Fly Girl: A Memoir

Written by Ann Hood

Narrated by Ann Hood

An entertaining and fascinating memoir of “gifted storyteller” (People) Ann Hood’s adventurous years as a TWA flight attendant.

In 1978, in the tailwind of the golden age of air travel, flight attendants were the epitome of glamor and sophistication. Fresh out of college and hungry to experience the world?and maybe, one day, write about it?Ann Hood joined their ranks. After a grueling job search, Hood survived TWA’s rigorous Breech Training Academy and learned to evacuate seven kinds of aircraft, deliver a baby, mix proper cocktails, administer oxygen, and stay calm no matter what the situation.

In the air, Hood found both the adventure she’d dreamt of and the unexpected realities of life on the job. She carved chateaubriand in the first-class cabin and dined in front of the pyramids in Cairo, fended off passengers’ advances and found romance on layovers in London and Lisbon, and walked more than a million miles in high heels. She flew through the start of deregulation, an oil crisis, massive furloughs, and a labor strike.

As the airline industry changed around her, Hood began to write?even drafting snatches of her first novel from the jump-seat. She reveals how the job empowered her, despite its roots in sexist standards. Packed with funny, moving, and shocking stories of life as a flight attendant, Fly Girl captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel at its height, and the thrill that remains with every takeoff.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705067741

Ann Hood

Ann Hood was born in Rhode Island. She graduated with a degree in American Literature and worked as a flight attendant for TWA for 8 years. Whilst working as a flight attendant, Ann got a Master's degree from New York University. She lived in NYC until 1993 when she re-met and married someone she knew in high school. Ann had a son, Sam, who is now 13. Her daughter Grace died in 2002 when she was 5; as a result, she adopted a baby from China last year, Annabelle, who is now 2.

Reviews for Fly Girl

[aardvark2_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's a beautifully written love letter to flying.

[Lisa Kilby · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Probably the best - I’m a former Eastern Airlines flight attendant and Ann Hood’s descriptions align with my own memories.

[jonimfisher · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ann Hood achieved her dream job in aviation when she worked at TWA as a flight attendant. She reveals the absurd hiring standards of weight, looks, and such and how challenging it was to work in the sexist environment. She handles her challenges with wit and charm. Her wanderlust suited the perks of the job in the heyday of commercial passenger flight.

[theloislevel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable read about life as a TWA flight attendant just before deregulation and all the experiences that come with travel.

[kayanelson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fly Girl is a memoir by Ann Hood which details life as a flight attendant in the 70s and 80s. She starts with her teenage life and how she made the decision to be a flight attendant. She dies a good job of addressing the feminist issues that people may have had about this type of career. It’s a hard job and it’s an exciting job. I couldn’t put the book down and it does make me sad about all the magic of flying that’s been taken away from us for efficiency and profits sake.

[beamis12 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When I was a pre-teen I wanted to be many different things, mostly influenced by the books I was reading. At one point, after reading about the Saints, seeing the movie,The trouble with angels,and attending Catholic school, I even contemplated becoming a nun. I would have been a horrible nun!Becoming a flight attendant never entered my mind. Made this book all the more fascinating, I knew so little about this career choice. Reading about Ann Hood, her early career as a TWA flight attendant, and the reasons why she so badly wanted and made this choice, was a novel experience.Had no idea all these young women had to learn, how regulated it all was, opened my eyes to just how much they were tasked with, the responsibility they carried. Of course, much has changed, but she discusses these as well. Also interesting how her insights into people, all the travel experiences she had, were all used in her current occupational an author.

[bearette24 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was an interesting look at being a flight attendant for TWA from 1979 to 1996. The sexism of the industry was staggering - one woman was fired for gaining 5 pounds. But the author had many fun adventures around the world as well.

[etxgardener · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a memoir of a former TWA flight attendant, and covers the period from the pre-deregulation 1970’s to the merger wars of the early 2000’s. Ms. Hood presents a realistic portrayal of both the good and the bad sides of the profession – especially the sexist work rules that existed into the 1980’s.