Title: Aisle be Damned
Author: Rishi Piparaiya
Publisher: Jaico Books
ISBN: 978-81-8495-465-4
Number of Pages: 214
Price [INR] : 250
Genre: Non-Fiction : Humor
I have done a lot of live blogging posts from bus, railway stations, trains and airports. I believe, these are the places which are always buzzing with activity, so these are the perfect places to give you masala for a blog post. All you have to do is observe and you come across some really interesting stories.
Rishi Piparaiya’s bio says that he is an over-worked and over-traveled corporate executive based in the skies. So, a person who has traveled the world must have a lot of stories to share. And that is what Rishi has done in his debut novel Aisle be Damned.
Aisle be Damned is a hilarious take on just about everything associated with air travel.
It starts with hunting for baggage trolley…
One of the wheels, of one of the trolleys, in one of the trolley stands, in one of the terminals of the airport, wobbles with one of the most excruciating sounds at the upper end of man’s auditory threshold. Congratulations and you are the lucky winner!
…to how to get seamlessly upgraded to Business Class and how to adopt the BCP (Business Class Posture).
Essentially, the posture requires that you put your boarding card on the armrest, where it is visible to gapers who can read it and register your celebrity status. the posture involves taking sophisticated sips of a beverage at regular intervals. And it requires you to dive into any newspaper that you find, keeping one eye sharply cocked to gauge the reactions of passersby.
It has the hows and whys of micromanaging the pilots and the action plans to counter the airlines Technical Snag routine, sure shot strategies for winning the affections of flight attendants. There are awesome icebreakers to start conversations with attractive co-passengers and how smart executives deal with the Walk of Shame to the economy section. Aisle be Damned also tells us how a water bottle dramatically improves flight safety and you can breeze through immigration and customs, and a whole lot more
I finished reading this book in a few hours and had so many laugh out loud moments. Rishi has thought of everything that could go wrong or right, when you are traveling by air. Every person who has traveled by air, either once or a million times can relate to this book completely. And the fact that it is written in such a fun and humorous way, makes it an absolute unputdownable. The pictures and captions used in the book are outright funny and amusing.
I could visualize the scenes explained by the author and this gives me an idea that if Aisle be Damned is made into a TV documentary, it would be so fun. Imagine the scene where battle for elbow space on the seat in a flight is showed or the LIFO and FIFO method when boarding via an aerobridge or a bus!!
Overall, Aisle Be Damned is an absolutely enjoyable and insightful read. I agree with the author when he says that your flying experience will never be the same again, after reading this book.
Rating : 4/5
Linking it to January 2014 Ultimate Blog Challenge and NaBloPoMo
To read posts by fellow friends and UBC and NaBloPoMo participants, click here Jairam, Kajal, Kathy, Michelle, Nabanita, Richa, Suzy Que, Sheethal. Yes, we can do we with some more cheering and support. 🙂
34 Responses
It seems to be a good book. I am actually liking the excerpts you have narrated from the book. Nice review post.
It is a nice book. Do check it out whenever you can, you will enjoy reading it 🙂
Am most probably skipping this. I don’t like the topic.
Destination Infinity
LOL 😀 Why??
This sounds like a great book! Thank you for the heads up on this one. ♥
That’s cool, Kathy 🙂
This book is a must read for me. BCP! Was Mr. Piparaiya observing me? From now, I have to be careful.
LOL 😀 Well, we may have to ask Mr Piparaiya for that 😀
Sounds like a good book to pick up for a laugh. Will add it to my “to read” list.
I am sure you’ll enjoy it too, Suzy 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Shilpa. My copy is sitting here waiting to be read! 🙂
Pick it up and read it soon then 😀
I have read some indi-authors, i am more bend towards the non-fiction now. Perhaps for a later read. 😛
This is a non-fiction! 🙂
Nice review, Shilpa! I am halfway through the book and my interest sort of waned because it is a wee bit repetitive. But a good read, nevertheless!
I know what you mean, Vidya! That’s may be because the entire book is written in the same vein! 🙂
Oh, my poor reading list! This one will surely go into the ‘must have’ sublist. Who doesn’t need a few laughs?
Dagny
You must then, and that too soon, Dagny 🙂
Sounds very interesting! 🙂
It is fun and funny! 🙂
Sounds interesting.. Will buy this one pretty soon.
Cool 🙂
I have desperately been trying to get a hold of this book to read and review but haven’t been successful yet. From your review this seems like a must read book to me 😀
I am sure, you will enjoy this one. Do check it out 🙂
So many of you have given it such rave reviews that I almost want to jump and pick up this one. And now you have quoted such funny stuff. I have to read this one and soon!
Yo! Go for it then, Richa 🙂
hi
Nice review! will get a copy soon 🙂
Thanks! Sure Ankita 🙂
As already commented in Meena’s space …. Next time in airport this is gonna be in my hands 🙂
Great! Happy reading 🙂
What a lovely review Shilpa! Going to hunt for this book online now. 🙂
I think you hunted for this book and read it too, right, Jyothi?!
I do enjoy humourous reads. So this one seems right up my alley. Personally, I have never written when I travel. I just like to observe and soak but I am sure there are a 1000 incidents waiting to be told! Good review!
Do read it for a some hearty laughs! Thks Rachna 🙂