Much more goes into being a flight attendant than most people think and Poole, a flight attendant and popular blogger, gives readers the hilarious nitty-gritty details of a life spent in the sky. Starting out at the now defunct charter airline Sun Jet after college, Poole never considered being a flight attendant as a career option. But at her mother’s urging, she applied to a major airline, was hired, and has worked steadily ever since, surviving the rigorous training camp run with military precision (one false step could send you packing) and soon found herself at her first cabin service. Equally fascinating are Poole’s tales of what happens in the hours between flights, particularly in the cramped apartments known as “crash pads” that are more akin to dormitories than real living spaces, where the houses’ rosters are constantly in flux. Based out of New York, Poole describes a series of hilariously unappealing “pads” in Queens—chosen because of its proximity to JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark airports—and her fellow flight attendants, not to mention their often unscrupulous landlords. The snapshots of testy—or downright bizarre—travelers’ exploits ring particularly true because Poole doesn’t inundate the reader with so many that they all blur together. Whether you’re a frequent or once-a-year flier, there’s something for everyone in this witty tell-all. (Mar.)