Behind the Smile During the Glamour Years of Aviation

As an international flight attendant in 1960s, Wolverton writes about terrifying episodes in war zones -- both in Vietnam and Egypt during the infamous 6-Day War with Israel. She describes babies born during flight, violent passengers, sexual escapades, and harrowing landings.

It was a more innocent and glamorous time of travel, when passengers dressed formally, smoking was permitted, and the captain allowed in-flight visits to the cockpit. But there was another side to the flight attendant's profession. It was also hard, sometimes unglamorous, and often dangerous work. Stories are set in such exotic locales as Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, France, Germany, England, The Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, and Egypt during the infamous 6-Day War with Israel. BEHIND THE SMILE takes us on a roller coaster ride of laughter and drama, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at the joys and heartaches of working in the airline industry during its most glamorous era.

Bobbi Phelps Wolverton grew up in Connecticut and joined the airline industry after graduating from the University of California at Berkeley. She flew internationally for 8 years during the late 1960s and early 1970s. With a degree in art history, Wolverton worked as a photographer and copywriter and started the Angler’s Calendar and Catalog Company in 1975. The calendars sold to thirty foreign countries and her business won Exporter of the Year for the State of Idaho (1993 small company category). She was a 20-year member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Her articles graced numerous sport magazines and catalogs worldwide. Wolverton’s book writing career begins with BEHIND THE SMILE (During the Glamour Years of Aviation).