Up in the Air (Walter Kirn)

Those who follow us know that we usually like to discuss book-movie packs, since they usually give enough of himself.

Casuistry is diverse: great books that cater fatal to the movies, books that are amazing movies loose; adaptations faithful free adaptations ...

This time we have a very free adaptation of the novel, which follows the lines of the main character and his obsession to accumulate miles, although the most "reasonable" figure of 1,000,000, compared to € 10,000,000 of character Clooney in the film-like most striking feature of his character.

To continue to discuss differences, the character is somewhat younger than Clooney-no's 40 - and the novel takes place in just over a week, so the pace is far more stressful than in the film, and better conveys feeling of being constantly in motion, without any fixed place. Other minor differences are the headquarters of his company, which is the most "cosmopolitan" Denver, opposite Omaha.

However, where the biggest differences compared to the movie, is the female characters, which have a much smaller role in the novel. Natalie does not appear, if anything Ryan has an encounter with a similar character, but neither acts as a mentor, or it revolutionizes your business. Alex if something appears, but when passing the novel in a week their relationship is also very different.

The novel falls less on the "Terminator" labor-in fact Ryan no references to it working, because you are actually trying to work a transition from its work related to personnel adjustments to something more constructive (taking into several projects that will be throughout the novel).

It is a good reflection of the super-specialized service economy is the U.S., where jobs are unthinkable and certainly difficult to describe. There are some interesting reflections on the subject, and on the transformation and depersonalization all.

It's a contrast that has been given only in a generation, since the origins of Ryan are in a rural town where his father had a fuel distribution company to farmers, which is much easier to imagine that different jobs they appear.

The character only feels comfortable in airports, where strangers are known to him, aseptic environments are comfortable and hours in waiting rooms ideal time to update the mileage balance. In this aspect also reflects quite well what has been called the "Mc Donalización" of society, namely the standardization of most everyday services. Thus, the waiting rooms at airports, hotels or rental cars are the same in any city you visit, and that, that many people seem bored or dehumanizing, is what makes you comfortable character.

 

The obsession with the mileage reaches such an extent that only flies in your company, if I have to make transfers, staying in hotels that are more miles, using companies that favor ... to have a gadget to control your balance.

In the same week that takes the novel is looking forward to reaching your goal. However, a series of seemingly unrelated facts-it-seems that they want to prevent.

This will be one of the mystery of the novel, Will being sabotaged by a hacker? Why am I missing miles of your account or mysterious charges appear on a card?

The other character's obsession, which also adds a touch of mystery, is the persecution of the subject is believed by a mysterious company, which wants to be hired, and that would be the paradigm of modern company of high-value services added: consumer behavior research, market studies superespecíficos, advice and high level consulting to large corporations ...

All this will be resolved in a rather surprising end and topped with a concluding sentence, which will clarify many of the mysteries.

In short it is an entertaining novel, with a very appropriate length-about 315 pages-it could be longer too repetitive and reads quite easily.