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Around the World in a Bad Mood!: Confessions of a Flight Attendant
This hilarious book confronts every aspect of a flight attendant's absurd world--from the endless array of passenger demands, to the secret language of flight attendants, and a unique version of the Safety Demo Shuffle. Fasten your seatbelt and prepare yourself for a side-splitting perspective on the trials and tribulations of air travel.
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
February 9, 2019
It was a nice little one-time read about the life of a flight attendant. I really like these real-life stories. They might not be great literary pieces, but you have to applaud the effort of a person who is not a professional writer to write and sell an interesting whole more than 200 page book about their lives. Also, they must have had really interesting lives! You learn so much about life in general, from this genre.
More than the book, I liked the author herself. She seems like a person I would love to be around. Not that my entitlement to this opinion matters, but I would enjoy her hanging around. Her sense of humour isn't in her writing i.e., not in the way Wodehouse strings words into sentences together, but in her personality and that gives it authenticity and relatability. This is an old book and many like this have been written since which might make this one seem a bit derivative in style but keep in mind that this structure was written in 1998 and thus, is one of the inspiration-books about the life of flight attendants and thus other books of the kind which followed. And yes, although I think I am a well behaved and not too demanding a passenger but now will respect my FAs more when aboard at each step, and at each glance too. So all in all a useful and convincing rant Rene Foss! Good job!
I would have given this book 3.5 stars and am usually quite liberal. But 4 stars seemed a bit much and 3 stars a little less, as compared to other books in this genre. Goodreads should allow the #.5 setting NOW.
Now that was me being very critical. This is a book I would definitely recommend to improve your mood if you are having as shitty week, as I was this week, and you want either to laugh or be a saddist and feel good that someone else suffers as you do too, or both. It is oddly comforting either way! :P
Happy reading! :)
More than the book, I liked the author herself. She seems like a person I would love to be around. Not that my entitlement to this opinion matters, but I would enjoy her hanging around. Her sense of humour isn't in her writing i.e., not in the way Wodehouse strings words into sentences together, but in her personality and that gives it authenticity and relatability. This is an old book and many like this have been written since which might make this one seem a bit derivative in style but keep in mind that this structure was written in 1998 and thus, is one of the inspiration-books about the life of flight attendants and thus other books of the kind which followed. And yes, although I think I am a well behaved and not too demanding a passenger but now will respect my FAs more when aboard at each step, and at each glance too. So all in all a useful and convincing rant Rene Foss! Good job!
I would have given this book 3.5 stars and am usually quite liberal. But 4 stars seemed a bit much and 3 stars a little less, as compared to other books in this genre. Goodreads should allow the #.5 setting NOW.
Now that was me being very critical. This is a book I would definitely recommend to improve your mood if you are having as shitty week, as I was this week, and you want either to laugh or be a saddist and feel good that someone else suffers as you do too, or both. It is oddly comforting either way! :P
Happy reading! :)
August 23, 2007
It’s pity I wasn’t reading this while on an airplane. I could’ve called up a flight attendant and ask if “I’ll be right back” really is flight attendant lingo for “F you”. I’m disappointed with this book. I was hoping for something funny and witty, with inside tips on what goes on behind the airlines. With the exception of the first chapter, I wasn’t laughing, and I ended up reading this book in a bad mood. The author is a wannabe actress who became a flight attendant with a lot of pushing and pulling from dear ol’ Dad. Memoirs do tend to be disjointed and disorganized, but this book stretched the limit! After the half way mark, there is no organization. Each chapter seems to have been written on a whim and what the author could come up with at the moment. We get sarcasm, typical anecdotes of delayed flights and passengers in a bad mood. There really isn’t anything that someone with a brain and who has traveled at least once instinctively knows about what being a flight attendant might be like. Rene Foss does not like her job, and she wants to be in show buiz, and it shows. At least it’s an easy, light read. (Get it used or from a library if you will.)
March 4, 2010
This book got me through my last trip with all its mechanical delays, deicing, missed approaches, bad alternate hotels, short overnights, disgruntled and downright mean passengers with a smile on my face. I had seen her perform the one-woman show a few years ago before I was a flight attendant, and it was quite funny, but now, being on the inside, HILARIOUS!
March 14, 2022
A little gem
I was rereading Frank Abagnale Jr.'S _Catch Me if You Can_, a wonderful book if you liked the movie, and Amazon recommended this ritter. It's a wonderful l lighthearted look at the lives of airline employees, and a good book for relaxing at the end of the day.
I was rereading Frank Abagnale Jr.'S _Catch Me if You Can_, a wonderful book if you liked the movie, and Amazon recommended this ritter. It's a wonderful l lighthearted look at the lives of airline employees, and a good book for relaxing at the end of the day.
February 13, 2008
GREAT BOOK! I can totally relate, LOL! Especailly how to tell a passenger to F off, you smile real big and say "I'll be right back!" LOL!
February 11, 2008
Peed my pants. Read it!!
August 16, 2008
The author writes well and is very funny! An enjoyable, quick and easy read!
July 21, 2019
Well, I wouldn't call it "side-splitting" or "hilarious" the way the the blurbs did. Amusing, yes. Familiar, definitely. Sarcastic for sure. Even informative. I definitely knew that the life of a flight attendant is a thankless one. And I have been appalled at the behavior of my fellow humans on airplanes. I didn't realize all of the job politics and demands they had to deal with. I will try to be a more responsible and respectful traveler in the future.
July 5, 2015
If you have flown in the past 20 years, and are remotely human, you know that flight attendants have one of the hardest jobs in the world. They are required to be heroes and garbage pickers, diplomatic with drunks and kind to children traveling alone, knowledgeable about the food and drinks they are serving and able to drop everything and perform first aid.
And they do this while trapped with a bunch of usually needy, often pushy strangers--including, frequently, the people with whom they are working--for up to 10 hours at a time with no place to hide.
It's a hard job. No wonder Foss is in a bad mood: she didn't even want the job! It was supposed to be a stepping-stone to her acting career. Sixteen years later and a few appearances on soap operas, she's still waiting for her "big break" on stage. On the other hand, you can see that she actually doesn't mind her job, and has a very good attitude toward it. She never lambastes the pilots (which was a bit of a shock) and for the most part the passengers are not dealt with rudely.
She really only nails the airline (unnamed) she works for and some of the more egregiously psychotic passengers. We can all think of people on certain flights who really should be let off at the next ocean over which the plane flies.
She has written this from a stage show she has put together in New York--it sounds like it's off-off-off-off-Broadway. Very episodic, no real timeline involved, lots of quick shifts in perspective and topic.
I like this book. It's easy, it's amusing and it's a quick read.
And they do this while trapped with a bunch of usually needy, often pushy strangers--including, frequently, the people with whom they are working--for up to 10 hours at a time with no place to hide.
It's a hard job. No wonder Foss is in a bad mood: she didn't even want the job! It was supposed to be a stepping-stone to her acting career. Sixteen years later and a few appearances on soap operas, she's still waiting for her "big break" on stage. On the other hand, you can see that she actually doesn't mind her job, and has a very good attitude toward it. She never lambastes the pilots (which was a bit of a shock) and for the most part the passengers are not dealt with rudely.
She really only nails the airline (unnamed) she works for and some of the more egregiously psychotic passengers. We can all think of people on certain flights who really should be let off at the next ocean over which the plane flies.
She has written this from a stage show she has put together in New York--it sounds like it's off-off-off-off-Broadway. Very episodic, no real timeline involved, lots of quick shifts in perspective and topic.
I like this book. It's easy, it's amusing and it's a quick read.
February 25, 2018
This is probably the third time I've read this book, and although it lags in certain chapters it is highly entertaining. Rene Foss finished this book just a few days before 9/11. And as bad as air travel was, it has gotten much worse. Right after 9/11 the passengers were attentive and friendly. And although most passengers are wonderful, there is just that one (or ten) who will try to make your life miserable if you let them.
Although flight crews will enjoy this book, I would recommend it to the passengers as a manual on how to behave on a flight.
Although flight crews will enjoy this book, I would recommend it to the passengers as a manual on how to behave on a flight.
January 20, 2008
this was a great book about being a flight attendant. it was a very easy, funny read- that both passengers and flight attendants would enjoy. she wrote it before 9/11 but so much of the stuff continues. same crazy questions, same bad airlines. lol.
February 1, 2008
This book was friggin hilarious. I just wrote a whole review about it, and my computer erased it. But if you get a chance, it's a quick read, and gives a lot of insight to the life of a flight attendant. Too funny.
August 3, 2011
Very funny and light read about the world of airlines.
August 18, 2013
really enjoyed this book, makes me love my job even more :-)
June 14, 2014
This author is just not a very good writer. There's nothing engaging about her writing and the stories she recounts aren't particularly funny or original. Yep: DNF.
January 5, 2018
This was my first book this 2018 and boy, was it apt reading for the post-2017 hangover. The title says it all: cranky flight attendant writes about her extensive experience with unscrupulous airlines and their less-than-perfect passengers. "Around the World in a Bad Mood" is not Great Literature, nor is it trying to be. There are typos and mis-uses of words and some shallow sentiments. But there were also (what I considered to be) very nuanced observations on human nature and the effect society-at-large can have on us all.
If you're looking for lofty prose and dizzying plot twists, this is not the book for you. This book will satisfy and amuse you for a time if you're simply looking to shut your brain off and indulge in a good gripe fest. Also, there's a reasonably delightful chapter about passengers involved in a Shakespearean tussle over first-class seating.
If you're looking for lofty prose and dizzying plot twists, this is not the book for you. This book will satisfy and amuse you for a time if you're simply looking to shut your brain off and indulge in a good gripe fest. Also, there's a reasonably delightful chapter about passengers involved in a Shakespearean tussle over first-class seating.
February 24, 2018
I think as a non-flightattendant you should read this book. I would say it's a must. Maybe it will open your eyes a little bit more about this rough job & you will think your behaviour over the next time you enter an airplane.
Some parts are very funny.
For me it was a very quick read and not so damn entertaining because I am a Flightattendant and I know most of it. I have been in a lot of situations which Rene Foss is describing in her book. But I have to admit almost everything is true .. beeing a Flightattendant isn't glamorous, it's a tough job but in the end you end up in this job until your pension. And know what? For most of us it's so worth it! All the travels, all the nice people .. so always remember if you are nice to the crew, the crew will try their best to make that flight one of your best experiences.
Some parts are very funny.
For me it was a very quick read and not so damn entertaining because I am a Flightattendant and I know most of it. I have been in a lot of situations which Rene Foss is describing in her book. But I have to admit almost everything is true .. beeing a Flightattendant isn't glamorous, it's a tough job but in the end you end up in this job until your pension. And know what? For most of us it's so worth it! All the travels, all the nice people .. so always remember if you are nice to the crew, the crew will try their best to make that flight one of your best experiences.
December 10, 2017
Anyone satisfied with ‘lowering their standards’ for minimal service will find loads of humor in this memoir. I related well to the mother’s memory of what ‘once upon a time’ air travel was like. Expectations were high. This was a 'hold your breath upscale and proper' day and time. Everyone behaved... stewardesses and passengers alike. Amazingly however, it was through the numerous sardonic observations where I realized the bold...and truly shrewd... airline strategy. Poor class pay for coach service. Middle class pay for first class service. And the wealthy fly private jets... or don’t fly at all. Novel.
October 15, 2018
Reading this book during my flight was fun! I thought it was a bit weird that there are some songs and texts of a play mixed into the text, but apperently the book is based on a play Foss wrote about her time as a flight attended. It was nice to read about some behind the scenes stuff, especially while traveling.
May 24, 2020
From my teen who read that book:
Overall this was a good book. It was very humorous and educational.
I learned that the job has also changed a lot over the years and that passenger are not always nice at all.
As the Mom and a former FA I of course agree with how much has changed and how crazy any profession can be that deals with the public and many different personalities.
Overall this was a good book. It was very humorous and educational.
I learned that the job has also changed a lot over the years and that passenger are not always nice at all.
As the Mom and a former FA I of course agree with how much has changed and how crazy any profession can be that deals with the public and many different personalities.
December 5, 2022
The writing isn't going to change lives or anything, but it's chock full of delicious horror stories!
The very last pages were written right after 9/11. That was poignant.
It was very interesting to see what has changed and what has not changed in the 20 years since this was published. One thing that will never change...
When on a plane... KEEP YOUR SHOES ON.
The very last pages were written right after 9/11. That was poignant.
It was very interesting to see what has changed and what has not changed in the 20 years since this was published. One thing that will never change...
When on a plane... KEEP YOUR SHOES ON.
December 26, 2024
The tone of voice didn't really appeal to me. Foss came across as catty and whiny to me. My husband is a pilot, and I regularly have to listen to him griping about life in the air. So I guess a lot of this book felt overly familiar to me even if the perspective was slightly different. I will say I'm glad I never fulfilled my childhood dream of becoming a flight attendant!
December 20, 2018
This book was ok, I've read other books written by flight attendants that are better. It wasn't as funny as I had hoped and I didn't like all the exclamation marks (!) And I'm in the industry and I know there is better material out there to write about
April 28, 2023
Just a trifle about the working life of a flight attendant. What amazed me is that even though this was written pre 9/11, nothing has really changed. Same issues, same stock passenger horrors as today. Good fun for a fast read.
May 21, 2024
¡Encantador y entretenido! Las historias son diversas, llenas de humor, drama y aventura. Cada capitulo algo diferente e inesperado relatado de una manera peculiar. Muy recomendado para cargar en tu mochila
April 26, 2021
2.5 stars. This book was an amusing and fast read. It wasn’t very well written and a shameless plug for her show.
July 13, 2024
A great one to read on holiday, got me laughing out loud a few times, very interesting dive into the world of a cabin crew staff, many years ago.
April 25, 2025
I was hoping for something a little more light-hearted, but it felt just like terrible whiny complaining. There were a few humorous moments, but the author kinda just rubbed me the wrong way.
Want to read
June 2, 2025Cutting is for Boarding: A Shakespearean
Tragedy
By Renee Foss
Tragedy
By Renee Foss
August 28, 2015
Rene Foss has always dreamed of becoming an actress. Instead of acting, however, she winds up becoming a flight attendant, at first planning on flying in her spare time between jobs but eventually becoming a full-time career. Partly because her heart was never in the job and partly because of the shit she has to deal with on a daily basis from rude passengers, she laughingly refers to her time in the airline industry as traveling “Around the World in a Bad Mood.”
I am a pretty frequent flier, and I like to think of myself as relatively savvy when it comes to the nuances of air travel. I also have read the fantastic Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones, which really opened my eyes to some of the innermost secrets of the airline industry. With that being said, Around the World in a Bad Mood didn’t offer me much information that I didn’t already know. It mainly consisted of Rene Foss whining about all the crap she deals with on a daily basis. Which, granted, is quite a bit, given how brutal the industry is, but it wasn’t conducive to a great story.
Adding in the theatrical skills she never got to use in her airline career, at regular intervals in the book she includes little songs about the crazy situations she encounters on the job, which were kind of awkward. I’ve heard she took this book and created a theatrical production based on it, though, which I’m sure is probably more entertaining than reading the jingles she included in here.
Don’t get me wrong - this book wasn’t horrible, it just wasn’t a very enjoyable read. It was also quite outdated, and even with it being published in 2002, I was surprised nothing was stated about the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and how that impacted air travel. It might be a worthy read for someone who is getting started in the airline industry, as it deals with the application and training process quite a bit, but being published over a decade ago, it’s hard to say if it’s really all that similar to what modern flight attendants deal with.
For anyone interested in reading a book about the airline industry for kicks and giggles, I would definitely recommend Air Babylon over this.
I am a pretty frequent flier, and I like to think of myself as relatively savvy when it comes to the nuances of air travel. I also have read the fantastic Air Babylon by Imogen Edwards-Jones, which really opened my eyes to some of the innermost secrets of the airline industry. With that being said, Around the World in a Bad Mood didn’t offer me much information that I didn’t already know. It mainly consisted of Rene Foss whining about all the crap she deals with on a daily basis. Which, granted, is quite a bit, given how brutal the industry is, but it wasn’t conducive to a great story.
Adding in the theatrical skills she never got to use in her airline career, at regular intervals in the book she includes little songs about the crazy situations she encounters on the job, which were kind of awkward. I’ve heard she took this book and created a theatrical production based on it, though, which I’m sure is probably more entertaining than reading the jingles she included in here.
Don’t get me wrong - this book wasn’t horrible, it just wasn’t a very enjoyable read. It was also quite outdated, and even with it being published in 2002, I was surprised nothing was stated about the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and how that impacted air travel. It might be a worthy read for someone who is getting started in the airline industry, as it deals with the application and training process quite a bit, but being published over a decade ago, it’s hard to say if it’s really all that similar to what modern flight attendants deal with.
For anyone interested in reading a book about the airline industry for kicks and giggles, I would definitely recommend Air Babylon over this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews