While unpacking boxes from our recent office move, I came across a book I’d meant to write a bit about, but something shiny flashed by and my idea wandered back into the waiting room.

Anyway, if anyone reading this hasn’t read a book called The Starship Diaries, you really should.

The book tells the story of an epic, two-year flight around the world in the sadly orphaned Beech Starship — one of a handful of well-stylized airplanes like the X-3 Stiletto and the XB-70 that will always look like it’s from next week. The author, Dallas Kachan, relates dozens of intriguing anecdotes about his voyage – fuel and mechanical troubles, hostile countries, a long illness – two years of flying and living, and nearly dying, against an ever-changing scenic backdrop.

Overall, Kachan writes well, and any weaknesses in his story telling are easily compensated by the facts of his adventures.

Or, rather, they would be if the flight had actually happened.

As it turns out, it didn’t. At least not in the real world – the author did spend the time flying the flights, but he did so in Flight Simulator.

I’m not sure, but I think this makes him all the more brilliant.