Extreme Jobs (Read about a job far different from yours)
December 9, 2021
Read about a person with a job far, far different from your own. We all pursue our jobs and careers as best we can. But have you ever wondered about other peoples’ job duties? Is being an astronaut as fun as the movies make it look? How does a magician saw a person in half? Grab a book and find out! The following memoirs and nonfiction titles will give you the inside scoop with heartfelt and thrilling details.
London’s Number One Dog-Walking Agency by Kate MacDougall
A charming true story of a young woman who starts her own business as a dog walker in the beautiful city of London. A love letter to dogs, London, and growing up.
Castaway Mountain by Saumya Roy
This eye-opening book brings the reader up close to the migrants and rag-pickers who live on Mumbai’s garbage mountains. They make a living by re-using, recycling and re-selling the broken glass and crushed cans found there. With heart and keen observation this book will change how you look at humanity and community.
Breathing Fire by Jaime Lowe
We read about the western wildfires every day in the news. How often have you wondered about the brave souls who go INTO the fires to stop them? This author spent many hours and interviews getting to know over a dozen female firefighters to offer a rare spotlight on the danger, frustrations, and emotional toll they experience…all in a day’s work!
Dance or Die by Ahmad Joudeh
Ahmad is a Palestinian who grew up in a refugee camp in Syria and overcame family opposition, the horrors of war, and death threats to achieve his dream of becoming an international ballet star. This memoir is not only a testimony to the power of the arts but also the struggles of being a refugee and pursuing your dreams.
Life on the Line by Emma Goldberg
Healthcare workers are the heroes of our time, for sure. This book weaves together in-depth interviews with doctors, their diaries and notes, in a page-turning story of what treating thousands of critically ill Covid-19 patients in New York City was really like. If you like behind-the-scene stories or medical thrillers this will rock your world.
Hammer Head by Nina MacLaughlin
If you enjoy watching TV shows about home renovations or spending your weekends tackling a DIY home project then this is the book for you. The author describes her leaving a journalism job to become a carpenter’s assistant. Described as a “light narrative about a quirky journey” this author’s story will sharpen you. Okay, poor pun unavoidable.
How Magicians Think by Joshua Jay
By definition magicians are shrouded in mystery and tricks. Author Joshua Jay, himself an accomplished magician, pulls back the curtain to reveal the life and illusions of the trade. This will not spoil your fascination in magic but rather it will help you appreciate the excellence and practice that goes into the profession. Written in short, readable essays this book will enlighten you.
On the Job by Celeste Monforton & Jane M. Von Bergen
This book puts a spotlight on a variety of often overlooked essential workers who suffer with declining wages, job insecurity, and unsafe working conditions. From housekeepers to poultry workers to construction workers the authors (a public health expert and an award-winning journalist) spoke with workers from all backgrounds to show us that labor activism is spreading throughout our nation.
Diary of an Apprentice Astronaut by Samantha Cristoforetti
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti’s intimate account of her first journey to the International Space Station – from bonding with crew members to dealing with weightlessness and then returning to solid ground. With a poet’s eye and an engineer’s gift for detail this true account makes space travel real.
Special Forces Interpreter by Eddie Idrees
Not many of us can put “Interpreter” on our resumes, and even fewer can list the US Special Forces as our employer. This engaging book is the first memoir of an Afghan interpreter and a veteran’s look at over 500 operations. With parachuting and prison escapes, this story is an insider look at a job difficult to grasp.