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GIRL in FLIGHT
Girl in Flight by Cat Buchanan is a gripping and poignant memoir that takes readers on a whirlwind journey through the glitz and chaos of Manhattan and Hollywood in the 1960s and early 70s. George and Meyera Buchanan have everything—lavish holidays, private planes, classic cars, and luxury homes—except the one thing they truly a baby. After adopting Cat, their marriage crumbles, igniting a fierce custody battle that spans coast to coast, from Malibu to the Hamptons.
Amid the bitter fight, young Cat is caught in the crossfire, bearing witness to the self-destructive spirals of wealth, ambition, and alcoholism that plague her family. With humor and sharp insight, Cat Buchanan paints a vivid portrait of a life lived on the edges of privilege and dysfunction.
Girl in Flight is a fast-paced, edgy, coming-of-age story that is as entertaining as it is heart-wrenching. A tale of survival and resilience, this unique memoir reveals how one girl navigates a fractured family and finds her own way in a world of extremes. A must-read for fans of memoirs that are both funny and inspiring.
Amid the bitter fight, young Cat is caught in the crossfire, bearing witness to the self-destructive spirals of wealth, ambition, and alcoholism that plague her family. With humor and sharp insight, Cat Buchanan paints a vivid portrait of a life lived on the edges of privilege and dysfunction.
Girl in Flight is a fast-paced, edgy, coming-of-age story that is as entertaining as it is heart-wrenching. A tale of survival and resilience, this unique memoir reveals how one girl navigates a fractured family and finds her own way in a world of extremes. A must-read for fans of memoirs that are both funny and inspiring.
- GenresMemoir
262 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2024
6 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 3, 2024
As I was packing to leave the Frankfurt Book Fair, a lady I had spoken to on several occasions over the previous days pressed her book onto me. “Something to read on the plane.” The book was Girl in Flight, and the lady was Cat Buchanan. It’s a coming of age story that takes us from Cat’s own adoption by two socialites in the early 60s through the mid-1970s, several messy divorces, and shared custody that included travel from Los Angeles to New York City. It’s a story of growing up a privileged outsider who never quite fits in. It’s a story of parenting one’s parents through sex, drugs, and most of all, alcohol addiction.
As I read Cat’s story I saw many similarities to my own life, and while my parents didn’t enjoy the sort of social status Cat’s did, they had a similar need to see and be seen. They carried themselves as if they may have the opportunity to rub shoulders with someone famous at any moment. My parents weren’t actually very good with money, and neither were Cat’s. Another important similarity I saw was that Cat had a dear grandmother who acted as a kind of still point for her while the chaos that was her parents swirled around her. I had two grandmothers like that. There’s a lot to be said for a stalwart grandmother.
I come away from Cat’s story admiring her gift with language, and amused at her wry observations. She points out something I noticed growing up as an only child among adults–we learn to sound like adults at a young age, because that is who we know. This makes it awkward for us to socialize with children of our own age. My heart ached for her as she described the awkwardness of wearing braces. I knew that pain as well.
I recommend this book for lovers of memoir.
It was published by Woodbridge Publishers, 2024. ISBN: 9781068514418
As I read Cat’s story I saw many similarities to my own life, and while my parents didn’t enjoy the sort of social status Cat’s did, they had a similar need to see and be seen. They carried themselves as if they may have the opportunity to rub shoulders with someone famous at any moment. My parents weren’t actually very good with money, and neither were Cat’s. Another important similarity I saw was that Cat had a dear grandmother who acted as a kind of still point for her while the chaos that was her parents swirled around her. I had two grandmothers like that. There’s a lot to be said for a stalwart grandmother.
I come away from Cat’s story admiring her gift with language, and amused at her wry observations. She points out something I noticed growing up as an only child among adults–we learn to sound like adults at a young age, because that is who we know. This makes it awkward for us to socialize with children of our own age. My heart ached for her as she described the awkwardness of wearing braces. I knew that pain as well.
I recommend this book for lovers of memoir.
It was published by Woodbridge Publishers, 2024. ISBN: 9781068514418
July 31, 2025
A GIRL IN FLIGHT by Cat Buchanan
A GIRL IN FLIGHT by Cat Buchanan
Girl in flight is a tale of an eccentric, monied and dysfunctional US family. George and Meyera have everything money could buy and when they marry, life could not be more perfect, except for the child which they failed to conceive. With money, that is not a problem and with a click of a finger, a baby was adopted.
The lavishness of the gilded couple’s lifestyle is eye watering and the narrative name checks flashy establishments, which for the UK reader, one may not recognise but you get the gist. Whilst Meyera, with motherhood, becomes more responsible, George continues his hedonistic lifestyle and the marriage crumbles; the father returning to the East and her mother remaining in California with Meyera's mother, the author’s grandmother. Hence, the title of the book, Girl in Flight – the story of a child with two homes, one on the glitzy, glamourous West Coast, the other in the snobby, clubby, slightly anti-Semitic East.
Some of the tales make one laugh out loud and the author’s life is chaotic, with her mother turning to drink, yet saved by a walk on army of friends and a stepmother, all of whom come and go.
Strangely, there is never a feeling that the author is neglected, thanks to the lodgers who step in when her mother fails to feed her and to the therapeutic effects of her sporty lifestyle. Still, there remains a sense of loss. Changes in circumstances means loss of friends, a beloved stepmother and new sister, whilst her mother loses the chances of new loves. The self-interested cruelty of her father and grandmother is sad to read. The extraordinary circumstances of the author’s upbringing do not act as a deterrent, however. It gives the her a resilience which shapes her character and turns her into the formidable entertainment lawyer which she becomes.
Girl in flight is a must read, full of humour and proof that the most difficult upbringings can produce strong individuals.
A GIRL IN FLIGHT by Cat Buchanan
Girl in flight is a tale of an eccentric, monied and dysfunctional US family. George and Meyera have everything money could buy and when they marry, life could not be more perfect, except for the child which they failed to conceive. With money, that is not a problem and with a click of a finger, a baby was adopted.
The lavishness of the gilded couple’s lifestyle is eye watering and the narrative name checks flashy establishments, which for the UK reader, one may not recognise but you get the gist. Whilst Meyera, with motherhood, becomes more responsible, George continues his hedonistic lifestyle and the marriage crumbles; the father returning to the East and her mother remaining in California with Meyera's mother, the author’s grandmother. Hence, the title of the book, Girl in Flight – the story of a child with two homes, one on the glitzy, glamourous West Coast, the other in the snobby, clubby, slightly anti-Semitic East.
Some of the tales make one laugh out loud and the author’s life is chaotic, with her mother turning to drink, yet saved by a walk on army of friends and a stepmother, all of whom come and go.
Strangely, there is never a feeling that the author is neglected, thanks to the lodgers who step in when her mother fails to feed her and to the therapeutic effects of her sporty lifestyle. Still, there remains a sense of loss. Changes in circumstances means loss of friends, a beloved stepmother and new sister, whilst her mother loses the chances of new loves. The self-interested cruelty of her father and grandmother is sad to read. The extraordinary circumstances of the author’s upbringing do not act as a deterrent, however. It gives the her a resilience which shapes her character and turns her into the formidable entertainment lawyer which she becomes.
Girl in flight is a must read, full of humour and proof that the most difficult upbringings can produce strong individuals.
September 18, 2025
Cat Buchanans Girl in Flight not only transports the reader back into her own youth as a precocious child of the 1960s adopted into worlds of both privacy and privilege but also reveals the burdens , flaws and foibles of the upper classes seemingly always looking to uphold certain standards and reaching for higher status and position.
Her carefully constructed sentences and descriptions of being shuttled between divorced Adoptive Parents , their separate East and West coast rotating domiciles,as well as respective family histories deepens with her own maturity into adolescence and teenage years of the 1970s era.
Ms. Buchanan gives the reader a peak not only into the sometimes heartbreaking reality of a bright only child observing the absurdities of adults constrained by cultural conventions, but also the textured boozy and cigarette burnt fabric of imperfect people encumbered by their own trappings and human suffering.
Amazingly her narrative voice never seems to present
as a victim , but instead more like an upbeat wise old soul brought into these people lives to give them the opportunity to look for alternatives to the mundane existence of indentured capitalism and its limitations.
Like her own lighthearted and articulate narrator voice , the stories don’t get bogged down ,but keeps the reader hopping from Coast to Coast with the wind at one’s back , uplifting and Free.
Her carefully constructed sentences and descriptions of being shuttled between divorced Adoptive Parents , their separate East and West coast rotating domiciles,as well as respective family histories deepens with her own maturity into adolescence and teenage years of the 1970s era.
Ms. Buchanan gives the reader a peak not only into the sometimes heartbreaking reality of a bright only child observing the absurdities of adults constrained by cultural conventions, but also the textured boozy and cigarette burnt fabric of imperfect people encumbered by their own trappings and human suffering.
Amazingly her narrative voice never seems to present
as a victim , but instead more like an upbeat wise old soul brought into these people lives to give them the opportunity to look for alternatives to the mundane existence of indentured capitalism and its limitations.
Like her own lighthearted and articulate narrator voice , the stories don’t get bogged down ,but keeps the reader hopping from Coast to Coast with the wind at one’s back , uplifting and Free.
March 9, 2025
Girl in Flight is a raw and deeply moving memoir that takes readers on an unforgettable journey through trauma, survival, and self-discovery. With striking honesty, Cat Buchanan shares her life’s most defining moments—navigating Hollywood’s glamour and Hampstead’s quiet streets, all while confronting the ghosts of her past.
This book isn’t just about overcoming hardship; it’s about reclaiming one’s narrative and finding strength in the most unexpected places. Buchanan’s writing is intimate and evocative, making you feel every triumph and heartbreak alongside her.
For anyone who loves memoirs that are bold, poignant, and profoundly human, Girl in Flight is a must-read. 📖💫
This book isn’t just about overcoming hardship; it’s about reclaiming one’s narrative and finding strength in the most unexpected places. Buchanan’s writing is intimate and evocative, making you feel every triumph and heartbreak alongside her.
For anyone who loves memoirs that are bold, poignant, and profoundly human, Girl in Flight is a must-read. 📖💫
June 10, 2025
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up GIRL in FLIGHT, but wow – it completely pulled me in. The writing is sharp, funny, and full of heart. I found myself genuinely caring about the main character and her journey. There’s a raw honesty to the storytelling that makes it feel incredibly real, but it’s also full of clever, laugh-out-loud moments. It struck that perfect balance between emotional depth and humour – something that’s surprisingly rare. It’s been a while since a book made me both laugh and think this much!
May 29, 2025
I'm only partway through Girl in Flight by Cat Buchanan, but wow—it’s already pulling me in. The mix of glamor and chaos in 1960s Manhattan and Hollywood is wild, and Cat’s voice is sharp, funny, and so honest. Even without knowing the whole story yet, you can feel the tension and heart in every chapter. It’s one of those memoirs that makes you laugh, wince, and root for the author all at once. Can’t wait to see where the rest of her journey goes!
January 30, 2025
Girl in Flight is the most engaging memoir I’ve read in decades. Cat Buchanan’s experience of being raised in affluent yet challenging circumstances held my attention from the first to last page, and remains in both heart and mind. I love this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a transporting read.
May 9, 2025
After meeting Cat at a 2024 conference, I eagerly awaited her memoir. "Girl in Flight" delivers everything I hoped for—a captivating journey through a privileged yet troubled childhood split between coasts. Buchanan's sharp humor and authentic voice transform personal trauma into a universal tale of survival, creating a memoir that's both entertaining and deeply moving. Her compassionate prose makes this an unforgettable read. Thank you, Cat, for sharing your story with the world!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews