Step Back From the Baggage Claim by Jason Barger
November 10th, 2009Title: Step Back From the Baggage Claim
Author: Jason Barger
Publisher: One Love Publishers (2008)
Recently I was asked to be involved with a blog tour to help promote this book, and it sounded interesting so I agreed. Plus…the author lives in Columbus, OH! Anyway, I had a work trip scheduled in Las Vegas the week after I got the book…so I thought it would be a good time to read it, and I’m glad I did
Step Back From the Baggage Claim: Change the World, Start at the Airport by Jason Barger is a fun, thoughtful book. The goal is to change the world one airport at a time! Well, actually, the point is that we can change the world by doing small things…but specifically the book is about how to change the world at the airport.
Barger decided to spend 10 days flying around the country and never leaving the airport. He wanted to observe the behavior of travelers as they made their way trough the airport. People get pretty stressed out and frustrated at the airport, so it was a good place to look. Based on the title, his goal was to get people to step back from the baggage claim so everyone can see and to help others with their bags. Great idea!
The book was thoughtful and a good idea…but I think the book could have used better editing. There were a number of places where the point could have been made more efficiently. The physical format of the book could have been done a bit better as well.
So, when my plane got back into Cincinnati…I figured I would give it a shot. I would tell everyone to back up a couple of steps! I was going to make a difference. I got off the plane and walked the 1,000 miles through CVG airport to get to the baggage claim. I approached the machine and prepared to change the world! I stepped up…and noticed everyone was a couple of steps back. Then one person helped someone with their bags. This was disappointing as I could not change the world. But I suppose it bodes well for society. But ultimately disappointing for me.
All in all…it was a very quick read…and sends across a good message. It is a book people should read if they are looking for encouragement to help make things better.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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November 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I’m not sure it “bodes well for society” because you did your test in Cincinati located in the generally polite Midwest. I would say it bodes well for Cincinnati. Try that at Newark airport and see what happens when you suggest people step away!
December 1st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Ohh, is it a book on how to make the world better by being nice? I was thinking, by your first few comments, that it might be a “green” book but clearly I was off!
I think it would be horrible to do nothing but stay in airports for 10 whole days! Props to the author for that!