Review of Mayfly

[Yashi Shukla]

I know nothing about aviation but love the books which includes personal stories with good humor. I will definitely try out this book.

[Priya Murugesan]

I know nothing about aviation but love the books which includes personal stories with good humor. I will definitely try out this book.

Hope you try it out and share your review!

[MAHAD BAIG MIRZA]

The review of "Mayfly" by Mike James is intriguing because it vividly recounts the author's unique experiences in aviation, highlighting often-overlooked ground operations and their significance. It provides a clear reflection of the book's mix of humor, heartfelt moments, and insightful anecdotes, giving readers a thorough understanding of its appeal.

[Priya Murugesan]

The review of "Mayfly" by Mike James is intriguing because it vividly recounts the author's unique experiences in aviation, highlighting often-overlooked ground operations and their significance. It provides a clear reflection of the book's mix of humor, heartfelt moments, and insightful anecdotes, giving readers a thorough understanding of its appeal.

Thanks a lot for reading my review!

[Martina Sette]

That seems to be a fascinating book. I like this kind of theme so I'll give it an opportunity. Great review!

[Priya Murugesan]

That seems to be a fascinating book. I like this kind of theme so I'll give it an opportunity. Great review!

Thanks!

[Abhishek3m4]

"Thank you for sharing your detailed review of 'Mayfly'! It's fascinating how the author's diverse experiences in aviation, from ground operations to memorable anecdotes, captivated your interest. The book's portrayal of the lesser-known aspects of aviation, like ground handling and transport challenges, seems to have left a lasting impression on you. It's also heartening to hear that the author's candid and humorous writing style kept you engaged throughout, despite some sections feeling a bit slow. Your suggestion for a glossary and photos to enhance understanding and connection with the stories is insightful. Here's hoping the next edition addresses these areas to enrich the reader's experience.

[Priya Murugesan]

"Thank you for sharing your detailed review of 'Mayfly'! It's fascinating how the author's diverse experiences in aviation, from ground operations to memorable anecdotes, captivated your interest. The book's portrayal of the lesser-known aspects of aviation, like ground handling and transport challenges, seems to have left a lasting impression on you. It's also heartening to hear that the author's candid and humorous writing style kept you engaged throughout, despite some sections feeling a bit slow. Your suggestion for a glossary and photos to enhance understanding and connection with the stories is insightful. Here's hoping the next edition addresses these areas to enrich the reader's experience.

Thanks a lot for reading my review and sharing your honest opinion

[Rajaee R]

I think reading this book will gain me a lot of knowledge about the aviation industry. I might find some difficulty with the terms, but like you said, a glossary would have been a good idea.
Thanks for the review.

[Anshika Kanan]

This book seems interesting. Your review is very informative.

[Priya Murugesan]

I think reading this book will gain me a lot of knowledge about the aviation industry. I might find some difficulty with the terms, but like you said, a glossary would have been a good idea.
Thanks for the review.

Yes. A glossary would help readers.

[Priya Murugesan]

This book seems interesting. Your review is very informative.

Thanks!

[Chi Chiu Michael Mak]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mayfly" by Mike James.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

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Mayfly by Mike James

The author of this book started his career in the army, then served as a deckhand, later worked in civil aviation for 25 years, and retired as a train driver. In this book, he shares his journey in aviation through various interesting anecdotes and provides insight into ground-level operations in the aviation industry. My avid interest in aircraft made me pick up this book. There are many shows, films, and books about aviation. They mostly deal with cockpit and cabin crew. But there is a whole world of groundlings underneath the flying airplane, of which most people are oblivious. This book exhibits their great adventures and valiant efforts. The following quote at the beginning of the book emphasizes their significance.

“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating."

Let's dive into the journal. The author began his journey in aviation through an advertisement in a newspaper and joined Spanavia Airlines at Racebridge as a paper clerk. He explains the meaning of the term 'mayfly', which I was unaware of, and the incidents related to the mayflies were hilarious. He mentions the various countries' flight crew behavior, which was interesting to read. The whole anecdote about Danny "Boy" Stanton was exciting. He recounts many thrilling happenings, like glass shattering due to jet efflux and a beaten-up pickup van. It was greatly saddening to read about the tarmac transfer. The book deals with transport handling a lot, and the greyhound transport was very funny. The Friesian cow transport started on a comical note but ended as a long, weary trip. The calf transport left a scar in my heart and nearly brought tears to my eyes. The following sentence related to that incident resonated well with me.

'It was all inexcusable, and we were all guilty of a failing of basic humanity.'

The heat and fog chapters were a little boring to read. The Tango Echo incident was funny and left me laughing. The India Zulu chapter was exciting at first but heartbreaking at the end. The treachery chapter was interesting and exposed the struggles faced by the groundlings. The author discloses some terrible accidents, which were horrible to read. Numerous incidents reveal the commercial aspect and the complications of the aviation industry. The final chapter left me dumbfounded. 

'Aviation was a child that had foregone the pleasures of growing up, forced to premature maturity by war, commercial necessity, and the sheer speed of technological advance.'

I found the above statement intriguing and believe this rapid growth also applies to the communication industry. 

The author embedded a lot of humor in his writing, which was engaging to read. I loved that the author doesn't exaggerate about himself and showcases his shortcomings in places, which added a natural touch to the book. Some hard-to-understand foreign words were present. I had to search for meanings for aviation terms online, as they were new to me. It would be nice to have a glossary for such terms. As they are true stories, including photographs would elevate the book to a new level. I googled the Nurnberg flight accident and saw the photos of the DC6 flight mentioned in the book. Seeing those photos brought me closer to the book.

I noticed many errors. The layout of the book could have been better. Some chapters were hard to put down, while others were a bit boring. Professional editing and a better flow would do wonders for this book.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Due to the negative aspects mentioned above, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

******
Mayfly
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

I like planes and aviation. Despite not being involved in the profession, the funny journal entries make me want to add Mayfly to my bookshelves!

[Priya Murugesan]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mayfly" by Mike James.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Share This Review

---

Mayfly by Mike James

The author of this book started his career in the army, then served as a deckhand, later worked in civil aviation for 25 years, and retired as a train driver. In this book, he shares his journey in aviation through various interesting anecdotes and provides insight into ground-level operations in the aviation industry. My avid interest in aircraft made me pick up this book. There are many shows, films, and books about aviation. They mostly deal with cockpit and cabin crew. But there is a whole world of groundlings underneath the flying airplane, of which most people are oblivious. This book exhibits their great adventures and valiant efforts. The following quote at the beginning of the book emphasizes their significance.

“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating."

Let's dive into the journal. The author began his journey in aviation through an advertisement in a newspaper and joined Spanavia Airlines at Racebridge as a paper clerk. He explains the meaning of the term 'mayfly', which I was unaware of, and the incidents related to the mayflies were hilarious. He mentions the various countries' flight crew behavior, which was interesting to read. The whole anecdote about Danny "Boy" Stanton was exciting. He recounts many thrilling happenings, like glass shattering due to jet efflux and a beaten-up pickup van. It was greatly saddening to read about the tarmac transfer. The book deals with transport handling a lot, and the greyhound transport was very funny. The Friesian cow transport started on a comical note but ended as a long, weary trip. The calf transport left a scar in my heart and nearly brought tears to my eyes. The following sentence related to that incident resonated well with me.

'It was all inexcusable, and we were all guilty of a failing of basic humanity.'

The heat and fog chapters were a little boring to read. The Tango Echo incident was funny and left me laughing. The India Zulu chapter was exciting at first but heartbreaking at the end. The treachery chapter was interesting and exposed the struggles faced by the groundlings. The author discloses some terrible accidents, which were horrible to read. Numerous incidents reveal the commercial aspect and the complications of the aviation industry. The final chapter left me dumbfounded. 

'Aviation was a child that had foregone the pleasures of growing up, forced to premature maturity by war, commercial necessity, and the sheer speed of technological advance.'

I found the above statement intriguing and believe this rapid growth also applies to the communication industry. 

The author embedded a lot of humor in his writing, which was engaging to read. I loved that the author doesn't exaggerate about himself and showcases his shortcomings in places, which added a natural touch to the book. Some hard-to-understand foreign words were present. I had to search for meanings for aviation terms online, as they were new to me. It would be nice to have a glossary for such terms. As they are true stories, including photographs would elevate the book to a new level. I googled the Nurnberg flight accident and saw the photos of the DC6 flight mentioned in the book. Seeing those photos brought me closer to the book.

I noticed many errors. The layout of the book could have been better. Some chapters were hard to put down, while others were a bit boring. Professional editing and a better flow would do wonders for this book.

I enjoyed this book immensely. Due to the negative aspects mentioned above, I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

******
Mayfly
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

I like planes and aviation. Despite not being involved in the profession, the funny journal entries make me want to add Mayfly to my bookshelves!

If you love aviation, then you will surely enjoy this book!

[Seetha E]

“For most gulls, it is not flying that matters, but eating."

The heat and fog chapters were a little boring to read. The Tango Echo incident was funny and left me laughing. The India Zulu chapter was exciting at first but heartbreaking at the end. The treachery chapter was interesting and exposed the struggles faced by the groundlings. The author discloses some terrible accidents, which were horrible to read. Numerous incidents reveal the commercial aspect and the complications of the aviation industry. The final chapter left me dumbfounded. 

'Aviation was a child that had foregone the pleasures of growing up, forced to premature maturity by war, commercial necessity, and the sheer speed of technological advance.'

Lots of never-heard-of information, presented as it is, without making it too heavy! I'd love to dig into this one. Adding it to my reading list for now. Great review, Priya ... detailed and engaging.