This is a story of the greatest love, ever. An outlandish claim, outrageous perhaps, but trust me-- And so begin the enchanting, unforgettable tale of J. J. Smith, Keeper of the Records for The Book of Records, an ordinary man searching for the extraordinary. J.J. has clocked the world's longest continuous kiss, 30 hours and 45 minutes. He has verified the lengthiest single unbroken apple peel, 172 feet and 4 inches. He has measured the farthest flight of a champagne cork from an untreated, unheated bottle 177 feet 9 inches. He has tasted the world's largest menu item, whole-roasted Bedouin camel. But in all his adventure from Australia to Zanzibar, J.J. has never witnessed great love until he comes upon a tiny windswept town in the heartland of America, where folks still talk about family, faith, and crops. Here, where he last expects it, J.J. discovers a world record attempt like no other: Piece by piece, a farmer is eating a Boeing 747 to prove his love for a woman. In this vast landscape of cornfields and lightning storms, J.J. is doubly astounded to be struck by love from the same woman, Willa Wyatt of the honey eyes and wild blond hair. It is a feeling beyond measure, throwing J.J.'s carefully ordered world upside down, proving that hears, like world records, can be broken, and the greatest wonders in life can not be qualified. Richly romantic, whimsical, and uplifting, The Man Who Ate the 747 is a flight of fancy from start to finish. It stretches imagination, bends physics and biology, but believe it just a little and you may find yourself reaching for your own records, the kind that really count. Written with tenderness, originality, and insight, filled with old-fashioned warmth and newfangled humor, it is an extraordinary novel, a found treasure that marks the emergence of a major storytelling tale.

sorry, this one really didn't do it for me - I didn't care about the characters, or even understand them, though I tried... nothing felt real, or even 'realistic' - a suspension of disbelief wasn't happening - it'd've been nice if it were a fable but it didn't have that storylike quality, either - I did manage to finish it but only because it was indeed short... ( )

Booktalk: How far would you go to show someone you love him or her? Tattoo her name on your arm? Convert to you true love's religion? Eat a whole Boeing 747 airplane? Thats what Wally Chubb is doing. He's been in love with Willa Wyat ever since she was the only guest to show up at his 10th birthday party. They're grown now, but Willa's still not his girl, and the best way he can think of to get her attention is to eat a 747. So far he's eaten his way through the front of the aircraft, from the nose cone to the cockpit,past the wings all the way to the tail. That's when JJ Smith shows up. He works for the famous Book of Records. His job is to witness and certify records like the longest kiss or the loudest snore. And now he's here because he heard about Wally. The trouble is, while he's in town, JJ also falls in love with Willa Wyatt. Will Wally finally get his girl? Will he finish eating the 747? Or will JJ ruin Wally's lifelong dream? The story of the greatest love is THE MAN WHO ATE THE 747.

It was a interesting read. It's about a Guiness World Records employee who goes to a small town to investigate a man who is slowly consuming a Boeing 747 for a woman he proclaims to love. It was not what I expected. It is from the same author who wrote Charlie St. Cloud. I am anticipating the film ( )

I've had this book for quite a long time and just finished it today. For a "quick" read, it took ages to get through and found that when I picked it up it was without enthusiasm and skipped a lot of it. I think I must have missed something that most of the other reviewers here saw, but it bored me and I found it silly.