The World At My Feet: The True And Sometimes Hilarious Adventures Of A Lady Airline Captain

Rating:
Summary: An interesting and fun book
Review: As a non-pilot aviation enthusiast I've long thought how great it would be for an airline pilot to write a "behind the scenes" account of becoming an airline Captain. Meryl Getline has done it.

This book was a lot of fun to read, partly for the information about being a pilot but largely because of the sense of adventure and enthusiasm the author reveals in the writing.

There is a strong message throughout the book that one should never back away from pursuing one's dream and Getline's life is a great example of a life lived by this philosophy. As one of the first women to become an airline captain, she faced many obstacles and it was interesting to hear of the awful barriers she faced along her career path and to read of her unwillingness to accept the word "no" which she heard often along her career quest.

I was particularly interested in her accounts of creatively worming her way into free flight time and literally "bumming" all over the world by air during her younger years. Her personality and enthusiasm were the key elements in all these adventures and I truly enjoyed every chapter.

I recommend the book to anyone who is an aviation enthusiast who wants to read an inspiring and fun autobiographical account of becoming a pilot.

Rating:
Summary: Inspiring!!
Review: For anyone who has ever had a dream to do what they are passionate about.... this book exemplifies the determination and tenacity it takes to accomplish what may seem like the impossible. Meryl's book is well organized, fun to read, and leaves the reader with a sense of awe. The photos in the center of the book put names and places with faces and images. Join Meryl as she walks you through her life and amazing experiences that lead to her dream job of one of the first female airline captains!!

Rating:
Summary: Perseverance
Review: I love stories of people who seek adventure, struggle against the odds, and do it all with an impish sense of humor. Meryl's story almost reads as if it were a screen play, full of twists, fate, and occasional suspense. The blimp story is a riot. I read the book in one sitting, and recommend it to anyone, whether they are an aviation buff or not.

Rating:
Summary: A great story of grit and determination!!
Review: I ran across Meryl's website (www.fromthecockpit.com) and then just had to read her book. Meryl's true story of how she persevered to become a United Airlines Captain in the male dominated industry of commercial aviation. She meets some amazing and very famous people along the way, gets through a stint in the Army and all I can think is that it would make a great movie!! It's a fast read so savor each chapter or read it a second time like I did. Way to go Meryl!!

Rating:
Summary: The World At My Feet: The True (and Sometimes Hilarious Adve
Review: I received Cap'n Meryl's book for Christmas and read it through before New Year's Day. As a student pilot, I am inspired by Meryl to keep working toward my goal to get my private pilot's license. I've left it a little long to go as far as she has in her career, but younger pilots-male or female-will learn much from her experience. I recommend this book to those who fly and those who love to fly. You'll feel like you were right there with her through all her adventures!

Anne in Colorado Springs

Rating:
Summary: Up, Up and Away!
Review: This book was a page-turner for me! Meryl has energy, passion and purpose--a dynamite combination. She tells her story in a breezy, humorous way, which makes for fun and interesting reading. It just proves what one can accomplish when one is totally focused on the goal...she knew from a young age that she MUST become a commercial pilot...at the time, probably sounded like Noah wanting to build an ark in the middle of the long draught. She has inspired me!

Rating:
Summary: Great story of TENACIOUSNESS but LACKS Aviation content !
Review: This is a hilarious and interesting story of how one woman overcame all the naysayers, stayed the course and went over/around all the obstacles to achieve her dream of becoming an airline pilot.

UPSIDE :
The narrative is funny and there is no dearth of amusing and interesting incidents - camel stepping on her army hat in Turkey, being chased by "Beach Police" in Iran, crawling out of the plane mid-air to retrieve her flight logbook during a flight in Alaska. But above all, this is a textbook on having the grit and determination to stay the course and achieve one's dreams NO MATTER WHAT !

DOWNSIDE :
As an aviation enthusiast, I found the text was lacking in technical details. This is probably due to the fact that the book is aimed at a general audience - A Big plus for all others but those who are keenly interested in aviation. Also, the book suddenly finishes off after Meryl gets a job with United. There's only one chapter after she becomes employed with United. I think this is because she's currently employed with United and is forbade to divulge any interesting details of her current stint with United. Now, that's a big reason to go for the sequel after she retires from United !

TO SUMMARIZE, this is a must-read for all types of audience, especially women, as a textbook on "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP" but don't expect any meaty aviation content in it !

Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars for Captain Meryl!
Review: When I was young, I shared Meryl's same dream of flying and traveling. Meryl did an excellent job of putting me right in the action. I was sitting next to her as she stared out the window at the lights below. I loved her stories of adventure behind the iron curtain.

Her book is an inspiration for those that dream of doing the unthinkable. Although being a male myself, I can imagine the challenges and frustration she endured through her quest to become a pilot and ultimately Captain for United.

A great non-fiction read!