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Shift Change
Anyone can work in a convenience store, but some people really shouldn't...
James Sims is a recent college graduate who has done everything by the book, but that doesn't mean that he has actually done anything right.
With an expensive coffee coaster for a degree and no idea what he is going to do with the rest of life, James finds himself working nights at the busiest gas station in his small Michigan town.
It's the last place he should be.
Shift Change is a misanthropic and confessional dark comedy. It's sometimes poignant but it's more often ridiculous. Either way, It's always self-indulgent.
Based on the author's own experiences working in the service industry, Shift Change is an exploration of what happens when you never stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
It's not for everybody.
James Sims is a recent college graduate who has done everything by the book, but that doesn't mean that he has actually done anything right.
With an expensive coffee coaster for a degree and no idea what he is going to do with the rest of life, James finds himself working nights at the busiest gas station in his small Michigan town.
It's the last place he should be.
Shift Change is a misanthropic and confessional dark comedy. It's sometimes poignant but it's more often ridiculous. Either way, It's always self-indulgent.
Based on the author's own experiences working in the service industry, Shift Change is an exploration of what happens when you never stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
It's not for everybody.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 5, 2019
51 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 18, 2022
James Jonathan Sims, a recent college graduate, starts working night shifts at a gas station in a small Michigan town. He's not sure what to do with his life and with the choices he's already made. Working for minimum wage for a large corporation isn't exactly his dream job but he always tries to give his best effort. But working with colleagues who have questionable morals or who sometimes don't even bother to do the tasks expected of them, James slowly goes down the rabbit hole himself. But with a better moral compass of course.
Story is narrated by protagonist's point of view and follows his time at the gas station over 5 years. His character is humorous in a cynical way, as he shares his thoughts and feelings about his colleagues, their work environment, customers, the job itself and (his) life in general. Author has said that "Shift Change is a misanthropic and confessional dark comedy" and that it is. I'm sure everyone who's had even a little work experience can relate to some of the things written in this book. Or who have had doubts about their direction in life.
The title of the book, "Shift Change", seems to be referring to more than the end of your work day. Author has brilliantly captured many of the universal feelings that come with uncertainty about what to do with your life while trying to pose as a functioning adult. Or a devoted employee. Most of the time it's one man's inner monologue that's at times borderline philosophical yet darkly funny and relatable.
I personally love books written in this style. And I loved reading this one. Definitely recommend to read it.
There were so many places I'd like to quote but here's some:
📃 "You need to select a suitable model to measure your success against because there will always be plenty of evidence available to suggest that you're actually failing."
"We have much more control over when we reach a breaking point than we really care to admit."
"My previous employment experiences had taught me that we were often trained to do one thing and then expected to do something else in practice."
Story is narrated by protagonist's point of view and follows his time at the gas station over 5 years. His character is humorous in a cynical way, as he shares his thoughts and feelings about his colleagues, their work environment, customers, the job itself and (his) life in general. Author has said that "Shift Change is a misanthropic and confessional dark comedy" and that it is. I'm sure everyone who's had even a little work experience can relate to some of the things written in this book. Or who have had doubts about their direction in life.
The title of the book, "Shift Change", seems to be referring to more than the end of your work day. Author has brilliantly captured many of the universal feelings that come with uncertainty about what to do with your life while trying to pose as a functioning adult. Or a devoted employee. Most of the time it's one man's inner monologue that's at times borderline philosophical yet darkly funny and relatable.
I personally love books written in this style. And I loved reading this one. Definitely recommend to read it.
There were so many places I'd like to quote but here's some:
📃 "You need to select a suitable model to measure your success against because there will always be plenty of evidence available to suggest that you're actually failing."
"We have much more control over when we reach a breaking point than we really care to admit."
"My previous employment experiences had taught me that we were often trained to do one thing and then expected to do something else in practice."
January 23, 2021
A guy gets hired to work 1st shift at a gas station in central Michigan. For Logic oil company, the first shift of the day is third shift for the rest of the civilized world. And so begins the story of this hard working man and the interactions he has was Crystal, Jack, Josh, Lisa, and a few others. Some of the things are a little funny. Some are definitely sad. And the book ends on a few sad notes. An interesting fast read.
May 23, 2020
Review
Enjoyed the book because I am from the area he wrote about. I could relate to the characters and the way they interacted
Enjoyed the book because I am from the area he wrote about. I could relate to the characters and the way they interacted
September 27, 2021
The author tried very hard to be funny, and incisive, but I was ultimately bored.
September 15, 2019
Relax you will enjoy
I found that I needed to finish this story and then when I did I wanted to know more. This book allowed me to chuckle, relax and be a bit annoyed. I thought a while about what made this book different, then I realized I did not feel that the author talked down to his audience. I felt an intelligent wit as I read, which I found refreshing. Thanks
I found that I needed to finish this story and then when I did I wanted to know more. This book allowed me to chuckle, relax and be a bit annoyed. I thought a while about what made this book different, then I realized I did not feel that the author talked down to his audience. I felt an intelligent wit as I read, which I found refreshing. Thanks
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews