Airplane Mode: An Irreverent History of Travel | Shahnaz Habib

 

Airplane Mode asks: what does it mean to be a joyous traveller when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change? The colour of one’s skin and passport have long dictated the conditions of travel. For Shahnaz Habib, travel and travel writing have always been complicated pleasures.

Habib threads the history of travel with her personal story as a child on family vacations in India, an adult curious about the world, and an immigrant for whom roundtrips are an annual fact of life. Tracing the power dynamics that underlie tourism, this book asks who gets to travel, and who gets to write about the experience.

“A memorable and unique travelogue that explores what it means to explore the world through the lens of colonialism, capitalism, and climate change.” Adam Vitcavage.