Dear American Airlines

Jonathan Miles

You might not want to crack another book until fall semester, but one of the summer's best beach reads, Dear American Airlines, is witty, hysterical and (thank God!) a mere 180 pages.  You'll breeze through it before you even finish a six-pack.

The book’s main character, Benjamin Ford, is stranded at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport en route to his daughter’s wedding. In a fit of rage and realization that he will miss the wedding, he begins writing a letter to American Airlines demanding a full refund. Despite the angry backdrop though, the book is surprisingly humorous and light-hearted.

The book’s humor can be attributed to the author’s humorous nature. At a book reading/signing at Barnes and Noble on June 11, Miles drew laughs from the audience for the duration of his presence. He also revealed that the setting of the book is based on actual events.

When asked if he lives according to a certain philosophy, he said that he simply lives his life one day at a time. He admitted that he tried to weave a philosophy into the life of Benjamin Ford to give his life more meaning but decided not to since the character needed to figure that out for himself.

Dear American Airlines is this summer’s premier beach read. Get yourself a copy and be thankful that you are not stuck at an airport.