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

[Heather L]

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

Mystery:
* Grace Under Pressure by Julie Hyzy (first in series)
* Generous Death by Nancy Pickard (first in series)
* Fundraising the Dead by Sheila Connolly (first in series)
* Murder at the British Museum by Jim Eldridge
* Old World Murder by Kathleen Ernst (first in series)

Rom-suspense:
* Once a Thief by Kay Hooper

Middle grade/YA:
* From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

[Abbie]

Emily wrote: "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 le..."

"And Then They Were Nuns"? Some of them were definitely gay in that one...

[Brandon]

For my fellow accountants: Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (also has something broken on the cover)

[Sarah]

This is a bizarre book to use for this prompt but I really want to anyway:

You because the MC is a bookseller...

Among other things.

I was also thinking of using a fantasy job like “queen” or “spy” for this prompt like someone upthread mentioned.

[Alison]

Any good books about a photographer or a rock star? Preferably fiction...

[Dixie]

I'm an animal trainer. I have quite a few books on my shelves that would work for this! I'm going with The Eye of the Trainer: Animal Training, Transformation, and Trust.

[Dani]

Well I’m working my dream job, I’m a nail tech, so if anyone knows any books about nail techs or that take place in a salon I guess I’m all ears 😅

[Heather L]

Dani — I know there are a few cozy series with salon settings, but of course I can’t think of them off the top of my head. A quick search on “salon, mystery” brought up a few hits, but not by the author I was thinking of. Here are two, though I’ve not read either:

Curl Up and Die by Sophie Sharp

The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith

Oh! The author’s name just came to me, so was able to find the book I had in mind: A Dyeing Shame by Elizabeth Spann Craig. It’s third in a series I have not read, but have seen it mentioned in the Cozy Mysteries group here at GR.

There is also the play Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling, which has scenes set in a salon.

[Tara]

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

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

The Bird's Nest

[Jennifer]

I’m a nurse so I’m going with the general term of “medical worker” and will read Survivor Song by Paul Tremblay.

[Kim]

My current job is retiree, before that I was an academic librarian. As a child I wanted to either be an author, nun, or lawyer. But right now my yearning is to be a public librarian. Lots of good choices out there for these.

[Anabell]

Emily wrote: "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 le..."

Love this :-)

[Sandra]

I work as a software developer. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Anabell]

Sandra wrote: "I work as a software developer. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

Don't know if this would work Digital Fortress

[Sandra]

Anabell wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I work as a software developer. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

Don't know if this would work Digital Fortress"

It would work, I've already read it though. It's an amazing book! Thanks for the suggestion

[Sarah]

Alison wrote: "Any good books about a photographer or a rock star? Preferably fiction..."

Daisy Jones & The Six is really good!

[Tanu]

I might go for a lighter interpretation and read My Year of Rest and Relaxation. If anyone does find a book about a librarian, archaeologist or idle millionaire by a BIPOC author, though, do let me know!

[Alex]

My current (and dream) job is so specific, I'm afraid I might not find a book with an MC that holds that same title! I'm a UX designer, and I'm not sure a book featuring that job even exists.

My other option is to go a bit broader and accept books with other type of designers (web or graphic). I've read My Not So Perfect Life and An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, both of which feature young graphic designer MC's (and in fact, the sequal to the second, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, is the only book I've ever found that has a UX designer as character, even though he's secondary).

I'm thinking about Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, which might be the closest I get since the character starts off as a web designer. If anyone has any other ideas, (especially if they feature young designers in a contemporary setting) please let me know!

[Samantha]

I work in a hotel so I think I'm going with Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality

[eligru]

I'm an engineering student and my dream job is also very specific (renewable or fusion energy researcher). I might just read a non-fiction/textbook. But if you have any suggestions of books with characters working in the energy sector or just about machanical engineers, please let me know :)

[eligru]

For now, here are some books for fellow MINT people (most are non-fiction):

Biology (Botanics): Lab Girl & The Martian & Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants
Biology (or bird watcher): The Genius of Birds
Mathematicians: Hidden Figures & The Kiss Quotient
Physics: A Brief History of Time
Chemistry / Physics / Materials science: Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World
Software engineering: Sourdough
Astronauts / Rocket Scientist / anything space travel:
Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void
again The Martian & Hidden Figures

[Nadine in NY]

Kelly wrote: "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! ..."


That's where my head is at on this one, too!!! Either amateur detective or professional private detective.

[Samantha]

Anyone have any recommendations where the main character is a school counselor? Every time I do a search, I just come across children's books - helpful for my job, not helpful for this challenge. :)

I could stretch it to child therapist, as I could potentially see myself going that route someday, but I think I'm already in my dream job.

*edited a typo :)

[Ashley]

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 read Girl on a Wire a few years ago and it was a lot of fun. It's about a teenage tightrope walker.

[Heather L]

Sandra wrote: "I work as a software developer. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

If you like mysteries, there’s the Turing Hopper series by Donna Andrews. First book in the series is Click Here For Murder

[Kristin]

Save Me the Plums: My Gourmet Memoir would be a good one for anyone who dreams of being a food critic!

[SadieReadsAgain]

I work in public health...very interesting job, but I don't think someone could write a book about it!

But I'd love to be a writer (if only for a want of time or talent), so I'm going to read Wintering: A Novel of Sylvia Plath

[SadieReadsAgain]

Heidi wrote: "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?"

The challenge is yours to do as you wish, but most people don't count the books until they've read them in the year the challenge is for.

[Beth]

I didn't see any military/soldier ones in the folder or list, and a lot of military books tend to be big historical war sagas or super hooah special ops stories, so if there's any other service members doing this, here's a couple that are more down to earth and not boot:
The Hooligans of Kandahar: Not All War Stories are Heroic
Soldier Girls: The Battles of Three Women at Home and at War
Front Lines - the sequel Silver Stars also works for the gem/mineral/rock prompt

And a couple for anyone in aviation specifically:
Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History
Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War

[Teri]

Brandon wrote: "For my fellow accountants: Strike Me Down by Mindy Mejia (also has something broken on the cover)"

Yay, my library has this one.

[Alicia]

If only stay-at-home cat mom was a job....

[Amy J.]

Alicia wrote: "If only stay-at-home cat mom was a job...." or stay at home dog mom who's paid to read books but not out-loud and not for the purpose of reviewing or blogging about them.

[Tina]

I always wanted to be a historian - in particular a historian specialising in Tudor History. Anyone know of any good books about a historian? Or even a costume designer (of historical costumes...)

[Alicia]

Amy J. wrote: "Alicia wrote: "If only stay-at-home cat mom was a job...." or stay at home dog mom who's paid to read books but not out-loud and not for the purpose of reviewing or blogging about them."

Amy, you get me! That's exactly the profession I want. I also do have a dog, but I'm too afraid of the cat to say "pet-mom".

[Erica]

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..."

So I just read this last week. Daughter of the Pirate King Pirate Princess check.
It was very entertaining.

[Emma]

Any ideas for books about music or musicians? Singers, choirmasters, anything like that. I teach music (which is my dream job), so I'm after something music-related for this prompt!

[Ariel]

Does non-fiction count? If so, here’s one for librarian.
Dear Fahrenheit 451: Love and Heartbreak in the Stacks

[Brandon]

Emma wrote: "Any ideas for books about music or musicians? Singers, choirmasters, anything like that. I teach music (which is my dream job), so I'm after something music-related for this prompt!"

Here are a couple from my TBR list. If you are after anything more specific, post it in the thread. It's a pretty big group of books!

The Joy of Music by Leonard Bernstein
Merle Haggard: The Running Kind by David Cantwell

[Caitie]

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

You could do something like Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, though it'll put you off fast food for a while, if you're not put off by it already...

[Caitie]

I'm going to be a total nerd, my dream job is to be a research mathematician or cryptographer (my current job in software is probably as close as I'll get), so I'm going to read Alan Turing: The Enigma. His life is fascinating and heart-breaking!

[Denise]

My dream job is to be a Federation Officer and work on the Enterprise, or Deep Space 9.

I'm going to choose a book from this list of Star Trek Books that Don't Suck.

[Brandon]

Denise Cameron wrote: "My dream job is to be a Federation Officer and work on the Enterprise, or Deep Space 9.

I'm going to choose a book from this list of Star Trek Books that Don't Suck."

Federation is the one I recommend most highly (and it covers both Kirk and Picard).

If you want your main character to be a Federation officer in the DS9 setting, I'd go for Zero Sum Game.

Chime in with a favorite character, series, or episode, and one of us can probably find a more specific recommendation.

[Melissa]

Anabell wrote: "Sandra wrote: "I work as a software developer. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

Don't know if this would work Digital Fortress"

You could go old school and read Copland's Microserfs

[Ellie]

Microserfs' protag is a software tester (Goodreads says he's a dev but pfft), basically the only known novel to have my profession in it! JPod is a bit more modern and about game devs.

[Shannon]

Emily wrote: "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 le..."

AMAZING.

[Harmke]

I have a great job at a local municipality. Any suggestions on that?

[Robin H-R]

Tina wrote: "I always wanted to be a historian - in particular a historian specialising in Tudor History. Anyone know of any good books about a historian? Or even a costume designer (of historical costumes...)"

Try one of Jodi Taylor's books from The Chronicles of St Mary's Series. They are great. The first book is Just One Damned Thing After Another

[Robin H-R]

Brandon wrote: "Denise Cameron wrote: "My dream job is to be a Federation Officer and work on the Enterprise, or Deep Space 9.

I'm going to choose a book from this list of Star Trek Books that Don't Suck."

The Last Best Hope

[Robin H-R]

Brandon wrote: "Emma wrote: "Any ideas for books about music or musicians? Singers, choirmasters, anything like that. I teach music (which is my dream job), so I'm after something music-related for this prompt!"

Body & Soul

[Erin]

If there are any fellow event planners, this is a good list to either use or start from. It's mostly wedding planners, but.... I'm going with it.