Life's Too Short

by Val McDermid (Foreword)

What does it feel like to drive a lorry that's out of control?

What really goes on in a school full of unruly children?

Could you travel all over the world for work?

Whether we love it or hate it, work has a huge impact on our lives and in recent times working life has totally changed. So what is life really like at work today?

From builder to baker to social care worker, these writers let us know. Some of their stories might surprise you. Some will make you laugh and some might make you cry. The one thing they all prove is that you can never be sure what your working day will bring.

Genres: Short Stories, Nonfiction, British Literature

123 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2010

About the author

Val McDermid is a No. 1 bestseller whose novels have been translated into more than thirty languages, and have sold over eleven million copies.

She has won many awards internationally, including the CWA Gold Dagger for best crime novel of the year and the LA Times Book of the Year Award. She was inducted into the ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame in 2009 and was the recipient of the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for 2010. In 2011 she received the Lambda Literary Foundation Pioneer Award.

She writes full time and divides her time between Cheshire and Edinburgh.

Reviews

[Erica⭐ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an amusing collection of short real-life stories of working life ranging from teachers and carers to bin-men and PAs. The stories are interesting and amusing and offer an insight into the different challenges faced by each and how they get through them. The standard of writing is not always the best but these are written by a variety of people, who are not necessarily natural writers. A good little collection all the same.

[Deanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

And I thought my job could be stressful, this book was uplifting and depressing depending on the story.

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to read accounts of the ups and downs of a few different jobs.

[Samantha Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This quick read is just a selection of short stories about people's jobs.
Some are funny & some thought provoking.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an amusing collection of short real-life stories of working life ranging from teachers and carers to bin-men and PAs. The stories are interesting and amusing and offer an insight into the different challenges faced by each and how they get through them. The standard of writing is not always the best but these are written by a variety of people, who are not necessarily natural writers. A good little collection all the same.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read book. Some funny little tales and sad ones too. My personal favourites were don't put Barney in the bin bag. A brief history of typing and merry Christmas mrs maud

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

The foreword is well written and matched my expectations of the book - I may well seek out more from this author.

Another book in the quick reads series that I am a big fan of making reading accessible regardless of time available or ability.

A series of short stories from different individuals about their working lives this is easy to split into small chunks and is a good quick read - there is even a poem which I enjoyed.

Some stories aren't as well written as others and despite some humour and a few smiles this isn't a totally happy book.
Whilst on occassion it did make me stop and think this is not a deep reflection on the world of work.

At the end of the day it is a short read and ideal for the time poor or those new to reading.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories are a mixed bag. Some of the stories are funny (e.g. Don't Put Barney in the Bin Bag), some are sad (e.g. Life's too Short) some are uplifting (e.g. My Business Life) and some are poignant (e.g. Merry Christmas Mrs Maud).

[Scohic66 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting collection of short stories based around real work experiences with some great twists although the teaching one is extremely depressing and makes me wonder why anyone would subject themselves to such constant threats of violence.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great little stories, some were a little sad but overall it was a funny and very quick reading experience. A little bit of everything in it.

[Susi Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the variety of stories in this collection; such a range of jobs and experiences. My personal favourite was ‘Don’t Put Barney in the Bin Bag’

[Glenys · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good insight into other peoples lives and jobs

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick reads with a series of short stories about work. No real clever stories

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

[Zoë · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ordinary people doing ordinary jobs. Not my thing, I want to be taken somewhere else when I read!!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching at times. Really opened a new perspective of work and how much of ourselves we devote to it.

[SALZY · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title only represents one story of the book. It's simple and yes, a quick read. Written by various people, some are not skilled writers so mind the writing styles. Some stories are really interesting some are so-so but my favourite are The Imaginary Letter and My Business Life as they summarized the whole journey of their working life and later made you ponder.

[Susan Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A snappy book with stories involving unusual events in everyday work events. As this was just co-ordinated by Val and she obtained contributors - I got a bit lost on some of the short stories. Perhaps I was expecting a bit more murder and mayhem - but a quick short enjoyable read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this compilation of memoirs and short stories based around the writers’ working lives somewhat variable in literary quality, however the majority of the stories possessed a level of charm or interest sufficient to justify reading to the end. I borrowed the book from the local library purely on the strength of Val McDermid having written the foreword. I won’t be rushing to buy my own copy, or to re-read this one, but it might be of interest to anyone with a particular interest in vocational experience, or the work of previously-unpublished writers.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the "Quick Reads" series - this book is a collection of short stories about peoples working lives. It was ok, easy to read and I would say it serves its purpose as a shorter book that will get people into reading. However, I expected to gain a little more by way of insight or philosphy about the work place and overall the writing wasn't of a particularly high standard (Val McDermid writes the forward only with entries from different writers.)

[Razan · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading a couple of books that was wrote specifically for non-English speaker. I need it to try reading other books that was not written for this reason. I chose this one because it’s small and have an interesting title.
The stories were various: hilarious, inspiration, sad, but all of them were interesting.
Generally, it was easy to understand the language. There were just two stories that I miss some of the details but I could keep up with the overall meaning.

[Rog Harrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories about life at work. Val McDermid's involvement was to write the foreward. A couple of the stories are very good but most of them are average.

[Andrea]

I enjoyed this book, it was different, every story was interesting, and it did what it said, it was a quick read, not a deep book, but something you could have dipped in to anywhere, made me think.

[Ellie Rose McKee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the majority of stories in this book to be either boring or just plan sickening.

[Karine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Quick Reads books! This is a brilliant collection of short stories which feature an interesting or funny event at work.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable short stories which can easily be read in a day or shorter for a quick reader.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read with interesting short stories about work. Some funny, some unusual!

[Vicky P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and quick read. Would definitely recommend.

[Amit Shah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting stoeies

[Jo Daniels]

I quit this book on page 75 agreeing with the title 'lifes too short' I couldn't waste anymore time reading it. These stories of people's work memories are not nice or inspirational. I found the stories I read to be upsetting, disturbing and shocking.