Bingham inhabits a world of Palm Pilots, rental cars, salted almonds, Kevlar luggage and nameless suite hotels where e-mail and voicemail are the communication norm.

Bingham is trying to get to a million frequent flyer miles, a number only reached by nine other people in the same mileage club (from the fictional airline Great West).

Before his boss returns from vacation, Bingham files his letter of resignation and cancels his company credit card.

[1] Kirn wrote the book in rural Montana during a snowbound winter on a ranch while thinking about airports, airplanes and about a particular conversation he had with another passenger in a first-class cabin.

The cover with a cartoon of flying businesspeople (presumably reminiscent of The Falling Man) one of them on fire and hurtling earthward also hurt sales.