✈️ “Behind her Smile: The Adventures of a Tall Girl from WVA and Her Life as a Stewardess” (2023) ✈️ – Book Review
Book Title: Behind Her Smile: The Adventures of a Tall Girl from WVA and Her Life as a Stewardess by Beverly Golden Cuevas
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18+), 392 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Publisher: Urlink Print & Media, LLC
Release date: August 2023
Content Rating: PG. Suitable for adult audiences.
Being raised in Parkersburg,WVA, Janie didn't have big aspirations for her life. Tired of her dead-end job at the phone company her best friend suggested she interview to become a Stewardess. Fearful she would be rejected because of her height; she was shocked when she was accepted. A whole new world opened up to her. Seeing places she had only read about, spending time with politicians, movie stars and professional athletes. One special athlete, a professional basketball player named Wendell Ladner stole her heart with his southern charm. An extraordinary 'connection' with Elvis Presley allowed her the unique experience to spend 'one on one' time with him and remain in touch until his passing. You'll share with her the challenges of marrying someone so different from her upbringing and coping with attempts to try and fit in. Behind Her Smile reveals a devastating event that deeply affected Beverly and made her reexamine her life and what she truly wanted out of it.
Thank you in advance to the publisher,
Urlink Print & Media, LLC, for providing a complimentary review copy
through iRead Book Tours. A positive review was not required nor requested, and
all words are my own.
Biographies – whether by a professional writer, or the people themselves – are not really my genre. I have to really like the person, or the subject they are about.
I’ve read only a few biographies in my lifetime. I could probably count them on just my fingers and thumbs alone. I generally stick with actors I really like (i.e.: Gary Sinise; Alan Rickman) or NASCAR Drivers (i.e.: Dale Earnhardt, Jr; Jeff Gordon). Beyond that? I’m really not into them.
If that’s the case, why’d I want to read this?
Two things – a stewardess/flight attendant with American Airlines (more on that) and the woman’s connection to Elvis. After all, there have been a few recent movies released about him. My own mother had a crush on him from the late 50’s up until his death in 1977. He was sort of an enigma.
My mother and I flew only a handful of times prior to 9/11, and since we were in Dallas at the time – my mother chose American Airlines. Naturally, 9/11 changed that, even more so when a woman who shared my mother’s name (Barbara Edwards – Las Vegas, NV) was killed on a flight. My mother and I were living in Las Vegas at the time. Since the 1980’s my mother has not flown. I however have – only once post 9/11 (that I’ll talk about later in the review).
Given its impact on airline travel that we know today, I wanted to see how 9/11 affected the industry and airline since two of the four planes were American Airlines. As the author retired 2½ months after, I did want her perspective on it. Was that the reason for her retirement?
I wanted to see the profession through the lens of someone who went through the strict times (weight restrictions, marital restrictions, mandatory retirement at 32), to the worst of the worst (9/11).
When reviewing a biography, spoilers are going to be inherent, especially when it involves famous people and events. It’s hard not to reveal what has already happened.
Some biographies have certain kinds of “content” that some readers might be uncomfortable with, or not prefer to read about. In this one, despite becoming a born-again Christian in 1980, the author definitely admits there is language and situations that might shock some people. And, she’s right. There are uses of the s-word, f-bomb, references to infidelity, some descriptions of se#u@al encounters, along with mental illness (namely depression) and treatments for it. Those uncomfortable with the content should be cautioned.
That said …
The author starts off with her 50th High School reunion, mentioning that her family is gone so there is no one to talk about with her childhood memories. She then recounts getting on the plane for her reunion and is shocked not only how people dress for travel, but some of the flight attendants and their appearance. This is further added to by Cuevas’ seatmate.
Cuevas then goes on to talk about some of her classmates she’s looking forward to seeing. Some of them have a prominent place in her life, others it seems is used for filler. She then talks about the reunion itself before delving into her childhood – 45 pages worth, before getting into where the idea of being a stewardess came into her life.
Cuevas is honest about a TWA interview and what led her to American Airlines, which she joined in 1966. One interesting aspect she talked about was the training. As she points out – flight attendants aren’t just there to “look pretty” – they have many roles while in the air: firefighter, doctor, referee, baby sitter among them. Though one thing she never would’ve thought – dealing with terrorists. As of note, she doesn’t discuss any of that in the book beyond that sentence.
From there, the author details her relationship and marriage with her first husband, Derek, also with American Airlines (corporate part). It is when she starts flying that the true adventures begin – talking about the types of flights, passengers, and uniform. While she included some photos, I would’ve LOVED a chapter on the evolution and “purpose” of the uniforms, also what led to the changes.
It is in 1968 when she first meets Elvis, though it’ll be about seven (7) years until she sees him again – and that will definitely be shocking for some readers. And, in 1968, she marries her first husband Derek. It is a marriage that was far from even ideal, let alone perfect.
It also details how much women’s rights have evolved when it comes to making medical decisions, more so when Cuevas details a battle with depression in 1970, that led to her receiving controversial electric shock treatments. I’ll admit, I was NOT ready for that part of the story.
When she comes back to American Airlines, it is also around the time that the “flight attendant” job came into the picture, especially when American acquired another airline that had male stewards. Cuevas laments losing the title of stewardess as it sounded glamourous. (She would later go on to do an American Airlines commercial, which I’d love to see).
It is in 1973 when she meets Wendell Ladner, a semi-pro basketball player. He bears a strong resemblance to Tom Selleck. The author states Selleck advertised for Marlborough, it was actually Salem cigarettes (here is a picture from 1972).
I believe, it was Ladner who was her greatest love. And, it is Ladner with whom she has an affair with. That lasts for two years until he is killed in the Eastern Airlines Flight 66 crash in June 1975 in New York. Her advocacy about the reporting is admirable. She found some of the articles too graphic for some of the survivors’ families. I found one article that was – disturbing – even for the time.
The book slowly winds down to her meeting her current husband – Randy Cuevas – who happened to be Wendell’s nephew. She is also a bit timid about the age difference. However, they wouldn’t get married until about 1980 (still currently married). And, it is towards the end where she has another rendezvous with Elvis. They remain friends up until his death in August 1977. By the beginning of 1976, her marriage had dissolved, and she moved to Dallas (I was born at the end of April).
The book abruptly ends. Readers barely get a paragraph from the time she talks about Elvis’ death to the end of the book. All she states is she got married again, had kids, and retired in December 2001. She states this end the end of her story (BC – Before Christ); and might write another book – AC (After Christ).
Cuevas does have a gift for story-telling, but there are several typos, as well as some stuff that should’ve been edited better. It can become a bit tedious with the “day-to-day” routine, conversations, as well as the bouncing back and forth between years. There is also the name used. In the description, it is Janie, yet for most of the book she uses Beverly or Bev. Her recollections of the standards from 1966 when flight attendants got fired for being married or getting pregnant – even being a few pounds overweight – to the current standards is reflective and informative. Readers can definitely tell how serious and passionate she is about the industry. I don’t know what the current standards are as I’ve only flown ONCE since 9/11 – that was on Delta in June 2014. I have to admit – I dress for function and comfort – on my flight I wore a simple blouse, cargo capris, and flip flops (for TSA screening). The flight attendants on my flight were well dressed and groomed. Prior to that, the last flight was American in 1980 when I was little.
Despite my rating of 3-stars, this wasn’t a terrible book
by any means, but I felt like perhaps it was too “exploitive”, particularly about
the se#u@al encounters with Wendall Ladner and Elvis Presley. It was also
hindered by the typos, and too much narrative.
RATING:
3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads
3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub
3 ⭐⭐⭐/5
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal
Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html;update
https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2022/07/what-goes-into-my-reviews-2022-edition.html)
Beverly Golden Cuevas was born Beverly Jane Golden in Ironton, Ohio in 1945. She spent the first 10 years of her life in Parkersburg, West Virginia with her family. Her father had a job opportunity in Columbus, Ohio in 1955 so away they went. Beverly started working at the age of 14 to contribute to her family finances. She graduated Columbus North High School in 1963. She moved on to work at the Ohio Bell Telephone Company after graduation. In 1965, on the dare of her best friend she went to an interview to be a Stewardess for American Airlines. American hired her and she started her flying career in New York, then commuting from Tulsa, Oklahoma to her Dallas base. She flew both domestic and international. During her career, she never received a bad passenger letter. In 1977, she was 1 of 12 Flight Attendants selected out of 16,000 to participate in a highly coveted special assignment to work at the prestigious American Airlines Golf Classic. Her flying career ended on December 1, 2001 after 35 years. Beverly now lives in Dallas, Texas. She has been married to her wonderful husband Randy for 43 years. She has two sons, Joshua and Kaleb. She is a loving wife and mother, never missing a baseball game or school talent show, in spite of her flying schedule! Mimi is blessed to pass on her knowledge and love of life to her grandchildren Eden, Elijah, Ellie, Logan and Holly.
connect with the author: goodreads
This looks like a great novel. Thanks for hosting this giveaway.
ReplyDelete