Arthur Hailey: "Airport", "Hotel" and other books of the master of the production novel

Unfortunately, now almost forgotten such a talented author who wrote in the genre of "production novel", like Arthur Haley. "Airport", "Hotel", "Wheels", "Final Diagnosis" - these names speak so much to those who are now slightly over 40, and are almost completely unknown to their children.

But in the eighties of the last century, these novels were hunted no less zealously than for the immortal novel of Bulgakov. And it was not at all in some particularly outstanding artistic merit of books. They were written soundly, but not brilliant. In addition, for the Soviet man, the production novel meant only a struggle for the harvest or overfulfilment of the plan. And in this framework did not fit into the alien Arthur Haley. The airport obviously did not fulfill the five-year plan for three years. So what is the secret of the author's popularity?

In a good quality approach to writing each of his novel. The fact is that he wrote his works, scrupulously writing out all the details. And the reader literally saw how exactly this or that social organism works, Arthur Haley described it so beautifully. "Airport" appears before us not only in the form of a waiting room and a buffet. The reader follows the characters of the work either in the control room, then in the police station, then in the cockpit of the aircraft, or even in the snow-covered airfield.

He did not write novels on the stream, as modern authors do, literally "spitting out" monthly on a new "netlenke," Hailey spent at least two or even three years writing each book, and this resulted in a non-stamped hand-crafted article, And with a capital letter Book. "Airport" Arthur Haley wrote in 1968, but even today he has not lost its relevance. It has everything that is inherent in a good novel - intrigue, tension plot, the intersection of story lines, vivid character characters and, of course, love. In the Soviet times, a legend spread among readers that in order to draw such a credible atmosphere of a large international airport, Haley settled there as a small technical employee. And when writing "Hotel", he served some time as a messenger in the hotel. So it or not, for certain it is not known. And the author, unfortunately, you will not ask about it. Haley passed away in 2004 at the age of 84 years.

What else can and should be highlighted in Haley's novels is the set of plot lines. It is difficult to single out one main character in each book, absolutely all the characters, starting from the garbage man, and ending with the general director of the company, are so believable and bright. All of them are equally endowed with individuality and skillfully inscribed in the plot of Arthur Haley.

"Airport" ... It is simply impossible to retell the novel. This is the plot of modern books about the fellows is reduced to a few words: was nobody - hit - it became the most steep. And Haley's novels need to either read, or retell just the text.

Due to the blowing snow storm, the work of a large international airport is literally paralyzed. Chief Executive Mel Bakerfeld is responsible for the smooth operation of all services. But on him, in addition to official troubles, personal ones are leaning on him. His wife contrived in one evening not only to accuse him of all mortal sins, but also to change him, and to demand a divorce on the grounds that Mela allegedly has a mistress. And then his own brother was almost ready for suicide, and an insane passenger with an explosive device made his way to the plane, which the brother-in-law hating him was flying. But the problem is not with one Mel. There are they and Patroni, who should almost on his hands lift a jam stuck in the snowdrifts, and the terrorist Guerrero, and ... You see, we have not even listed all the actors, and it becomes clear that a brief retelling will not work . That's the kind he is - Arthur Haley.

"Airport" and "Hotel", of course, are the most ambitious works of the prose writer, the rest of the novels are not so grandiose, but in their own way they are no less good. And exactly the images of details, all books are almost identical and worthy of reading.