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Comment by jaekwon | Hacker News Reader

No, his books hammered this in my head. I don't want to be a chef.

I read Kitchen Confidential and loved it. Is there a similar non-technical book I could read on another line of profession that would be just as interesting?

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Studs Terkel's _Working_ is a collection of short essays about people in a whole variety of professions. Most of the writing is people talking about their own jobs in their own words. It -- like all of Studs' work -- is incredible.

And if you want more in the style of Terkel, "Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs" (Edited by John Bowe, Marisa Bowe and Sabin Streeter, 2001) is also a good read.

There's an astounding range of jobs profiled from Crime Scene Cleaner to Porn Star Actor to Tofu Maker.

Po Bronson also wrote a surprisingly good book that I picked up from the bargain bin.

"What Should I Do With My Life?"

http://www.fastcompany.com/node/45909/print

If you get the book, read the one about the catfish entrepreneur

Agreed re: that being a surprisingly good book. It's definitely worth a read, if for no other reason than for the sheer variety of jobs that he ends up encountering. That, and the part about the catfish entrepreneur.

Becoming a Doctor: A Journey of Initiation in Medical School is a great read about getting through medical school.

You might enjoy George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London. Among many other things, he describes his experiences working (in the 1930's) in the kitchens of a big Paris hotel and a small Paris restaurant -- I was reminded of Bourdain when I read these.

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