Looking for your next read? Check out Come Fly the World by Julia Cooke, reviewed by Fulco Library staff, Meredith L.
Come Fly the World focuses on several flight attendants and their careers in aviation throughout the 60’s and 70’s. It details the hiring and training process and the strict dress code and physical requirements each woman had to adhere to. Today these practices would be considered completely unacceptable but at the time, women were willing to overlook the short uniforms and the specific makeup and hair requirements for a chance to travel the world.
Travel was still considered a luxury. People dressed up, sipped cocktails in the first class lounges, and enjoyed meals served on real china. However, since Pan Am had routes all over the world it was inevitable that some flights would be caught up in current events. A large portion of this books discusses the role of the stewardesses in the Vietnam War. Most of the women featured in the book worked flights taking soldiers away from the war zone for much needed R & R. Particularly interesting is the description of flights that evacuated children after the fall of Saigon.
While the engaging cover of this book may make you think it is all about the glamour of air travel, the story delves deeper, focusing on how the lives of these women were changed in different ways by their experiences in the air.
Check out Come Fly the World on Libby, or from your branch's shelves with your library card today!
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This post is for educational purposes and the contents are not endorsed by the Fulton County Library System or Fulton County Government.
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