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Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool, and Priest
In this humorous memoir, New York Times bestselling author and podcast host of The Spiritual Life, Father James Martin tells the story of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, and corporate tool and, finally, a Jesuit priest.
"Funny, charming, inspiring and wise—this is a memorable memoir." — Stephen Colbert, Comedian and writer
Work in Progress is a snapshot of several years—first as a boy, then as a teenager, and finally as a young adult--of being thrown into a series of jobs for which Martin had zero training. He had never set foot in a restaurant kitchen before working as a busboy and dishwasher; never stepped onto a golf course before working as a caddy; and had never seen a factory floor before working as an assembly-line worker. He almost always felt uncomfortable, unsettled, and uneasy. But, like many of us, he needed the money.
This coming-of-age story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, a lighthearted tale for readers who enjoy personal narratives, and it’s unlike anything Father Martin has written before. As he puts it, "This is a spiritual memoir from a different angle … told 'slant' as Emily Dickinson might say."
Each chapter features photos of memories and milestones throughout Father Martin's young life. If you're an aficionado of snafus, you won't be disappointed. He's not the hero of these stories, more a hapless teenager who learns in each job, even the ones he loathes, something about the value of work, about what it means to be an adult, about people, and about life overall.
Work in Progress teaches us small but important life lessons such
work hard and be on time, don't be mean, apologize when you need to, and forgive frequently, ask if you don't know something, don't misuse power,pay attention to those who are struggling, listen and, above all, be kind.Martin shares, "My summer jobs, crazy and funny and varied as they were, had something to do with who I am. As we Jesuits would say, the lessons I learned helped to 'form" me."
"Funny, charming, inspiring and wise—this is a memorable memoir." — Stephen Colbert, Comedian and writer
Work in Progress is a snapshot of several years—first as a boy, then as a teenager, and finally as a young adult--of being thrown into a series of jobs for which Martin had zero training. He had never set foot in a restaurant kitchen before working as a busboy and dishwasher; never stepped onto a golf course before working as a caddy; and had never seen a factory floor before working as an assembly-line worker. He almost always felt uncomfortable, unsettled, and uneasy. But, like many of us, he needed the money.
This coming-of-age story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, a lighthearted tale for readers who enjoy personal narratives, and it’s unlike anything Father Martin has written before. As he puts it, "This is a spiritual memoir from a different angle … told 'slant' as Emily Dickinson might say."
Each chapter features photos of memories and milestones throughout Father Martin's young life. If you're an aficionado of snafus, you won't be disappointed. He's not the hero of these stories, more a hapless teenager who learns in each job, even the ones he loathes, something about the value of work, about what it means to be an adult, about people, and about life overall.
Work in Progress teaches us small but important life lessons such
work hard and be on time, don't be mean, apologize when you need to, and forgive frequently, ask if you don't know something, don't misuse power,pay attention to those who are struggling, listen and, above all, be kind.Martin shares, "My summer jobs, crazy and funny and varied as they were, had something to do with who I am. As we Jesuits would say, the lessons I learned helped to 'form" me."
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 3, 2026
258 people are currently reading
1621 people want to read
About the author
James Martin
53 books1,056 followersJames Martin, SJ is a Jesuit priest, writer, editor at large of the Jesuit magazine America, and consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication.
Fr. Martin grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States, and attended Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1982 and worked in corporate finance at General Electric for six years. Dissatisfied with the corporate world, he entered the Society of Jesus (more commonly known as the Jesuits) in 1988, and after completing his Jesuit training (which included studies in philosophy and theology, as well as full time-ministry) was ordained a priest in 1999. He received his Master's in Divinity (M.Div.) and Master's in Theology (Th.M.) from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (now part of Boston College).
During his Jesuit training, Martin worked in a hospital for the seriously ill and a homeless shelter in Boston, with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Jamaica, with street-gang members in Chicago, in a prison in Boston, and for two years with East African refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, with the Jesuit Refugee Service. In addition to his work at America magazine, Fr. Martin has written or edited more than 15 books, most of which are about spirituality and religion. He is a frequent commentator on religion and spirituality and has appeared on all the major networks, served as an expert commentator for ABC for the papal conclave that elected Pope Francis, and has written for many outlets, including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Father Martin's best known books The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything (2010) and Jesus: A Pilgrimage were both New York Times bestsellers; My Life with the Saints was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book; and all three were winners of the Christopher Award.
He has received over 15 honorary degrees from Catholic colleges and universities, and in 2017 Pope Francis appointed him as consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication.
Fr. Martin grew up in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States, and attended Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business in 1982 and worked in corporate finance at General Electric for six years. Dissatisfied with the corporate world, he entered the Society of Jesus (more commonly known as the Jesuits) in 1988, and after completing his Jesuit training (which included studies in philosophy and theology, as well as full time-ministry) was ordained a priest in 1999. He received his Master's in Divinity (M.Div.) and Master's in Theology (Th.M.) from the Weston Jesuit School of Theology (now part of Boston College).
During his Jesuit training, Martin worked in a hospital for the seriously ill and a homeless shelter in Boston, with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Jamaica, with street-gang members in Chicago, in a prison in Boston, and for two years with East African refugees in Nairobi, Kenya, with the Jesuit Refugee Service. In addition to his work at America magazine, Fr. Martin has written or edited more than 15 books, most of which are about spirituality and religion. He is a frequent commentator on religion and spirituality and has appeared on all the major networks, served as an expert commentator for ABC for the papal conclave that elected Pope Francis, and has written for many outlets, including the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Father Martin's best known books The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything (2010) and Jesus: A Pilgrimage were both New York Times bestsellers; My Life with the Saints was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book; and all three were winners of the Christopher Award.
He has received over 15 honorary degrees from Catholic colleges and universities, and in 2017 Pope Francis appointed him as consultor to the Vatican's Secretariat for Communication.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 18, 2026
The first time I heard Fr. James Martin speak was at a live taping for the Colbert Report. I was very taken by his charm, his intellect, his sense of humor, and his spirituality.
I saw he was leading a book group for his latest book and decided to read it. It was a fun memoir following along as he recounted his childhood through the early years of his Jesuit study. Since we’re basically the same age, we shared many familiar experiences and I particularly enjoyed his recounting of working in NYC in the 1980s where we frequented many of the same places.
I had hoped he would go into more detail about his discernment to enter into religious life, but he has covered this elsewhere, so it was an enjoyable opportunity to get to know him better and to understand what makes him tick.
I saw he was leading a book group for his latest book and decided to read it. It was a fun memoir following along as he recounted his childhood through the early years of his Jesuit study. Since we’re basically the same age, we shared many familiar experiences and I particularly enjoyed his recounting of working in NYC in the 1980s where we frequented many of the same places.
I had hoped he would go into more detail about his discernment to enter into religious life, but he has covered this elsewhere, so it was an enjoyable opportunity to get to know him better and to understand what makes him tick.
September 10, 2025
I like Fr. James Martin and I appreciate his vision of inclusion among Catholics. This book doesn't (explicitly) address that vision, nor is it Merton's Seven Storey Mountain. This is his homage to summer work as a teenager and as a young professional. He's showing the world that 'priests are human, too'. It's a beach or airplane read for those nostalgic for bicentennial America and soda jerks.
February 15, 2026
An interesting life study focused on summer jobs and life choices. Those born in the 1960s will be reminded of a lot that we’ve seen and experienced. Here are life lessons that everyone can relate to even if you’re young and don’t remember having a paper route. This is a fun, enjoyable read, written by a man with a sense of humor, humility and reality. This is for everyone that’s interested in living a life of fulfillment.
February 6, 2026
Excellent memoir and vocation story and a clear explanation of how we are all a work in progress.
February 28, 2026
Didn’t know who the author was when I got the audiobook from the library. I was enjoying chapter 1 so much that I decided to Google to see who the author is. But then I didn’t believe what I found, so I googled it again, and still didn’t believe it, and so then I decided to Google whatever this SJ is after his name, and I realize that this book that I am thoroughly enjoying the very beginning of, is written and read by … a priest.
I am the same age as the author and really enjoyed going down memory lane. I’m surprised at all that he can remember. How in the world can he remember all these details? Even things like the board game Mystery Date (which I had), that I had completely forgotten about. And then he mentions the tv commercial, which I really forgot about until of course he jogged my memory.
This book is full of wonderful life lessons that many younger people should read and fully take in, but I wonder how to get the target audience to actually read or listen to a book that they should be reading or listening to.
Towards the end of the book, I found it very, very interesting that decades ago I too worked at a company that had followed Jack Welch’s management style where we worked long long hours (over 12 hours a day, and the weekends), we were ranked (1 to 5 versus GE’s 1 to 4), and the bottom 10% were fired every 6 months. But the thought of becoming a priest never entered my mind (instead, I did the opposite, and saved every penny and retired early).
I am ignorant regarding all things religion. The author mentions Jesuit a lot throughout the book, and didn’t understand until very late in the book that it’s a sect-ish part of Catholicism. I stopped listening about the last 45 minutes because he was talking about him becoming a priest and although I have zero interest in that topic, I found that I really liked the author and if I ever wanted to talk to a priest, I would hunt him down.
Oh, and I want to visit Plymouth Meeting, which I had never heard of before.
February 13, 2026
"The rarest kind of memoir: one that makes you laugh, cry, and immediately call your parents."
I finished this book at 2 a.m., tears streaming, genuinely angry that it had to end.
James Martin—Jesuit priest, corporate dropout, former busboy—has written something miraculous: a spiritual memoir that never once feels like one. It's just story after story, each funnier and more heartbreaking than the last. The Bicentennial Wagon Train disaster.
The Dachau survivor on the assembly line. Brad's funeral. The therapist who asked, "What would you do if you could do anything?"
I expected lessons about work ethic. I did not expect to sob on page 185. I did not expect to text my own college roommate at midnight. I did not expect to recognize myself in a fifteen-year-old kid who just wanted everyone to like him.
This is not "The Seven Storey Mountain". It's better. It's messier. It's funnier. It's the memoir Merton might have written if he'd ever worked at a movie theater.
If you've ever had a job you hated, a friend you lost, or a life that didn't look like you planned—read this. Then buy a copy for your parents. Then another for your therapist.
Five stars is not enough.
Read whole review if you want to at: https://www.probinism.com/work-in-pro...
I finished this book at 2 a.m., tears streaming, genuinely angry that it had to end.
James Martin—Jesuit priest, corporate dropout, former busboy—has written something miraculous: a spiritual memoir that never once feels like one. It's just story after story, each funnier and more heartbreaking than the last. The Bicentennial Wagon Train disaster.
The Dachau survivor on the assembly line. Brad's funeral. The therapist who asked, "What would you do if you could do anything?"
I expected lessons about work ethic. I did not expect to sob on page 185. I did not expect to text my own college roommate at midnight. I did not expect to recognize myself in a fifteen-year-old kid who just wanted everyone to like him.
This is not "The Seven Storey Mountain". It's better. It's messier. It's funnier. It's the memoir Merton might have written if he'd ever worked at a movie theater.
If you've ever had a job you hated, a friend you lost, or a life that didn't look like you planned—read this. Then buy a copy for your parents. Then another for your therapist.
Five stars is not enough.
Read whole review if you want to at: https://www.probinism.com/work-in-pro...
February 19, 2026
“ None of us suddenly becomes something overnight. The preparations have been in the making for a lifetime.”
- Gail Godwin
“ When you’ve taught your children a work ethic you’ve given them a great gift.”
- Badger Bob Johnson
NHL Hall of Fame Hockey Coach
I greatly enjoyed this memoir from Fr. Jim Martin recounting his work life first as a teenager, then a college student, and then working for six years at General Electric before entering the Jesuit novitiate for eleven years before being ordained in 1999.
The funny stories, embarrassing moments, and poignant recollections of classmates, bosses, and mentors looked back on form the heart of the book. His gravitational pull towards the priesthood begins during his soulless but economically rewarding stint at GE. You will love the humor, honesty, and vulnerability on this reflection about what we learn when we are young and what stays with us. Like Fr. Jim, we all have a lot of people to thank.
- Gail Godwin
“ When you’ve taught your children a work ethic you’ve given them a great gift.”
- Badger Bob Johnson
NHL Hall of Fame Hockey Coach
I greatly enjoyed this memoir from Fr. Jim Martin recounting his work life first as a teenager, then a college student, and then working for six years at General Electric before entering the Jesuit novitiate for eleven years before being ordained in 1999.
The funny stories, embarrassing moments, and poignant recollections of classmates, bosses, and mentors looked back on form the heart of the book. His gravitational pull towards the priesthood begins during his soulless but economically rewarding stint at GE. You will love the humor, honesty, and vulnerability on this reflection about what we learn when we are young and what stays with us. Like Fr. Jim, we all have a lot of people to thank.
February 20, 2026
I've gotten to know Father Martin through his appearances on Colbert and his podcast The Spiritual Life. I appreciate the perspective he has on faith and life in general. This was a unique read that I just loved. It's about his life "before" he was a priest, and it's really fun reflections on all the jobs he had along the way. There were so many stories I laughed out loud at, especially as there are lots of misadventures, and I appreciated how he wove in a little reflection and connection to his life now along the way.
February 26, 2026
Enjoyable read, many parts LOL funny. Great stories of the author’s summer jobs as a student and early career from his initial perspective of “how hard could it be” to life lessons learned including being a good and kind person and the importance of a good work ethic. I grew up at the same time in the same geographical area so I could really relate to many of his references. A great feel good book.
February 27, 2026
4 1/2 stars. I've loved almost everything Fr. Martin's written, and this was no exception. Since he and I are about the same age, I could relate to a lot of what was going on, even though I was raised far from where he was. I'd be interested in reading a continuation of this memoir - how he ended up where he is now.
February 4, 2026
Great way to spend a snow day. Martin’s refreshing candor about his path to the vocation he enjoys now is interesting. And his refrain: “How hard could it be?” is going to find its way into my conversations going forward.
February 15, 2026
I'll admit that I initially got to "know" Jim Martin through his appearances on Colbert, and I've since been impressed by his thoughtful commentary and empathy (I mean, duh, he IS a Jesuit!). This memoir is funny and relatable--squarely from the "priests are people too" genre.
February 10, 2026
So good! Funny, detail oriented, relatable and inspiring.
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February 12, 2026review text for 79
February 14, 2026
Enjoyed this book very much. Funny, sweet and inspiring.
February 15, 2026
Free Audiobook with Spotify Premium. Humorous memoir by Fr. Jim Martin. Love his podcast. This book shows that god never wastes a job or experience in developing us spiritually.
February 20, 2026
I simple loved this book! Fr. Martin is a few years older than I but the memories of a summer job and the songs that goes with each year was fun to relive.
February 20, 2026
As always, Father Jim’s book is excellent. This felt like sitting beside a friend and listening to old stories. Very engaging. Highly recommend.
February 20, 2026
4.25⭐️
February 27, 2026
This is a delightful, smart, funny memoir. Father Martin is someone I would love to have as a friend. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews