Writer Arthur Haley was a true innovator who created a number of works in the genre of production novel. According to the book "Hotel" in 1965, the series was shot, in 1978 "Reloaded", the film of the same name based on Arthur Haley's book "Airport" was released in 1970. His works have been translated into 38 languages ​​with a total circulation of 170 million. At the same time, Arthur Haley was disarmingly modest, he refused literary merits and said that he had enough readers' attention. His books were very popular and invariably became bestsellers.
Who is Arthur Haley?
The writer was born in April 1920 in Luton, England. Arthur Haley's father was a factory worker, and the mother of the future writer really wanted her son to get a good education. At age 14, he was forced to leave school, because his parents had nothing to pay for his further education, but Arthur Haley was able to finish typing and shorthand courses. He wanted to become a pilot, and enlisted in the Royal Air Force.
Due to insufficient education, the command did not satisfy his request. However, after a while he managed to get an officer rank, and he was sent to Canada for training. Arthur Haley became a pilot, served in India, during the war he served in London, at the headquarters of the Ministry. After the war, he moved to Canada. He really liked the country when he was training. He got a job in a magazine, and met with stenographer Sheila. They married and lived together for more than fifty years.
The beginning of creativity
In addition to the main work, Haley wrote plays and scripts. The first play, Runway, was put on TV, and it was a great success, which spurred Haley's career as a playwright. After success on TV, he decided to try his hand at writing, and set about writing action-packed novels. “Airport” Arthur Haley has glorified his author throughout the world, we will dwell on this book in more detail. The writer died at 84 years old in November 2004.
What is he writing about?
From the first steps in journalism, Arthur Haley found the components of success. His book is distinguished from the screen fighters by the versatility of the image, an attempt to combine intrigue with a discussion of social issues. But it was not so much that attracted readers in Haley’s books as meticulous detail. But critics and writers in their reviews of the “Airport” by Arthur Haley wrote that the author in each book proves mastery, balancing between technical details and an exciting story. The most famous novels:
- “Overload” (1979) - here the author reveals to the reader the subtleties of the energy industry. On the pages of the book, the reader gets acquainted with the hero of the novel, the manager of a large energy company, recognizes him as a professional. Nim Goldman has to solve serious problems, cope with the crisis. The book is interesting not only for introducing the secrets of energy, but also for the personal life of the manager.
- “Hotel” (1965) - the book from the very first lines draws you into the bubbling stream of life. A little old-fashioned hotel "St. Gregory" opens the door to the reader, inviting you to become not only a guest, but also a cog in this huge mechanism. The author, slowly, introduces different aspects of the hotel’s life. But not so simple. Behind the majestic walls of the hotel are many reefs.
Other books
- The Final Diagnosis (1959) is a novel about the hospital and its ordinary everyday life. The struggle for life, death, different people, fate. The book is eventful, everything happens rapidly in it, different characters - patients, patrons, doctors, administrators. Everything happens rapidly, the events in the novel are superimposed on one another. The book is very dynamic, it presents realistic stories, and it definitely evokes emotions.
- “Moneychangers” (1975) - in general, the novel is not bad, although inferior, as readers write in their reviews, to Arthur Hale's books “Airport”, “Hotel”, “Reloaded”. Here, the author introduces the reader to the banking sector. It all starts with the fact that the owner of the bank reports that he is terminally ill. Naturally, the struggle for a place in the sun immediately begins. In the face of two heroes opposites collide: one is concerned solely with profit, the other only for justice.
- Evening News (1990) tells how they work with news releases. At Airport, Arthur Haley surprised the reader with exciting details. The author is a pilot himself in the past, so what's so surprising? But no, in every book he thoroughly knows what he writes about. So in "Evening News" he reveals in detail a lot of little things about television. The novel takes place in the 90s, people live in the illusion of complete security. In those years, they did not hear about terrorism. It is amazing that Haley was able to discern one of the most important problems of society, and write about it long before it became a reality.
How does it write?
Arthur Haley has developed and perfected a new and extremely successful style of writing the novel. Regardless of whom he writes about: doctors or pilots, hotels or airports, government or industry, he follows his own formula. Each of his novels is filled with huge information, which speaks of an exhaustive study conducted by the author to satisfy the most fastidious reader, which is confirmed by their numerous reviews. Arthur Haley's “Airport” is the best example of an author’s skill. A complex web of stories will satisfy every reader waiting for a good and interesting story.
The author said that before undertaking the writing of the novel, he carries out research that may come in handy for a year. Critics emphasized that Haley wrote his books expertly. The narrative in his works is smooth and, at the same time, very dynamic. Events are developing rapidly, but the information that he informs the reader is very interesting and makes you think a lot.
Heroes of Arthur Haley's books
Often, the author disrupts the flow of the narrative in order to insert some research, safety notes, technical details, as in Arthur Haley's book “Airport”, a summary of the novel below. The author is forced to do this in order to manage all his characters, and he always has a lot of them. The focus of the novel shifts from one hero to another, the author temporarily leaves the characters, then returns to them again. The heroes themselves are simple, typical, that they can easily be found in everyday life.
What is the novel “Airport” about?
Arthur Haley's book was published in 1968, and with it Haley gained world fame. The novel takes place in Chicago at the airport, invented by the author, during a severe snowstorm unprecedented in the history of the city. The author shows the reader the work of a large airport, people ensuring its continuous operation. Haley keeps the reader in suspense: the liner, stuck in the snow, blocked the runway, causing an emergency in the air.
But ordinary people work here, a transatlantic airliner is about to take off with a bomb on board, passengers are outraged by excessive noise, the air traffic controller plans to commit suicide, and the stewardess found that she was pregnant. The unusual book “Airport” by Arthur Haley opens up a new world for the reader. Today, almost everyone flew an airplane and knows firsthand what the airport is: crowds of passengers scurrying about; smiling staff who are always ready to help everyone; shine and beauty of many shops.
But this is the appearance, and behind it is intense, responsible and hard work.
Who is the main character of the book?
The central character of the book is former military pilot Mel Bakersfeld, and now the manager of the airport. The blizzard laid all the worries on his shoulders, from clearing the strip to a rally in the neighboring city, the noise of the planes interferes with the townspeople. Everyone wants something from him: starting with his wife and ending with his subordinates and passengers. Readers of the book "Airport" by Arthur Haley, in the reviews write that Mel is a real hero. All require him to solve problems immediately, and no one wants to understand what responsibility he has on his shoulders.
He controls the already clear and timely work of the staff, ensuring the smooth operation of the airport. But if only Mel could have imagined that at that very moment, a man who had been broken by life was sitting in his apartment and was making a bomb, which he would soon take on board an airplane. From this very minute, events unfold at lightning speed, tension increases every second. How to prevent a catastrophe if the plane is already in the air? The endurance of those people who find themselves in this situation can only be envied. One day from the life of the airport. Arthur Haley managed to show that in a few hours, many people realized who is who.
Is it worth reading?
"Airport" Arthur Haley will not leave anyone indifferent. A lot of storylines, relationships, heroes. Heroes of courageous, strong, thirsty, such as Mel Bakersfeld. Heroes, broken by circumstances or life, who face a choice - get rid of painful memories or live on, alone and misunderstood. Heroes who love and want to be loved, who love life and wish to leave a piece of themselves on earth.
But there are people who turn their lives and the lives of others into hell. They crave profit, want recognition in society, try to satisfy their vanity, solve material problems at the cost of other people's lives. Should I read Arthur Haley's books? At Airport, and other books, the author raises moral, ethical and social issues that concern each of us. Perhaps the most important thing that the author wanted to draw his attention to was humanity, respect for each other, the value of human life falling in our eyes. This is something that everyone needs to think about and, of course, Arthur Haley's books should be read to everyone.