Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I was expecting this to be a little more of an expose of life as an air stewardess in the late 1950s/1960s/1970s but it was so much more.
This was a book about trail blazer women in aviation and how the job really was glamorous at one point in history. I had no idea that Pan Am and their staff flew into such dangerous locations, nor about the work they did during the Vietnam War.

This isn't a sleazy book about air hostesses but a detailed and fascinating piece of social history (with just a little bit of the glamour thrown in).
I didn't know much about Pan Am before reading this, apart from the Lockerbie disaster (which isn't covered) but this book was fascinating and I read it cover to cover in a day.

Really interesting!! I liked how organised and methodical the layout of the book was, and how it combined political and historical information with story narrative. I didn't expect to get into this book but I really, really did. Would definitely recommend

Come Fly the World wasn't what I was expecting, yes there is the glamour of Pan Am in its heyday but along with the glamour the ladies who made it through the tough interview process to take to the skies as stewardess found themselves doing so much more, from flying soldiers and orphans from a war torn Vietnam to fighting the sexual inequality they faced in their workplace.

Julia Cooke, along with the first hand accounts of several Pan Am ladies tells a story of inspiring ladies, close escapes and the politics of the time.

A really great read.

I was given a copy of Come Fly the World by NetGalley and the publishers in return for a unbiased review.

Quite a long haul.... In many ways!

This book seemed enormously lengthy, enjoyable throughout, but certainly not a five minute read!
I found the mixture of story telling and historical insight perfectly balanced. I really enjoyed learning about a period of time and American history I was almost entirely ignorant of.
I liked the style of the book, taking individual women and following their journeys before bringing it altogether at the end... Something I wasn't expecting but really appreciated.
I think it gives a genuine and honest insight the development of the hostess/stewardesses role over time without trivialising it and giving it the respect that many of the girls fought for.

A fascinating insight into the early airline industry through the eyes of the women who clamoured to become air stewardesses. Pan Am was one of the biggest and best known airlines operating from the 1950s until its final demise in the early 1990s. This book tells the story of the airline and the women who flew with it, covering the glamour of the early days of air travel, the Vietnam War including the airlift of babies and the fight for equality for women which was gaining momentum during this period. Such an interesting story covering a period of huge change, these women were at the forefront. Highly recommended.

This is an in-depth journey into the world of Pan-Am stewardesses. It focuses on a handful of women and their experiences of the lifestyle and job while explaining the background and world events happening at the same time.

I found it a bit disjointed at times. I’d be engrossed in a story about Lynne and suddenly I was with Karen and I couldn’t remember where I’d left her previously. This is easier to deal with in a real book as you can flick back and forth more easily than in ebooks!

The whole book is interesting but reading about Operation Babylift was quite spectacular. I’d never heard of it before and found it fascinating. I did like that we got to know what happened to most of our main girls in the epilogue, but I wish we’d heard from all of them!

I enjoyed this read into a bygone era and would recommend this friends and family with an interest in aviation and feminism.