for something in the same vein, Trouble Maker by Leah Remini so good. If you don’t already know she’s a US TV actress who was a Scientologist from an early age, and is now a very outspoken critic of Scientology. That lead me to read Going Clear by Lawerence Wright which is an excellent breakdown of Scientology.

Find a book set in the area you’re going to? I love doing that.

www.tripfiction.com/find-a-book/

All that remains by Sue Black is n the same vein as Unnatural Causes but much, much better imo.

I recently read “Mr Todd’s reckoning” and really liked it. It’s sort of crime based (but not a police procedural) and very creepy, but is really a bit different from the usual run of the mill stuff and is a great read. Also “Daisy Jones and the Six” is a lot of fun.

Alias Grace kept me going for 7 hours on a flight!

I read Gulp by Mary Roach on my last trip.

The Poldark books. Amazing and there are 12 of them.

So much better than the TV series (which I also love). Beautifully detailed, wonderful characters, funny, often tragic. Wish I had ‘t read them so that I could experience them afresh.