The writer’s virtuosity is best demonstrated by the striking and sometimes surreal contrasts between the various narratives. This is not just story-telling, this is story-juggling! Miles frequently changes directions in mid-anecdote, and the sudden shifts from humor to tragedy, from the sublime to the ridiculous, save this book from collapsing into one more rant that has gone on too long.

Don’t be put off by the apparently flimsy plot. If all complaint letters were this enjoyable to read, I would consider a career in the corporate gripe department. The writing is first rate and often very funny. The author constantly delights with wry observations and sly turns of phrase, and almost every paragraph holds some pleasant twist or surprise in store for the reader.

Yet I was hoping for a tighter ending, and maybe even a more pointed justification for all the time devoted to Walenty the wounded soldier. There are many lose ends left hanging at the conclusion to Dear American Airlines. Heck, we don’t even find out if Ford gets a refund for his ticket.

Even so, this novel is entertaining and very readable, and so short you can digest most of it on your next flight. Or perhaps all of it, if you get grounded long enough. But you will hear no complaints from me. Flight delays can’t be all bad, if they inspire stories this good.

Article Author: Ted Gioia

Ted Gioia is a writer and musician. He is the author of Delta Blues, The History of Jazz and, most recently, The Birth (and Death) of the Cool.

Visit Ted Gioia's author page — Ted Gioia's Blog