Airplane Mode : A Passive-Aggressive History Of Travel | Hardcover

Airplane Mode: A Passive-Aggressive History of Travel by Shahnaz Habib is a personal and cultural exploration of travel, examining how journeys across the world are shaped by history, identity, power and privilege. Combining memoir, criticism and cultural analysis, the book questions who gets to travel, who gets to tell travel stories and how modern tourism has been influenced by colonialism, capitalism and climate change.

Written from the perspective of a Third World–raised woman of colour, this book explores the contradictions of travel as both a source of curiosity and joy and an activity shaped by unequal systems. Through personal experiences and reflections, Shahnaz Habib offers a thoughtful examination of the meaning of travel in the contemporary world.

About This Book

Airplane Mode traces the history and politics behind the act of travelling, exploring how passports, borders, race and economic systems influence mobility. The author connects broader ideas about tourism and travel writing with her own experiences growing up in India, exploring the world as an adult and living as an immigrant with family connections across continents.

The book examines everyday objects and ideas associated with travel, including passports, guidebooks, trains, airports and the concept of wanderlust. By looking closely at these familiar symbols, Habib presents a more complex understanding of travel beyond simple adventure and discovery.

What You'll Discover

• The relationship between travel, history and global inequality.
• How passports and borders shape experiences of mobility.
• The politics behind tourism and travel writing.
• Personal reflections on journeys across cultures.
• The impact of colonialism, capitalism and climate change on travel.
• New perspectives on familiar travel experiences and objects.

Perfect For

• Readers interested in travel writing and cultural studies.
• Those exploring identity, migration and global experiences.
• Readers interested in the history and politics of travel.
• Fans of memoirs combined with social commentary.

Why You'll Love This Book

Airplane Mode: A Passive-Aggressive History of Travel offers a thoughtful look at one of the world's most cherished activities while examining the complicated realities behind it. Through humour, personal storytelling and cultural analysis, Shahnaz Habib invites readers to reconsider what travel means and how it shapes the way we understand the world.