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Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work
Stories of passion, courage, and commitment, following individuals as they pursue the work they were born to do, from StoryCorps founder Dave Isay
In Callings, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay presents unforgettable stories from people doing what they love. Some are paid well for their work, others not at all; some found their paths at a very young age, others later in life; many overcame great odds or upturned their lives in order to pursue what matters to them. These stories were collected over the past two years as part of a national outreach campaign, a first for StoryCorps, and most have never been published or broadcast until now.
We meet a man from the barreros of Texas whose harrowing experiences in a family of migrant farmers inspired him to become a public defender. We meet a longtime waitress who takes pride in making regulars and newcomers alike feel at home in her Nashville diner. We meet a young man on the South Side of Chicago who became a teacher in order to help at-risk teenagers like the ones who killed his father get on the right track. We meet a woman from Little Rock who volunteers to help former inmates gain the skills and confidence they need to rejoin the workforce. Together they demonstrate how work can be about much more than just making a living, that chasing dreams and finding inspiration in unexpected places can transform a vocation into a calling. Their shared sense of passion, honor, and commitment brings deeper meaning and satisfaction to every aspect of their lives.
An essential contribution to the beloved StoryCorps collection, Callings is an inspiring tribute to rewarding work and the American pursuit of happiness.
In Callings, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay presents unforgettable stories from people doing what they love. Some are paid well for their work, others not at all; some found their paths at a very young age, others later in life; many overcame great odds or upturned their lives in order to pursue what matters to them. These stories were collected over the past two years as part of a national outreach campaign, a first for StoryCorps, and most have never been published or broadcast until now.
We meet a man from the barreros of Texas whose harrowing experiences in a family of migrant farmers inspired him to become a public defender. We meet a longtime waitress who takes pride in making regulars and newcomers alike feel at home in her Nashville diner. We meet a young man on the South Side of Chicago who became a teacher in order to help at-risk teenagers like the ones who killed his father get on the right track. We meet a woman from Little Rock who volunteers to help former inmates gain the skills and confidence they need to rejoin the workforce. Together they demonstrate how work can be about much more than just making a living, that chasing dreams and finding inspiration in unexpected places can transform a vocation into a calling. Their shared sense of passion, honor, and commitment brings deeper meaning and satisfaction to every aspect of their lives.
An essential contribution to the beloved StoryCorps collection, Callings is an inspiring tribute to rewarding work and the American pursuit of happiness.
266 pages, Hardcover
First published April 19, 2016
224 people are currently reading
3370 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
July 22, 2022
As I finished this, I came away with conflicting thoughts, I think due to the expectations set forth by the dual meaning of the word calling. The title and subtitle lean towards positive associations of happy jobs that confirm the maxim, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life" - Confucius. And certainly some stories did confirm that notion, but others fit better with the definition of calling that defines it as one's customary vocation.
The first disc was interesting and inspiring with stories of people finding, following, or just being assured in their work. The second disc was more sobering and ended with a story about those who work closely with prison executions. I found the two discs to be very different in manner and mood and the total collection gave me pause to consider whether we find our work or our work finds us.
After reading some reviews, I think the print book had more stories than the audio version and perhaps didn't end on such a sobering story.
The first disc was interesting and inspiring with stories of people finding, following, or just being assured in their work. The second disc was more sobering and ended with a story about those who work closely with prison executions. I found the two discs to be very different in manner and mood and the total collection gave me pause to consider whether we find our work or our work finds us.
After reading some reviews, I think the print book had more stories than the audio version and perhaps didn't end on such a sobering story.
July 24, 2017
If you love StoryCorps, you will love this as its condensed versions of some of the stories told to them over the years, dealing with various elements of work and calling.
My favorites are the bridgetender and the tattoo removal artist.
My favorites are the bridgetender and the tattoo removal artist.
March 16, 2016
Last month I read my first StoryCorps book, Listening is an Act of Love, and I couldn’t help but be affected by all of those stories. The stories in Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work are similar.
I grew up in a house with a father who loved his job every minute of every day, even the bad days he would never have traded one day of flying for any other job in the world. I have great respect and admiration for those people who manage to find a job that pays well enough to survive on, and feeds their soul, as well.
There are many touching stories; one of my favorites was the story of a self-proclaimed street-corner astronomer. Twenty-seven years with not much more than a sign and a telescope and a hat to collect whatever donations people wanted to make. He showed these people the stars, the planets, teaching his visitors, sharing in their joy. Another person talks about her years as a forensic artist. An interview with an NBA Referee. A volunteer in a program that pre-dates NASA, testing the affects of high speed on human subjects. Fascinating and memorable stories illustrating how working and living their passions has enriched their lives.
Release Date: 19 April 2016
Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP, The Penguin Press, NetGalley, and to Dave Isay for the opportunity to read this book.
May 6, 2018
I cannot get enough of these compilations. They make me fall back in love with humanity every single time.
October 16, 2016
What a fantastic book! Full of people's life stories. I love reading them and feeling inspired. StoryCorps for the win again!
September 6, 2016
StoryCorps gives you a glimpse into other peoples lives-- how they live, what motivates them, their challenges, and their joys. It's a burst of inspiration and a reminder of what makes us human. I recently listened to an interview with the creator of StoryCops, Dave Isay, on OnBeing. During that interview there was mention of his new book, Callings. Being such a fan of StoryCorps, I purchased the book right away and boy am I glad that I did.
Callings is a book about people, work, and finding what you love. It's about how people in everyday life find meaning in their day-to-day work. The book is a collection of interviews/stories from teachers, physicians, chefs, police officers, etc. The characters at the center of these stories share how they came to find their "calling" and how this fulfills them. The stories are honest and heartfelt -- highly recommend!
Callings is a book about people, work, and finding what you love. It's about how people in everyday life find meaning in their day-to-day work. The book is a collection of interviews/stories from teachers, physicians, chefs, police officers, etc. The characters at the center of these stories share how they came to find their "calling" and how this fulfills them. The stories are honest and heartfelt -- highly recommend!
February 26, 2018
With the worst of America on grotesque display on an almost daily basis at the moment, it’s refreshing to read something that showcases some of that country’s best characteristics. In addition to its core focus on professional pride and fulfilment there are stories here of dramatic social mobility and quiet, dignified heroism in the face of racism, sexism, homophobia and depravation. An anthology of everyday Americans talking about their jobs and personal philosophies is the kind of thing I would usually run a mile to avoid and I suspect many fellow cynics will steer clear of this book fearing intolerable levels of preachy sentimentality. I believe they will be missing out, because this is one of the wisest, most moving and thought provoking things I’ve read in a long time. Part philosophy, part social history and part self-help book (in a good way).
January 12, 2018
An interesting book filled with short conversations about how people found themselves in certain professions. My underlying conclusion was that the profession often didn't matter, many of the people were positive people and would have enjoyed whatever their job was. I was disappointed that the majority of the conversations were positive. It would have been nice to hear more from people that didn't enjoy their jobs or those who struggled to find their purpose.
February 16, 2020
A nice collection of interviews, some more poignant and heartfelt than others.
August 29, 2017
I had read Dave Isay's "Listening Is An Act of Love" a few years back during my days as a newspaper columnist, and I got much out of that book. So, with my new gig as a senior writer at a local university, a job that has me digging for stories that tell a universal truth for the many things I write, I figured I could find those here. I did.
"Callings" reminds me of Studs Terkel's "Working" because it's full of these colorful characters far from the headlines of the day. Every person comes from the popular StoryCorps series on NPR, the short audio recordings that I bet cause many driveway moments for many of us. That happens because these stories tell much about who we are. And you'll find that here in "Callings," full of short stories from migrant workers, bridge tenders, farmers, sanitation workers, a lox slicer, a beer vendor and even a U.S. congressman.
A neurosurgeon talks to his eighth-grade science teacher who inspired him. And that is one beautiful story. But I think my favorite comes from a retired firefighter, a father from New York City who lost both his sons on 9/11. One was a firefighter; the other, a cop. The father says: "There’s not many people I know of that the last words they said to their son or daughter were “I love you” and the last words they heard were “I love you.” So that makes me sleep at night.”
Good stuff.
"Callings" reminds me of Studs Terkel's "Working" because it's full of these colorful characters far from the headlines of the day. Every person comes from the popular StoryCorps series on NPR, the short audio recordings that I bet cause many driveway moments for many of us. That happens because these stories tell much about who we are. And you'll find that here in "Callings," full of short stories from migrant workers, bridge tenders, farmers, sanitation workers, a lox slicer, a beer vendor and even a U.S. congressman.
A neurosurgeon talks to his eighth-grade science teacher who inspired him. And that is one beautiful story. But I think my favorite comes from a retired firefighter, a father from New York City who lost both his sons on 9/11. One was a firefighter; the other, a cop. The father says: "There’s not many people I know of that the last words they said to their son or daughter were “I love you” and the last words they heard were “I love you.” So that makes me sleep at night.”
Good stuff.
April 29, 2020
I love StoryCorps and was hoping for a quick, uplifting read when I chose this one. This collection is truly meant for the audiobook format, since each person’s story was read by the individual author (which gave their words all the more meaning).
Some of the stories were entertaining, some were heartbreaking, but all of them left me with food for thought and something new to consider. Although I was expecting more of a focus on how different people came to find their “callings” and what makes their chosen professions meaningful for them, the diverse stories included were still valuable in their own right. Overall, I was left with a lot to consider and learned a few things along the way, which was a decent takeaway from such a short book!
Some of the stories were entertaining, some were heartbreaking, but all of them left me with food for thought and something new to consider. Although I was expecting more of a focus on how different people came to find their “callings” and what makes their chosen professions meaningful for them, the diverse stories included were still valuable in their own right. Overall, I was left with a lot to consider and learned a few things along the way, which was a decent takeaway from such a short book!
July 4, 2017
"...an inspiring tribute to rewarding work and the American pursuit of happiness."
Everyone has a story to tell, and I love hearing/reading them. I'm a fan of StoryCorps, and this collection of stories is "dedicated to everyone working to find and follow their callings. May you live with courage always." The unforgettable stories are of dreamers, generations, healers, philosophers and groundbreakers. I found them inspiring and motivational. Studs Terkel wrote that work is about the search "for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying." How fortunate are those who discover the work that they were born to do!
Everyone has a story to tell, and I love hearing/reading them. I'm a fan of StoryCorps, and this collection of stories is "dedicated to everyone working to find and follow their callings. May you live with courage always." The unforgettable stories are of dreamers, generations, healers, philosophers and groundbreakers. I found them inspiring and motivational. Studs Terkel wrote that work is about the search "for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying." How fortunate are those who discover the work that they were born to do!
July 26, 2018
I really enjoyed these personal stories on finding (sometime reluctantly) and working in your calling. It ended on such a sad note - working as a death row guard, spiritual counselor, and clinical staff. I wish I could I hear that part, but maybe I just need more time to process.
Reading this in conjunction with The Good Girls Revolt, which documents the barriers the women of Newsweek faced in the 60’s trying to work in their calling as reporters and writers.
Reading this in conjunction with The Good Girls Revolt, which documents the barriers the women of Newsweek faced in the 60’s trying to work in their calling as reporters and writers.
June 13, 2017
An interesting and inspirational book for all. I think the range of jobs presented and the ways people came to them would be especially useful reading for those who are trying to decide on their next career step.
November 11, 2025
Read this book for my work book club - a collections of stories of real people, families, workers which at many points nearly brought me to tears. Saving these same questions to ask my own family and mentors about too
August 27, 2018
I read this book as a part of the Summer Reading Program at Meredith College. I really enjoyed all the different stories and how people arrive at their Calling. Very inspirational!
January 13, 2019
This beautiful book has much to teach. The stories told are lives in miniature. Each piece provides its own particular sense of wonder through the voice of the teller. There is much to love and savor about this rather astonishing little book. A true gem!
February 22, 2025
3.5 stars. I would have liked a larger glimpse into the individual’s stories. Callings as a title is appropriate; for many the job was more than what they did — it was who they are driven by purpose and passion.
July 6, 2020
”The following pages are filled with the stories of everyday people who have found – and often fought – their way to doing exactly what they were meant to do with their lives.”
Apparently there are five books connected to the StoryCorps project. This is the second one I have read. I am so grateful to Isay for both the project and the books. I don’t know exactly how Isay took the ideas of the Works Progress Administration and updated them for this era, but he deserves even more recognition than he has already received.
If you know StoryCorps, then you know how this book works. It is interviews with folks about their vocations. Sometimes there is an interviewer and sometimes just the person speaking on their own. All of the conversations are interesting and well transcribed. This book can be read when there is little time to read since it is made up of short pieces.
If you don’t know StoryCorps, this might be a good place to start.
Apparently there are five books connected to the StoryCorps project. This is the second one I have read. I am so grateful to Isay for both the project and the books. I don’t know exactly how Isay took the ideas of the Works Progress Administration and updated them for this era, but he deserves even more recognition than he has already received.
If you know StoryCorps, then you know how this book works. It is interviews with folks about their vocations. Sometimes there is an interviewer and sometimes just the person speaking on their own. All of the conversations are interesting and well transcribed. This book can be read when there is little time to read since it is made up of short pieces.
If you don’t know StoryCorps, this might be a good place to start.
March 16, 2017
A collection of StoryCorps interviews with people who share what they do (or have done) for a living. Many tell how they fell into the profession, others tell stories about how someone whose life they touched reached out to find them and tell them. I found many of them moving and found was wiping tears on several occasions. The book is divided into the following sections:
Dreamers - those who were able to do what they had always wanted to from a young age or in spite of odds against them or lack of support.
Generations - those who took the same profession or aspirations as a parent or other family member
Healers - stories of how lives were impacted by someone doing their job well
Philosophers - stories about how some jobs are more like a way of being and so essentially part of who you are
Groundbreakers - stories about people who were the first to accomplish something in their field.
The Healers section especially hit me in the feels and I was reaching for tissues more than once because of how wonderful people can be when they care for strangers. I love the StoryCorps interviews when I hear them on NPR and this book was just as touching. What a wonderful book this would make for a person graduating and entering the workforce for the first time.
Dreamers - those who were able to do what they had always wanted to from a young age or in spite of odds against them or lack of support.
Generations - those who took the same profession or aspirations as a parent or other family member
Healers - stories of how lives were impacted by someone doing their job well
Philosophers - stories about how some jobs are more like a way of being and so essentially part of who you are
Groundbreakers - stories about people who were the first to accomplish something in their field.
The Healers section especially hit me in the feels and I was reaching for tissues more than once because of how wonderful people can be when they care for strangers. I love the StoryCorps interviews when I hear them on NPR and this book was just as touching. What a wonderful book this would make for a person graduating and entering the workforce for the first time.
September 19, 2025
What a perfect common reading book for freshmen! A really touching anthology of interviews with people about their life’s passion found in work. Teared up a couple of times, really quick read. Great NPR product!
November 14, 2019
Disclosure: I didn't read all of this; probably half the essays / stories. They're good. A variety of jobs and experiences, and several examples of how people started with one job and ended up in another that they really loved. Also lots of examples from women and people of color who were pioneers in their field, becoming experts not only in the knowledge and skills they need, but also against societal and professional skepticism about their abilities.
November 4, 2018
I first heard of David Isay in the On Being podcast, where he was interviewed by the host Ms. Krista Tippett in "Listening as an Act of Love". I discovered that Isay is the founder of StoryCorps, an organization dedicated to recording and sharing the stories of people from all walks of life. (I don't live in the U.S., and I'm a bit of a hermit from social media, so it's still pretty new to me.) I was moved by the podcast, so after I listened to the episode, I checked out StoryCorps and their available publications.
In the end, I gravitated to Callings for a very personal reason. At the time I picked it up, I found myself stuck in a job that was no longer fulfilling, while my Facebook feed (before I'd stopped going on it altogether) seemed to feature a lot of successful young entrepreneurs, or else my peers who'd inherited the family business and were currently living it up by travelling the world. I was lost and tired and I guess I was looking for permission to have a vision for myself that didn't involve this monolithic definition of success. So Callings was exactly what I needed.
The first thing that I love about the book is that the title is in the plural form, signifying the many kinds of professions that can be considered a "calling". Usually when one thinks of a calling, something noble comes into mind, like being a doctor, or a teacher, or a priest. Being a bridge-tender or sanitation worker doesn't immediately fit into our schema of a "calling". But those kinds of people, among others, are exactly who we meet in the book. Some of them are in jobs or professions that fall far outside the usual cultural meanings and expectations of work and success, but who've found meaning in what they do, anyway. Here, we meet Kerry and Ken, ironworkers on the Golden Gate Bridge, who find that an unexpected part of their job was to convince people who look like they're going to commit suicide not to jump. We meet sanitation workers Angelo and Eddie, who find meaning in their work by engaging with the people they meet along their route. We meet Lee, a neurosurgeon, talking to his eighth-grade science teacher, Al, whom he wanted to thank as planting the seeds to his career. We meet Rose, a barkeep, who would take her irresponsible customers' paychecks only to put them in a safe, give them a $20 for the night, and return their paychecks at the end of the night. She did this because she knew they had families to care for.
Of course, this doesn't mean that everyone who works as a grocer will find his or her job fulfilling, or that we should just suck it up in our current jobs and find a way to make it meaningful. There's something to be said for leaving one's job when one is no longer happy or growing, as I eventually did. What Callings presents, though, are different versions of happiness at work, and how these people, who don't have big paychecks or fancy awards, found a way to make meaning from their situations. This book, I believe, undermines two of our culture's dominant narratives on work: (1) that success is defined by money, recognition, or fame, and (2) that happiness at work is based on "finding your passion", rather than the other way around - making a passion of where you are. Regardless of background, what holds all these stories together is how these people find numinous moments in the seemingly ordinary moments of their lives, and how they weave these moments together in meaningful narratives of work.
This brings to mind a quote I read recently on hope, attributed to Vaclav Havel: "Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out." For me, meeting the people in this book has given hope many faces. And, it also shows that success at work has many faces.
I only wished that there were more stories of younger people seeking to make meaning of where they are, but I suppose reading the stories of older people has its own merits. It was fascinating to see how intricately our work is tied with our lives throughout the lifespan, and how we both define our work and how we allow it to define us.
Callings was an uplifting, refreshing book. Would definitely recommend to anyone needing an inspirational read.
In the end, I gravitated to Callings for a very personal reason. At the time I picked it up, I found myself stuck in a job that was no longer fulfilling, while my Facebook feed (before I'd stopped going on it altogether) seemed to feature a lot of successful young entrepreneurs, or else my peers who'd inherited the family business and were currently living it up by travelling the world. I was lost and tired and I guess I was looking for permission to have a vision for myself that didn't involve this monolithic definition of success. So Callings was exactly what I needed.
The first thing that I love about the book is that the title is in the plural form, signifying the many kinds of professions that can be considered a "calling". Usually when one thinks of a calling, something noble comes into mind, like being a doctor, or a teacher, or a priest. Being a bridge-tender or sanitation worker doesn't immediately fit into our schema of a "calling". But those kinds of people, among others, are exactly who we meet in the book. Some of them are in jobs or professions that fall far outside the usual cultural meanings and expectations of work and success, but who've found meaning in what they do, anyway. Here, we meet Kerry and Ken, ironworkers on the Golden Gate Bridge, who find that an unexpected part of their job was to convince people who look like they're going to commit suicide not to jump. We meet sanitation workers Angelo and Eddie, who find meaning in their work by engaging with the people they meet along their route. We meet Lee, a neurosurgeon, talking to his eighth-grade science teacher, Al, whom he wanted to thank as planting the seeds to his career. We meet Rose, a barkeep, who would take her irresponsible customers' paychecks only to put them in a safe, give them a $20 for the night, and return their paychecks at the end of the night. She did this because she knew they had families to care for.
Of course, this doesn't mean that everyone who works as a grocer will find his or her job fulfilling, or that we should just suck it up in our current jobs and find a way to make it meaningful. There's something to be said for leaving one's job when one is no longer happy or growing, as I eventually did. What Callings presents, though, are different versions of happiness at work, and how these people, who don't have big paychecks or fancy awards, found a way to make meaning from their situations. This book, I believe, undermines two of our culture's dominant narratives on work: (1) that success is defined by money, recognition, or fame, and (2) that happiness at work is based on "finding your passion", rather than the other way around - making a passion of where you are. Regardless of background, what holds all these stories together is how these people find numinous moments in the seemingly ordinary moments of their lives, and how they weave these moments together in meaningful narratives of work.
This brings to mind a quote I read recently on hope, attributed to Vaclav Havel: "Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out." For me, meeting the people in this book has given hope many faces. And, it also shows that success at work has many faces.
I only wished that there were more stories of younger people seeking to make meaning of where they are, but I suppose reading the stories of older people has its own merits. It was fascinating to see how intricately our work is tied with our lives throughout the lifespan, and how we both define our work and how we allow it to define us.
Callings was an uplifting, refreshing book. Would definitely recommend to anyone needing an inspirational read.
January 9, 2021
Did not find what I expected; because the stories are too short and the details about the people in the book and stories are missing a lot. One wonders more about how and whys.
An easy to read book to get to know different profiles with interesting intrinsic motivation on what they do.
The stories of these people are very inspiring and a huge respect what they achieved, however the book itself could not reflect the same inspiration.
StoryCorps website & blog is rather a better choice then the book.
An easy to read book to get to know different profiles with interesting intrinsic motivation on what they do.
The stories of these people are very inspiring and a huge respect what they achieved, however the book itself could not reflect the same inspiration.
StoryCorps website & blog is rather a better choice then the book.
September 24, 2018
I enjoy StoryCorps books because they prove everyone has a story to tell. It was fun and inspiring to read how different people found their professional callings. It is an easy read because each story is only a few pages long, so you can dip in and out of the book. I think everyone could find someone to relate to in this.
August 14, 2018
Just seeing the title of the book made me want to angry dry heave. This is largely because I've been reading a lot of research about the way that telling someone that their work is their calling leads to exploitative labor practices; if your job is your calling, how can you demand better compensation? How can you threaten to leave it if you don't get adequate compensation?
The story Isay relates in the introduction about his wife's Ob-Gyn made me even more angry: she commits to deliver every one of her patients' babies, even to the degree that she didn't go to her father's deathbed.
Now, here's how I would feel if my Ob-Gyn didn't personally deliver my baby: :I
Here's how I would feel if my daughter didn't want to come to my death bed: :(
Here's how I would feel if I found out my Ob-Gyn chose to personally deliver my baby rather than visit her father on his deathbed: >:O
I don't know if she had a difficult relationship with her dad--it didn't seem so because she cried when she talked about his passing--but it seems like expecting your work to be your calling can set some extreme expectations on your personal and family life. To their credit, many of the interviewees in the collection describe how their work served their life rather than vice-versa: the young girl, who visiting her mother on the factory floor, realizes that management would be a healthier career; the "family business" from firefighting to medicine that creates apprenticeships and family connections; even the decent-paying jobs that allowed women to get out of abusive relationships and support themselves.
I guess the last type exemplifies my criticisms of the book--both money and personal lives are underplayed, although the form a huge part of why many people find their work important or satisfying. There are ways to make your job your calling, from being a friendly garbage collector to a nurse to tries to make personal connections with patients. But, coming from a generation that famously keeps trying to "follow [its] bliss," I have a healthy dose of skepticism in these selected anecdotes as models for what I should expect from my working years.
The story Isay relates in the introduction about his wife's Ob-Gyn made me even more angry: she commits to deliver every one of her patients' babies, even to the degree that she didn't go to her father's deathbed.
Now, here's how I would feel if my Ob-Gyn didn't personally deliver my baby: :I
Here's how I would feel if my daughter didn't want to come to my death bed: :(
Here's how I would feel if I found out my Ob-Gyn chose to personally deliver my baby rather than visit her father on his deathbed: >:O
I don't know if she had a difficult relationship with her dad--it didn't seem so because she cried when she talked about his passing--but it seems like expecting your work to be your calling can set some extreme expectations on your personal and family life. To their credit, many of the interviewees in the collection describe how their work served their life rather than vice-versa: the young girl, who visiting her mother on the factory floor, realizes that management would be a healthier career; the "family business" from firefighting to medicine that creates apprenticeships and family connections; even the decent-paying jobs that allowed women to get out of abusive relationships and support themselves.
I guess the last type exemplifies my criticisms of the book--both money and personal lives are underplayed, although the form a huge part of why many people find their work important or satisfying. There are ways to make your job your calling, from being a friendly garbage collector to a nurse to tries to make personal connections with patients. But, coming from a generation that famously keeps trying to "follow [its] bliss," I have a healthy dose of skepticism in these selected anecdotes as models for what I should expect from my working years.
February 20, 2017
Wonderfully inspirational collection of essays. I'm really looking forward to my book club discussion of this one.
May 20, 2016
3.5 stars.
I love the concept of StoryCorps: compiling a history of the human experience by collecting interviews of any person.
This book features interviews of people talking about their life's work. The beginning was a compilation of stories from garbage collectors to oncology nurse and the end was a collection of stories from military service members and penitentiary workers.
The audiobook was interesting since it was a recording of the interviews themselves.
Worth the listen. Good stories.
I love the concept of StoryCorps: compiling a history of the human experience by collecting interviews of any person.
This book features interviews of people talking about their life's work. The beginning was a compilation of stories from garbage collectors to oncology nurse and the end was a collection of stories from military service members and penitentiary workers.
The audiobook was interesting since it was a recording of the interviews themselves.
Worth the listen. Good stories.
April 27, 2018
I love watching the Story Corps animations on PBS. This book is a collection of different Story Corps stories. Each story is about a different person's job. The jobs range from OB/GYN to a beer vendor at a professional baseball park. The passion the individuals had for their job no matter how humble was amazing. One of the stories was about a retired garbageman. He treated the people on his route like they were his friends and neighbors. He elevated a simple but necessary job into lifelong connections with the people on his route.
May 22, 2016
If you believe every person's story matters, you should fall in love with storycorps, if you haven't already. And if you do, or have, buy this book, to support the storycorps project. Buy one for yourself, and buy a bunch more to give away as gifts. And then take someone you love to the storycorps booth, and record them. And if there's no booth in your town, use the storycorps app.
Do it. seriously.
Do it. seriously.
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