Gig: Americans Talk about Their Jobs

'Gig' isn't a book to read cover-to-cover, but rather one to be cherry-picked and enjoyed in small doses. The real stars of the book are the interviewers and editors who have done a wonderful job tracking down a diverse group of people, then coaxing the stories out of them. You, the reader, are presented with what appears to be a monologue, but you can be sure that these texts are actually pieced-together answers from some very skillful questioning. What really struck me was the juxtaposition between those people who would appear to have a lot going for them but have just been mailing it in vs. those people who have everything going against them, but see the glass not simply as half full, but overflowing. An example of the latter: Janice Lejeune - a merchandise handler. Born deaf. Legally blind through a condition called Usher's Syndrome. Recently divorced. Kids grown and moved out. And you think you've faced challenges?On the surface, it would be very easy for this woman to give up and simply rue her fate. Yet, she finds value and self-worth in work. She sees herself as an example of what blind/deaf people can do. It's about the most inspirational thing I've ever read. I have chills recounting her story even as I write this. 'Gig' has that type of effect - I really didn't expect a book with such power. These tales will stick with you.

A great collection of interviews of different people talking about their job. If you ever want to know what it was like to be a crime scene cleaner, porn star, actor, WBNA basketball player or a myriad of other occupations, check out this book!

Gig is great. Studs Terkel's Work, though an amazing contribution to American literature and the understanding of how other people in our country live, could be pretty dense, especially to modern readers. Quite a few moderns saw it as useless because of its age and how antiquated it seemed; they ask why would you need to read a book about, like, an elevator operator? Gig, however, is a thoroughly modern (in a good way, though!) tour of the modern american workplace. have you ever wondered what the life of a telephone psychic is like? who clean up crime scenes? how do FBI agents work? what are modern steel plants like? even if you haven't asked those questions, I'm sure you'll be delighted to find the answers out. They're all in this book-- just flip around.

Gig consists of over 125 chapters of Americans talking about their jobs. Gig covers a wide spread of jobs, from McDonald's Crew Member to CEO. Each chapter is about 3-5 pages long, and is written in the first-person exactly as it was told to the editors. Each person shares how they got into their job, what their daily routine consists of, how they feel about their job, and some juicy inside information. This is a great book for anyone who is looking to begin a career, make a career change, or anyone who thinks their job sucks. Gig gives you honest insight to almost any job you could think of. After reading the story of a Slaughterhouse Human Resources Director ("I hire them and they leave"), you might not think your job is so bad after all. The short chapters make the book easy to open up to any spot and just start reading, but they also make the book hard to put down. You'll keep telling yourself, "just one more chapter"!

This is the kind of book I try to ration to keep from reading cover-to-cover during the first sitting, but end up devouring anyway. Each one of the stories in it is immediately intriguing, and each one you read makes you more curious about the next. The stories are full of fascinating tidbits of information and insight into the everyday lives of Americans from all walks of life. It's the kind of information you can't and don't get from the media, even in in-depth articles and reports. If you've ever wondered what goes on in the lives of people you interact with only tangentially, buy this book. It makes for an amazingly engrossing and enjoyable read.