Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant’s Talesof Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000Feet by Elliott Hester

All but the most frequent of flyers would findwhat Elliott Hester went through on the jobcompletely unfathomable. As a flightattendant for over fifteen years, Hester was inthe frontline of public drunkenness, panickedabuse and dubious co-workers, and retellshis adventures with plenty of wit and humour.His recollections are often laugh-out-loudhilarious, told with a page-turning pace thatmakes this book a great read for aviationenthusiasts and armchair travellers alike.

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffinwww.stmartins.com

Airline: Identity, Design and Culture by Keith Lovegrove

Lurid colour-schemes, unimaginable luxury,and retro-cool fashions adorn the pages ofthis meticulously constructed coffee tablebook. Lovegrove traces the evolution of airtravel through uniforms, food and airlineinteriors, documenting the glamour of theearly jet age and capturing the romance onceassociated with taking to the skies. It’s afascinating pictorial journey, evoking plenty ofmemories and even more wanderlust. Peekinside a cross section of the ponderouslyimpractical Imperial Airways Flying Boat, withits sleeping berth, promenade deck andsmoking cabin, and reminisce about the littledisposable salt and pepper shakers that usedto accompany your meal. The glorioushistorical pictures are accompanied by well-researched and informative text, making for awonderful addition to your design or aviationlibrary.

Publisher: Te Neues Publishing Companywww.teneues.de

Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones

Written as if events unfold over just twenty-four hours, Air Babylon strains the edges ofbelievability, leaving you wondering just howmuch of this must be fiction. It’s not just thetime constraints, either. From corpses loadedonto drinks carts to boorish passengershaving their food tampered with by incensedflight attendants, Edwards-Jones retells theexperience of working in the industry with acondescending and spiteful tone. Some of thein-flight horror stories are amusing, and partsof the book make for a mildly fun read. But ifyou can’t spot the fabrications amongst thesometimes shocking tales, you may never flyagain. It’s a reminder to be courteous toground staff and flight attendants at all times,or suffer the consequences.

Publisher: Transworldwww.booksattransworld.co.ukAir Babylon is available at Newslinkstores throughout Melbourne Airport for$24.95.

Ask the Pilot by Patrick Smith

Not just for nervous flyers, although they willfind solace in these pages, this primer wasintended to demystify the wonders of flight,and it works a treat. Smith adopts a Q&Astyle to address some of the most commonconcerns and curiosities about air travel, andemploys a writing style that’s straightshooting and easily understood. His passionfor the skies and considerable knowledge ofthe mechanics of flying are an addictivecombination. This is definitely the kind ofbook you can’t put down. Smith’s a wittybloke, as entertaining as he is informative,making this book the perfect companion onyour next long-haul flight.

Publisher: Riverhead Tradewww.penguingroup.com

Design for Impactby Eric Ericson and Johan Pihl

“Loosen your collar and tie…but keep yourclothes on” advises the Pan American WorldAirways safety card for the Boeing B-377Stratocruiser. Good advice.

The visual information medium that isairline safety cards has been lovinglydocumented in this compendium tracing civilaviation from its beginnings to the presentday. Reproductions of safety cards from bothforgotten and famous aircraft models andairlines make for a fascinating, andsometimes amusing, coffee table book. Thereare 160 full colour illustrations, includingairlines such as Iberia, Air Ceylon, Iran Air,Qantas and Lufthansa. The makes include theDe Havilland Comet, Douglas DC-8, LockheedConstellation, Boeing 707 and Concorde. Theflash website is also fantastic, with rugs,trays, and t-shirts available to buy featuringgraphically stunning grabs from the book.

www.designforimpact.com

Publishers: Laurence King Publishing (UK)www.laurenceking.co.ukPrinceton Architectural Press (US)www.papress.com

Coffee, Tea or Me? The UninhibitedMemoirs of Two Airline Stewardesses by Trudy Baker and Rachel Jones

Although attributed to Trudy Baker andRachel Jones, this 1968 classic was actuallywritten by Donald Bain, who utilised the twoaforementioned stewardesses to promote thebook to international success as a behind-the-scenes tell all of life at 30,000ft. Thisnovel chronicles the high flying lifestyle andlusty escapades of two flight attendants inthe swinging 60’s and offers a glimpse intothe golden era before economicrationalisation made air travel feel like littlemore than a glorified bus trip. It’s a super-kitsch romp through the skies, full ofappalling stereotypes and unabashedmisogyny, yet holding up as a retro-readwithout comparison.

Publisher: Penguin www.penguingroup.com

Come fly with me...Behind-the-scenes books about air travel can offer a fascinating glimpse into life in the

skies. Featuring stories about deranged passengers, answers to your how-does-it-work

questions, and glamorous snaps of in-flight dining in the 1960’s, here’s a selection of

books to pack in your bag and read at 30,000 ft.