Up in the Air

By: Walter Kirn

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Ryan Bingham’s job as a Career Transition Counselor–he fires people–has kept him airborne for years. Although he has come to despise his line of work, he has come to love the culture of what he calls “Airworld,” finding contentment within pressurized cabins, anonymous hotel rooms, and a wardrobe of wrinkle-free slacks. With a letter of resignation sitting on his boss’s desk, and the hope of a job with a mysterious consulting firm, Ryan Bingham is agonizingly close to his ultimate goal, his Holy Grail: one million frequent flier miles. But before he achieves this long-desired freedom, conditions begin to deteriorate.

With perception, wit, and wisdom, Up in the Air combines brilliant social observation with an acute sense of the psychic costs of our rootless existence, and confirms Walter Kirn as one of the most savvy chroniclers of American life.©2002 Walter Kirn; (P)2009 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“A dead-on, wry portrait of the life of the road warrior.” –Rudy Maxa, The Washington Post

“[A] hilarious, often ingenious ode to America.. . . . Whip smart yet entertaining enough to rival anything from John Grisham.” –Julia Dahl, Time Out New York

“Kirn’s style is as bright and metallic as the shiny skin of a jet airplane. But his underlying point is refreshingly down to earth.” –John Gallagher, Chicago Tribune

Good story, irritating narrator lisp.

I enjoyed the story but the narrator has this annoying lisp with certain words that end in the 's' sound...like his dentures don't fit correctly. It sounds like a picky complaint, but it really is irritating after awhile. I finally listened to the last half, while cleaning the garage, on a pair of cheapo travel speakers. That made it more tolerable and I got through to the end.

No true story

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

If you're interested in comparing the book to the movie (that's why I did it) then it might be worth it, but otherwise no. There truly is no story. It's amazing that a good movie was made out of this.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Reason for God

What aspect of Sean Runnette’s performance would you have changed?

A faster read?

Do you think Up in the Air needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, it should have ended sooner haha

Just breathing can be such a luxury sometimes.

I liked it a lot. It is hard because I kept wanting to compare it to DeLillo's best. It isn't DeLillo's best, but it isn't embarassed by the comparisson to good DeLillo. In someways it reminds me of 2001's answer to Americana (travel, corporate America, the West, relationships, etc). I'm fascinated with Kirn and this won't be the last of this review. However, it is late. I'm flying tomorrow (Ironically) and only half my flight will give me miles.

The book is not always better

I loved the movie but was very disappointed in the book. If you have seen the movie, don’t waste your time on the book.

Awful Ending

Voice was ok, a bit monotone.
Story was ok at first, but ends abruptly.
Not worth spending a credit on.