The airport novel is a literary genre defined less by its plot or cast of stock characters than by the social function it serves: entertaining travelers rather than challenging them intellectually. Its works typically follow fast-paced narratives in a boilerplate genre-fiction format, sold chiefly at airport newsstands, occupying a market niche once filled by pulp magazines and other newsstand reading aimed at passengers.
Facts
Place of OriginThe airport novel took shape in Great Britain from the mid nineteenth century, when growing railway travel created a market for fast paced novels sold at station bookstalls; by 1851 W H Smith ran about thirty five such bookstores in British railway stations, and French publishers later named the same kind of book the roman de gare, or railway station novel. 1 Notable ExampleJeffrey Archer, David Baldacci and Peter Benchley are among the writers whose novels have been described as airport novels. 1 Defining TraitDefined not so much by plot or stock characters as by the social function it serves: a fairly long but fast-paced boilerplate genre-fiction novel commonly sold at airport newsstands, designed to be entertaining rather than philosophically challenging. 1 FAQs
Why is it called an airport novel?
It is named for the newsstands where such fast-paced books are sold to travelers.
The name comes from where these books are sold rather than from what happens in them. An airport novel is typically a fairly long but fast-paced boilerplate genre-fiction novel commonly offered by airport newsstands. The habit of selling quick reading to travelers is older than flight: by 1851, WH Smith had about 35 bookstores in British railway stations.
Connections
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Airport novel (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Airport novel (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead paragraph
An airport novel is typically a fairly long but fast-paced boilerplate genre-fiction novel commonly offered by airport newsstands.
Writers of airport novels section, opening sentence
Writers whose books have been described as airport novels include: Jeffrey Archer, David Baldacci, Peter Benchley
History section, W H Smith paragraph
By 1851, WH Smith had about 35 bookstores in British railway stations.
In Group: Cheap Serial and Sensational Fiction, Lead
The airport novel represents a literary genre that is defined not so much by its plot or cast of stock characters, but by the social function it serves.
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