Pass the sick bag! Why I published a book on the art of the airline essential
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- Sicko is a self-published book the unnamed author spent most of 2026 producing, scanning hundreds of airline sick bags from Trevor Cunningham's decades-long collection.
- Trevor Cunningham began the collection in 1989 after his 32-year-old boss Peter died of a brain aneurysm at work; clearing Peter's office, Trevor found his boss's own sick bag stash in a desk drawer and carried on the tribute for 37 years.
- Cunningham's archive now numbers more than 150 bags, including rare specimens from defunct carriers Dragonair, Air Berlin, and Varig, with Trevor's written memories printed alongside each one.
- The first print run was just 10 copies, each wrapped in a neon yellow biohazard waste bag — all sold out on day one, prompting a second print run.
- Trevor's recorded memories in the book include watching a worker die by electrocution at a Bhuj, India factory he visited in 2016, and burning through roughly 20 sick bags on a Mumbai-to-Amsterdam flight after drinking unsanitary water.
Why it matters: A deliberately tiny first run of 10 copies sold out in a day, forcing a reprint of what was meant to be a private passion project. For Trevor, the book converts a 37-year private memorial to his late boss Peter into a published artifact; for the author, it confirms that a hyper-niche obsession can find an immediate paying audience.
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