---
product_id: 6311676
title: "A Week at the Airport"
price: "₱3596"
currency: PHP
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.ph/products/6311676-a-week-at-the-airport
store_origin: PH
region: Philippines
---

# A Week at the Airport

**Price:** ₱3596
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** A Week at the Airport
- **How much does it cost?** ₱3596 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ph](https://www.desertcart.ph/products/6311676-a-week-at-the-airport)

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- Customers looking for quality international products

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## Description

From the bestselling author of The Art of Travel comes a wittily intriguing exploration of the strange "non-place" that he believes is the imaginative center of our civilization. Given unprecedented access to one of the world’s busiest airports as a “writer-in-residence,” Alain de Botton found it to be a showcase for many of the major crosscurrents of the modern world—from our faith in technology to our destruction of nature, from our global interconnectedness to our romanticizing of the exotic. He met travelers from all over and spoke with everyone from baggage handlers to pilots to the airport chaplain. Weaving together these conversations and his own observations—of everything from the poetry of room service menus to the eerie silence in the middle of the runway at midnight—de Botton has produced an extraordinary meditation on a place that most of us never slow down enough to see clearly. Lavishly illustrated in color by renowned photographer Richard Baker, A Week at the Airport reveals the airport in all its turbulence and soullessness and—yes—even beauty.

Review: Insightful and entertaining with more content than most books three times its length - The behavioral economist Dan Ariely posted a story on his blog about a locksmith whose tips dropped once he mastered his craft and could perform his tasks in less time than he could as a novice. His customers equated the speed with which he accomplished his work with a lack of effort or complexity. So it is with some readers who dismiss de Botton's brilliant and economical style with as lacking depth or substance. With sly humor and a keen sense of observation, de Botton offers up well-written essays whose setting is Heathrow Airport but whose subjects range from classical literature to modern relationships to our quest to satisfy psychological needs through consumerism. As he has done earlier de Botton pairs his work with well-chosen photographs to enhance the mood and setting. Although this book is short, it's evident that a great deal of effort went into writing it. A certain amount of effort or at least calm attention is required to appreciate its depth, and the reader who offers up the attention this book deserves will not be disappointed.
Review: More of an extended essay than a full book - I enjoyed it for what it was: the reflective musings of a compassionate philosopher writer situated in the glass and steel trappings of modern life. Alain de Botton excels in digging deep into the psyche and waxing poetic about the most mundane of moments. This is not meant to be derogatory at all; he manages to bring a soulful mood into the contemplation of otherwise soulless subjects. It’s an enjoyable and at times even moving essay - and that’s how I treat this book as, an essay. In retrospect I’m glad the book is as short as it is, because any longer than that and it may have exposed the inherent weakness in structure or risked seeming too self indulgent. Fans of Alain de Botton Of course shouldn’t miss this one. Also recommended for people who are waiting at airports or spending a couple hours at a cafe on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I just wish the price echoed the length as well.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #551,629 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #73 in Air Travel Reference (Books) #872 in Travel Writing Reference #1,432 in Travelogues & Travel Essays |
| Customer Reviews | 4.0 out of 5 stars 226 Reviews |

## Images

![A Week at the Airport - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51qmhVA8wRL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insightful and entertaining with more content than most books three times its length
*by A***N on January 18, 2011*

The behavioral economist Dan Ariely posted a story on his blog about a locksmith whose tips dropped once he mastered his craft and could perform his tasks in less time than he could as a novice. His customers equated the speed with which he accomplished his work with a lack of effort or complexity. So it is with some readers who dismiss de Botton's brilliant and economical style with as lacking depth or substance. With sly humor and a keen sense of observation, de Botton offers up well-written essays whose setting is Heathrow Airport but whose subjects range from classical literature to modern relationships to our quest to satisfy psychological needs through consumerism. As he has done earlier de Botton pairs his work with well-chosen photographs to enhance the mood and setting. Although this book is short, it's evident that a great deal of effort went into writing it. A certain amount of effort or at least calm attention is required to appreciate its depth, and the reader who offers up the attention this book deserves will not be disappointed.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ More of an extended essay than a full book
*by X***N on November 11, 2019*

I enjoyed it for what it was: the reflective musings of a compassionate philosopher writer situated in the glass and steel trappings of modern life. Alain de Botton excels in digging deep into the psyche and waxing poetic about the most mundane of moments. This is not meant to be derogatory at all; he manages to bring a soulful mood into the contemplation of otherwise soulless subjects. It’s an enjoyable and at times even moving essay - and that’s how I treat this book as, an essay. In retrospect I’m glad the book is as short as it is, because any longer than that and it may have exposed the inherent weakness in structure or risked seeming too self indulgent. Fans of Alain de Botton Of course shouldn’t miss this one. Also recommended for people who are waiting at airports or spending a couple hours at a cafe on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I just wish the price echoed the length as well.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book is like a "fresh shower" to a tired brain.
*by M***I on November 29, 2020*

Like Fred Astaire's famous decision to dance with a broom Alain de Botton demonstrates how a skilled wordsmith can produce a work of beauty out of even the most mundane subject - an airport. I got the book as my son's curriculum for this semester and was very skeptical when he gave it to me saying "I think you will enjoy it". If you appreciate literature, you will absolutely enjoy this work of art. It is short and from every angle it looks like a cheap read and a waste of time. Nothing could be further from the truth. This book quickly became a "wow" at every turn of the page. With all the information overload we are subjected to by "real content" providers this one allows you to "come up for a gasp of air" by providing you with zero important content, yet it is full of literary delight leaving you with a different appreciation of the "travel factories" we call airports. I see some people left one-star reviews ... why!

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*Product available on Desertcart Philippines*
*Store origin: PH*
*Last updated: 2026-05-27*