A Day In The Life

For many of us, much of our waking time is spent at work (for better or worse), and every now and then, someone will decide to sit down and write about his or her experiences on the job. While memoirs from high ranking officials may get more buzz, readers often think of the heartwarming tales from veterinarian James Herriot or the brash, unapologetic stories from chef Anthony Bourdain. Workplace memoirs give us a deeper understanding of what it’s like to spend a day as someone else – the environment they work in, the challenges they face, and the interesting things that happen along the way. From the juicy tell-all to the fascinating look into a profession, these memoirs help us find new ways to relate to people, have a better understanding of their lives, and even provide us with a chuckle or helpful tidbit.

If anything, after reading them you can say, “thank goodness I don’t have that job.”

Check out these workplace memoirs:

How About Never--Is Never Good for You?: My Life in Cartoons by Bob Mankoff

Cruising Attitude: Tales of Crashpads, Crew Drama, and Crazy Passengers at 35,000 Feet by Heather Poole

I Wasn't Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse edited by Lee Gutkind

Confessions of a Surgeon: The Good, the Bad, and the Complicated by Paul A. Ruggieri

Slow Getting Up: A Story of NFL Survival from the Bottom of the Pile by Nate Jackson

Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide by Peter Allison [ebook]

Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian by Avi Steinberg

Waiting: True Confessions of a Waitress by Debra Ginsberg

Waiter Rant: Thanks For The Tip by The Waiter

Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-In-Training by Tom Jokinen [ebook]

Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl