Elliott Hester

Background

Elliott Hester was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States.

Education

Elliott Hester attended the University of New Mexico and graduated in 1981.

Career

Elliott Hester is an author and travel writer. He worked variously as a media buyer, baggage handler, flight attendant, and fashion model. Cold nights at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as a baggage handler inspired him to become a flight attendant, and his experience at that job eventually led to a writing career. His first book, Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet (2002), is Hester's first-hand account of the crazy occurrences he witnessed as a flight attendant. Hester's stories, which include tales of angry, drunken, naked, sick, and panicked passengers, capture not only how human but also how animalistic, people's behavior can become when men and women are confined in an airplane. His stories feature badly-behaved coworkers, equipment failure, cranky captains, and turbulence.

In addition to his book, Hester is the author of several syndicated monthly columns. He contributed articles to magazines and newspapers, including National Geographic Traveler, Elle (Australia), Playboy (Australia), Caribbean Travel and Life, Reader's Digest, Endless Vacation, Men's Fitness, Glamour, Salon.com, Maxim, and Details. His humorous narratives are included in the Traveler's Tales anthologies Hyenas Laughed at Me and Now I Know Why and Not So Funny When It Happened. He edited The Pelican Guide to the Bahamas.

His more recent book, Adventures of a Continental Drifter: An Around-the-World Excursion into Weirdness, Danger, Lust, and the Perils of Street Food, was published in 2005. Unattached and blissfully homeless, the "Continental Drifter" moves from one foreign destination to the next, writing his column and toting his worldly possessions in a rolling duffel bag.

Achievements

• Elliott Hester is a known author praised for grace and abundant good nature and careful, well-paced descriptions. He became famous for his book, Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet, which is considered to be an international bestseller.
  
  His work as a travel writer appeared in prominent magazines. His column, Continental Drifter, reaches more than 10 million readers each month. He is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award for travel journalism, presented by the Society of American Travel Writers.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet

    (Make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in their ful...)

    2002
  • Adventures of a Continental Drifter: An Around-the-World Excursion into Weirdness, Danger, Lust, and the Perils of Street Food

    (In October 2002, Elliott Hester sold his car, abandoned h...)

    2005

Views

Elliott Hester learned much from novelist T. Coraghessan Boyle. He is his favorite literary stylist.

Interests

• Writers

  T. Coraghessan Boyle