07 - A book where the main character works at your current or dream job

[L Y N N]

For me, a book store owner: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend or The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

What is your dream job? Or your current job? What book has a corresponding main character?

Listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Megan]

Don't forget about our Jobs folder that we have from the 2016 challenge which was Book where the character has your occupation. Still might find some good rec's there!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group...

[Lauren]

My current job is an organizer for progressive policies and candidates, voting access, etc. I love it but there aren't too many novels where characters do this work as their job (I'm one of the lucky ones!) and I've probably read most of the memoirs for full time organizers already. But working in or owning a bookstore is another dream job, so I'll probably go with that for this prompt.

I enjoyed The Storied Life and haven't read The Readers of Broken Wheel, so I might try that one.

[Pepperpots]

The Storied Life of AJ Fikry is really good.

[L Y N N]

Megan wrote: "Don't forget about our Jobs folder that we have from the 2016 challenge which was Book where the character has your occupation. Still might find some good rec's there

https://www.goodreads.com/top..."

Thanks, Megan! I noticed that after I'd posted! :)

[L Y N N]

Lauren wrote: "My current job is an organizer for progressive policies and candidates, voting access, etc. I love it but there aren't too many novels where characters do this work as their job (I'm one of the lucky ones!) and I've probably read most of the memoirs for full time organizers already. But working in or owning a bookstore is another dream job, so I'll probably go with that for this prompt.

I enjoyed The Storied Life and haven't read The Readers of Broken Wheel, so I might try that one."

I'm sure there are more...I'll have to research a bit more! :)

[Lauren]

Lynn wrote: "Lauren wrote: "My current job is an organizer for progressive policies and candidates, voting access, etc. I love it but there aren't too many novels where characters do this work as their job (I'm..."

Yes, and I just remembered that I'm planning to read only books by BIPOC authors for the challenge, so that makes this prompt much more challenging for bookseller protagonist stories. Although it would be easy if I go the organizer route...

[Sarah]

Am I the only one going waaaay unrealistic? I'm considering pirate or princess. Or pirate princess maybe?

I definitely do not want to read anything related to my real work after this year. It sounds dramatic but its heart breaking seeing the hospitality industry so hurt at the moment.

[Stephanie]

social worker - House on the Cerulean sea by TJ Klune

[Ellie]

Sarah wrote: "Am I the only one going waaaay unrealistic? I'm considering pirate or princess. Or pirate princess maybe? ..."

If I hadn't just read the latest Invisible Library book I'd totally go with librarian spy!

[Victoria]

My current job is boring, my dream job is working in a stable or at a zoo.

[Alicia]

Victoria wrote: "My current job is boring, my dream job is working in a stable or at a zoo."

Water for Elephants =)

[Yoo]

There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!

[Johanne]

@Ellie, just came to mention that! My first thought when I saw this was 'yes! I'll combine my current job (librarian) with my dream job (Librarian spy) and read the next in the Invisible Library series' :P

[Doni]

The Postman by Anotonio Skarmeta

[Misty]

I always wanted to be a criminal mastermind even though I have never really done anything criminal, but it would be so cool! Artemis Fowl

[Heather L]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

Perhaps a book about the Wallendas? I would do a search on that or “tightrope walkers” and see what pops up. Good luck!

[Megan]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

Yes! The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff

[Sarah]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

Would any kind of circus performer work? I have Harley in the Sky on my TBR but I think that's about a trapeze artist

[roguereader]

Any novels about a writer who travels and writes?

[Nicole]

Neuravinci wrote: "Any novels about a writer who travels and writes?"

Less by Andrew Sean Greer

[Alicia]

Neuravinci wrote: "Any novels about a writer who travels and writes?"

It's actually nonfiction, which I usually dont like but was very interesting...All Roads Lead to Austen: A Yearlong Journey with Jane

[Alicia]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

The Night Circus also came to mind even tho is was about the circus is a whole

[Emily]

I wanted to be a nun when I was in 1st grade (Catholic school), but turns out I was just gay. So in that spirit, will probably read Kicking The Habit: A Lesbian Nun Story about a lesbian nun

[Ellie]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

A Girl Made of Air is about a tightrope walker.

[L Y N N]

Sarah wrote: "Am I the only one going waaaay unrealistic? I'm considering pirate or princess. Or pirate princess maybe?

I definitely do not want to read anything related to my real work after this year. It sou..."

I think that's a great idea! I love pirate princess! :) A tutu, an eye patch, a crown, and a sword! :)

[Tania]

I have lots of dream jobs, though no actual thought to pursue them, lol. I'm happy enough with my job, but love reading about people who are doing things I would have been just as happy to do:
Professional equestrian: Obsessed: The Autobiography
Adventurer: Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia
Queen: The White Queen
Mogul: Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Bounty Hunter: Tricky Twenty-Two

[Tania]

Also I just finished a really good one, someone who runs a bookstore:
The Words Between Us

[Chrissy]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

I thought Girl on a Wire was pretty good.

[Chrissi]

My dream job is a travel writer. I'm going to dig into my travel books for this one - Paul Theroux and Bill Bryson come to mind.

[Michelle]

Ellie wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Am I the only one going waaaay unrealistic? I'm considering pirate or princess. Or pirate princess maybe? ..."

If I hadn't just read the latest Invisible Library book I'd totally go ..."

Great idea! I'm a few books behind with Invisible Library, so that's perfect!

[Misty]

Sarah wrote: "Am I the only one going waaaay unrealistic? I'm considering pirate or princess. Or pirate princess maybe?

I definitely do not want to read anything related to my real work after this year. It sou..."

Not unrealistic, I've decided to go with criminal mastermind!

[Victoria]

Will definitely have to go with dream job, because I really don't think I'd be interested in reading about someone who works in tax law policy :-)

[Kelly Sj]

For college educators: Dear Committee Members and the sequel The Shakespeare Requirement by Julie Schumacher are quick, fun reads.

My dream job is to not have a job, but I think I'll read an amateur detective mystery because I think I'd be good at that!

[Chelsea]

One of the Amazon First Reads for Prime members this month is Confessions of a curious bookseller so I'll probably grab that and jump on the bookseller bandwagon, though my true dream job is "independently wealthy stay-at-home dog mom."

[Kelly]

Can anyone think of books where the character works in a museum?

[Cendaquenta]

Well, my answer as a tiny child to "what do you want to be when you grow up" was author or paleontologist. So I'm gonna read a book about dinosaurs! Probably Dragon Teeth.

[poshpenny]

Yoo wrote: "There is no chance of finding a book with my job but I always wanted to be a tightrope walker when I grew up 😂 Any ideas?!"

To Reach the Clouds: My High Wire Walk Between the Twin Towers
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

The Tightrope Walkers

[Danielle]

If anybody has any reccs for someone that works in the fast food industry then let me know xD

[Drakeryn]

Cendaquenta wrote: "Well, my answer as a tiny child to "what do you want to be when you grow up" was author or paleontologist."

Nice! That was my exact answer too.

I might go with one of those, or I might go more fantastical. Criminal mastermind and revolutionary both seem like fun choices.

[Sarah]

Danielle wrote: "If anybody has any reccs for someone that works in the fast food industry then let me know xD"

The only one springing to mind is Dumplin'. I think I actually preferred the film over the book but it is quite good.

[Cendaquenta]

of course, I could just find a memoir by a paleontologist and encompass both dream jobs

[Melody]

Danielle wrote: "If anybody has any reccs for someone that works in the fast food industry then let me know xD"

The protagonist of Dumplin' works at a burger joint. If I think of any else I'll definitely be sure to post it here.

[Danielle]

Thank you Sarah and Melody! I enjoyed the movie so I will definitely check out Dumplin'. It's in my local library too so bonus :)

[Louise]

Kelly wrote: "Can anyone think of books where the character works in a museum?"

Still Lives

[Heidi]

I am a high school history teacher and I read a book called The Book of Lost Friends. Can I use that book or does the book have to be read in 2021?

[Sara]

Misty wrote: "I always wanted to be a criminal mastermind even though I have never really done anything criminal, but it would be so cool! Artemis Fowl"

I also have always wanted to be a criminal mastermind as a kid. My parents even got me lockpicks for a Christmas present when I made the joke that I wanted them. I never really thought about going so outside the box for this challenge, but I may go with some sort of thief/criminal mastermind MC book for this challenge.

[Becky]

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult.

[emma ❀]

i think i'm going to go with author and use Beach Read

[Amy J.]

psychologist: The Silent Patient or The Patient

Many more but those were the first ones that came to mind