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A Week at the Airport: A Heathrow Diary
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Product Description
Review
`funny, charming and slender enough to pack in your carry-on...' --Daily Mail
`Simultaneously poignant and terribly funny...de Botton's most imaginative work yet' --Spectator
`Funny, surprising ... [de Botton's] observations on airport life are wry and thought-provoking ... excellent' --Telegraph
`Shrewd, perceptive and gently ironic ... At de Botton's T5, banality and sublimity circle in a perpetual holding pattern.' --Boyd Tonkin, Independent
`Simultaneously poignant and terribly funny...de Botton's most imaginative work yet' --Spectator
`Funny, surprising ... [de Botton's] observations on airport life are wry and thought-provoking ... excellent' --Telegraph
`Shrewd, perceptive and gently ironic ... At de Botton's T5, banality and sublimity circle in a perpetual holding pattern.' --Boyd Tonkin, Independent
Book Description
An uplifting and unique journey through the days and nights of the UK's largest airport
Inside This Book
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Customers who buy Alain de Botton's books always know they are in for a thought provoking read, so this book was no exception, Its not just about airports per se but a book about life, people and how we choose to live. I thought the stories from behind the scenes were fascinating. The only fault is the actual book, its a poor quality paper back, the cover split from the rest of the book on first opening the book. Fans would much prefer a small neat hardback.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This compact book is an interesting insight into goings on at Terminal 5. Alain de Botton was appointed to be the Writer-in-Residence of BAA (the owners of Heathrow Airport) and was asked to write about what goes on at Heathrow. de Botton only agreed to do this if what he found could not be censored or controlled by BAA themselves. He needed free reign.
De Botton looks at a variety of areas of the airport and focuses both on operational things as well as the people who work at and/or use the airport.
So why only 3 stars? Several reasons - the book was too short - I was left unsatisfied, wanting more. As an airport lover, I also found that there wasn't enough about the airport itself for my interest. Comparing it to the admittedly fictional book "Air Babylon", I thought Air Babylon was much more entertaining.
De Botton looks at a variety of areas of the airport and focuses both on operational things as well as the people who work at and/or use the airport.
So why only 3 stars? Several reasons - the book was too short - I was left unsatisfied, wanting more. As an airport lover, I also found that there wasn't enough about the airport itself for my interest. Comparing it to the admittedly fictional book "Air Babylon", I thought Air Babylon was much more entertaining.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
After not being very engaged in the last 2 books of Alain de Botton's I have read, I was quickly reminded of why I love his writing and his observations in this far-too-short-for-me [I could've read more and more...:] book.
As Heathrow's first-ever writer-in-residence, from his desk in Terminal 5, as well as his wanderings around the airport, de Botton takes us on a journey, physical and mentally, into the airport and what it, and travel, says about us. As someone to whom airports have an attraction [partially the fact, as de Botton writes, that it feels as if any exotic destination is within reach:] I was constantly engaged and entertained by his keen observations and analysis on subjects ranging from why we travel to our often-felt disappointment with holidays to the farewelling and greeting of travellers to the staff who keep things running, and much, much else. This is truly a most wondrous examination and one that re-introduced to me the wonder of one aspect of modern society that I often take for granted and do not stop to consider.
If this appeals I'd also highly recommend his book The Art of Travel; I saw the DVD in an ABC store the other day and snatched it up -- I was unaware there had been a series: looking forward to watching it.
As Heathrow's first-ever writer-in-residence, from his desk in Terminal 5, as well as his wanderings around the airport, de Botton takes us on a journey, physical and mentally, into the airport and what it, and travel, says about us. As someone to whom airports have an attraction [partially the fact, as de Botton writes, that it feels as if any exotic destination is within reach:] I was constantly engaged and entertained by his keen observations and analysis on subjects ranging from why we travel to our often-felt disappointment with holidays to the farewelling and greeting of travellers to the staff who keep things running, and much, much else. This is truly a most wondrous examination and one that re-introduced to me the wonder of one aspect of modern society that I often take for granted and do not stop to consider.
If this appeals I'd also highly recommend his book The Art of Travel; I saw the DVD in an ABC store the other day and snatched it up -- I was unaware there had been a series: looking forward to watching it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not a book!
I do enjoy reading this but it should be emphasised that this is not a book: rather it is a pamphlet with numerous photos on each page. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Antax
Hand Baggage Only
This was never going to be one of those Airport Blockbusters that one buys in WHS to read by the pool. Read more
Published 7 months ago by DV8 Diva
Airports are more than they seem...
This was the first book I ever read by Alain De Botton which gives an insight into life at Terminal 5 Heathrow. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Dishevelled
Quietly Questioning
In A week at the Airport Alain de Botton reflects on the week he spent as writer in residence of Heathrow Airport. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Finger on the button
A Lovely Long Magazine Article
Firstly, this book is a lovely aesthetic object. It feels really nice in your hands. Its photos are gorgeous. Its language and turn of phrase sublime. It's too small. Read more
Published 11 months ago by T Marshall
Delightful moment
I read this little book with great pleasure. Absolutely unpretentious in its aim and content, Alain de Botton very candidly relates his week spent at the terminal 5 Heathrow as... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Josephine Huys
Excellent book
Probably one of the best and most touching books I have ever read. A history of many different perspectives of everyday life in and around the airport.
Published 15 months ago by nassos
Atmospheric, funny and thought-provoking
Some reviews have criticised the length of this book, the inclusion of photographs, the brevity of its gestation and its price. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Peter Jackson
philosophical rather than anecdotal
Having heard about this I anticipated a good read but felt disappointed. I found it more philosophical than anything else. Read more
Published 23 months ago by FE HALL
Unusual and interesting guide to Heathrow Airport
I liked this book. It is the third book on Heathrow in my possession. The other two are the Airlife guide to Heathow, essentially a photo-guide to the great place and Jeremy... Read more
Published on 3 Jan 2010 by Matthew Culley
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