Book tip

Flight or Fright — 17 Turbulent Tales

Edited by Stephen King and Bev Vincent

There's a great line in Peter Gent's novel "North Dallas Forty" where the narrator, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Phil Elliot, explains why he likes to fly: "At 5,000 feet, I figure (in a passenger seat in a jet) is the one place I can't be blamed for anything that (screws) up." Well, it makes sense that a fictional character is the only one in the world for whom the prospect of flying doesn't spark an anxiety attack. This book of short stories, out from vaunted horror publisher Cemetery Dance, is a wonderful, must-read collection for vacation-season travel. The contributors are genuine heavyweights including King, Arthur Conan Doyle, James Dickey, Roald Dahl, Ray Bradbury, Dan Simmons and Joe Hill. It's amazing how many different ways there are to terrify a reader through the prism of flight, and these bastards are really, disturbingly good at it. Don't board a plane without a copy!