I'm Reading on a Jet Plane
by Jill DUrso • 05.06.2010I’ve always looked forward to the act of travel–that is, bus rides, train trips, and plane flights. That appreciation has been slightly less lately, as I’ve been traveling more (especially on the bus–ugh), but there’s still a part of me that appreciates the few hours of quiet time afforded to you by travel. It’s something of a small break from the daily grind–albeit one bookended by the stress of schedules, packing, buying tickets, and jostling for space with other passengers. It’s a chance to sit back and relax, to put on your headphones and stare out the window or take a nap.
In the past, I always used this travel time to read and write (ok, and stare out the window and take naps). However, thanks to modern technology, I find I am reading less and less on these trips, and instead either using the wireless connection on the Bolt Bus trips from Boston to NYC or flipping through the channels on the personalized tv screens on JetBlue flights.
Does this summarize our ADD-afflicted culture? If I, an avid lifelong reader, am finding myself reading less, what does this mean for the rest of the general public?
Things aren’t hopeless–I still carefully select my reading for trips (I try to select lighter, more engaging reads that will hold my attention for hours at a time) and make sure I have plenty of reading material to last me for the duration of the trip (packing a back up book or pile of magazines is a good plan).
What about you guys? Do you look forward to traveling for the extra reading time, or do you find yourself reading less and less while you travel?
*cross-posted to Looks & Books
Hey Jill!
I read better on flights but I tend to read little bits at a time only finding myself completely absorbed from time to time. On buses, I feel as if I should take the time to look outside as on slow trains and let my brain take in the landscape and do natural photography which is hard to keep in the mind or archive as it gets displaced by new sights each time I see them? I write about places that I saw later even if I might take a little not of inspiration immediately. I thought you were going to tell us that you were reading Fringe as you flew.
Interesting to see you studied Publishing and Writing. I am a writer and am concerned about how difficult it is to find good publishers. I have got offers faster and mainly from those who wish to make money fast.. but I still write with hope.
But could you kindly tell me why 0 comment is so popular on the internet????
I love to read while traveling, because I seldom have uninterrupted time to sit down and just read. On car trips, I listen to books on tape and favor genre novels. On plane or bus trips, I like a nice juicy novel, frequently a work that pertains to my final destination. I love Victorian and early modern novels; the former has the plot to suck you in, while reading the latter requires blocks of time long enough that you can let the prose wash over you.
My travel time evaporates by reading, writing, and observing. I’ll pack an anthology, either essays or short stories, which feeds my need to ‘complete’ something before the next leg of the journey. Or I’ll pull out the moleskin and jot down ideas or snippets I hear along the way. There’s nothing like a ‘real’ book or pen and paper to while away time, especially if caught in a delay before takeoff, when even ‘approved electronics’ are banned from use. And if reading or writing seems too tedious, I’ll gladly observe and listen. Travelers often provide unexpected treasures for prompts. I will always darken the headrest tv-screen for some bonafide uninterrupted quiet time on flights. Even on quick train trips, I’ll choose some paper over anything remotely electronic, except for tunes.
Travel time only increases my literary input and output. Non-electronic media maximizes that time on takeoff and landing. Wish I could do it more!
I’ve used wi-fi on the Acela, but find that its pretty slow, and I get frustrated (another indication of our ADD culture, perhaps).
I was just on a rather lengthy bolt bus trip, and decided not to take my laptop. With email on my phone, a computer at my friend’s apartment, and a notebook and pen, I found I really didn’t to lug the laptop around. I brought magazines, a book, a lit magazine, and my iphone. The best media for that trip, I think, was the audio. I caught up on This American Life and listened to music. As much as I crave time to read, I also really enjoyed giving my eyes a break and taking in my surroundings – I *really* never get to do that!