A day in the life... our favourite workplace memoirs
Ducks - Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton
The creator of the comic strip Hark! A Vagrant, Kate Beaton is from Cape Breton, in the Canadian Maritimes, and like many from the sparsely populated Maritime Provinces, moved west to find work after university. Determined to pay off her student loans, and with no employment prospects in her small home town, Beaton took jobs working on the Alberta oil sands, supporting the mining operations there. A woman in a male dominated industry she is subjected to unwanted advances and sexual assaults almost daily, pushing her to the limit. This graphic novel is an enlightening read, shining light on an industry that is toxic in many ways, and on the people that rely on it for their livelihoods.
The Shepherd's Life - A Tale of the Lake District by James Rebanks
Rebanks describes with great beauty and poetry the life of a Lake District farmer, of 'hefting' his Herdwick sheep to the fell, the challenges of extreme weather and the never ending money worries. For a different look at the same life, try The Farmer's Wife by his wife Helen, who writes more about managing the home while her husband works long hours on the farm.
This is Going to Hurt : Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay
One of a multitude of medical memoirs around at the moment, this stands out for it's combo of humour and heartbreak. Written in between agonisingly long shifts as a junior doctor in the NHS, Kay recounts anecdotes from his rounds in a raw and honest fashion, some are bleakly funny while others highlight the struggles that both doctors and patients face daily.
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Part memoir, part expose of the messy and masochistic life of a professional kitchen, Bourdain delves into the pressures and dangerous realities, but also the community and camaraderie of the life of a chef. Kitchen Confidential is credited with raising awareness of potential health risks associated with some restaurant practices and also helped to shift the public's perception of chefs, portraying them as more than just cooks, but as passionate and sometimes eccentric characters.
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
A classic of the 'work memoir' genre, Herriot writes with humour and warmth about his time as a vet in Yorkshire between the 1930s and the 1950s, portraying both the challenges and rewards of veterinary life in a rural setting. Adapted for the screen several times, the stories (there are eight books in total), chronicle Herriot's experiences treating all sorts of animals, both farm animals and domestic pets, while also navigating life in the Yorkshire Dales and his relationships with the people there.
Jahren writes with wit and insight about her life working as often the only woman in scientific labs across America and around the world. From a childhood playing in her father's labs to a friendship with a wonderfully charismatic and brilliant man named Bill who would become her best friend and lab partner, Jahren's memoir is uncompromising and hilarious in turns and would be a great read for any young person going into the sciences.
Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth
Made famous by the excellent TV show with the same name, the book follows Worth as she leaves her comfortable life to live with a religious order of midwives, Nonnatus House. There, she cares for expectant mothers and newborns amidst the poverty and hardship of the East End. Worth's memoir isn't just about childbirth, though. It paints a vivid picture of post-war London and the strong community spirit that existed despite the tough times. You'll encounter the colorful characters Worth meets along the way, from the dedicated nuns to the families she cares for.
A searing and poignant memoir of a single mother living in poverty in modern day America that became a hit Netflix show. Land, determined to keep a roof over her daughter's head, worked for years as a maid, often being subject to abuse and living below the poverty line. At times homeless, living in cars and in shelters, her memoir lays bare the harsh truths: homelessness, a constant fight for survival, and the sting of societal judgment that blames poverty on laziness.
