Life in the Sky

Fraser Green is having the time of his life. Staying at lavish five-star hotels in India, jetting to Tokyo to redesign presentations for Japanese media tycoons, and racking up frequent flyer points on business trips from Singapore to Seoul, while squeezing in side adventures. Despite being in his early twenties, Green has risen in the ranks at a boutique Melbourne agency that becomes the go-to for tech giants. He somehow finds himself in a design role and tackling project-management tasks for billion-dollar clients.

As Green navigates his share of fake-it-till-you-make-it moments, he learns to head off conflicts, soothe high-maintenance clients, and dispatch back-biting competitors with grace, earning respect from both top execs and frenemies. In Life in the Sky: Ups, Downs, and Missed Connections of a Frequent Flyer, Green transports readers through the rush of airports and the fast-paced destinations that have become his world, often with comical outtakes involving everything from spicy foods and hangovers to insane rides dodging cows in the streets.

Yet cracks appear behind the façade as Green churns through rush jobs, time-zone shifts, and late nights lubricated with cocktails. The crush of stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation overtake the thrill of hopping on a flight. The idea of dining solo or sipping a G&T in yet another overhyped airport lounge amplifies his loneliness. The burnout is real. Green rethinks the sacrifices he's made, wondering if his adult life has been a lie. Life in the Sky explores what the idea of success looks like for young people who, when presented with opportunities, buy the proverbial ticket but don't always know when or how to get off the ride. The author's wry humour and humility ring clear in this travelogue, with smart insights into the perks and pitfalls of corporate life, often at 30,000 feet.