Customer Reviews

Gig: Americans Talk About Their Jobs at the Turn of the Millennium

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When first starting into Gig, I got the immeadiate sense that this was going to be a "dump on the employer" forum for different industries employees. What it turned out to be was a thoughtful collection of essays that let you see the inner workings of many kinds of jobs and the people who do them. Above all else it gave me a sense of the people who preform these jobs everyday and the thoughts that go into daily business transactions. Though not perfect, it is worth reading simply for the peek behind the curtain at today's industry. You learn that not only do you have to be sixteen to work the Fry Machine at McDonald's, but that if you don't tip the UPS guy at Christmas, you're not going to see an early delivery any time soon.

This is the kind of book I try to ration to keep from reading cover-to-cover during the first sitting, but end up devouring anyway. Each one of the stories in it is immediately intriguing, and each one you read makes you more curious about the next. The stories are full of fascinating tidbits of information and insight into the everyday lives of Americans from all walks of life. It's the kind of information you can't and don't get from the media, even in in-depth articles and reports. If you've ever wondered what goes on in the lives of people you interact with only tangentially, buy this book. It makes for an amazingly engrossing and enjoyable read.

If you liked Studs Terkel's working you will like this book. The folks form word.com talk to people from every possible occupation, such as coporate lawyer, stripper, taco bell worker, CEO, etc. Each of them gets a couple of pages at least, and they talk freely about what their work experience is like. Some people love their jobs, some people plan on quitting soon. It is like talking to these people yourself. Gig is a fun read. There are lots of nicely obsereved details. The UPS guy talks about having to wear certain color t-shirts. An artist talks about liking the smell of paint. A temp guy talks about the need to look busy. It has a very high hard-to-put-down quotient. Also, I think it is a important book. This is the way people really think about their livlihood. A nice antitdote to coporate bs. Best read I have had in a while.

There are three fundamental questions about work.

* What do other people do?

* Who actually does that?

* Is their job better than mine?

As it happens, all three questions have the same answer: you'd be surprised. After collecting years of a column on "Work", the editors of Word.com can tell you exactly what Americans do all day, and those jobs are both more bizarre and more mundane than you might imagine. As _Gig_ demonstrates, Americans are working as florists, lemonade salesmen, clutter consultants, smokehouse pit cooks, paparazzi, Elvis Presley interpreters, buffalo ranchers, heavy metal roadies - and in most cases, loving it.

_Gig_ is fascinating for its variety alone. But more importantly, _Gig_ is inspiring. It's hard to read this book and not be impressed: impressed by Americans' creativity, by their insight, even by their dedication. A receptionist echoes the voices of the 120-plus interviewees when she says that "I take pride in my job. I really - it's my baby, you know? That front desk is my baby. I just take a lot of pride in what I do."

There's no one way to read _Gig_. You can turn to the oddities. (Yes, crime scene cleaner is a real job.) You can look for the parallels and contrasts. (Temp, preceded by CEO, preceded by slaughterhouse human resources director.) You can flip around for anecdotes. (The systems administrator's tale is riveting.) Or you can take heart in homespun philosophy. A steelworker says that "you work with people you like, and they like you because you do your work, and you're with them. You're together." A lawn maintenance man articulates his dream to "finish up school. And then maybe I'll try to get one of those jobs where you can wear khaki pants and relax."

At times the editors try too hard to keep the interviews raw; the constant punctuation of "[Laughs]" can wear thin. But overall _Gig_ is extraordinary: part entertainment, part oral history, part homage to the work of Studs Terkel. _Gig_'s editors pay explicit tribute to Terkel's 1972 _Working_, yet the collection will remind you too of _Hard Times_, his brilliant collection of interviews on the Great Depression. If _Gig_ is a documentary, then it's a documentary in which the central participant shapes the structure and uncovers the meaning. Not unlike a job.

When I first started reading the book, I thought I was going to just flip through it and read only about careers I might be interested in myself. I was wrong. I got completely drawn into it.

I actually started reading it because my mom had just bought it and told me to take a look, thinking I might be interested. I picked it up and just kept reading. Then she went on vacation and took it with her for a week! I couldn't wait... I went and picked up my own copy.

It's strangely fascinating. There's these interviews from people I would never in my life have had a conversation with in real life. And it's very eye-opening. Plus since it's written in various essays, it's very easy to pick up and read a little and then come back to it later without losing anything.

All-in-all, I highly recommend it.

I only read one entry a night to drag it out. It's that good. Not only is there much hilarity, you actually learn insider info about how things work--excellent cocktail conversation. I must have told 20 people things I've read in here, and I"m only a third finished.

I've actually confirmed some of the comments with people who really have those jobs--and they're true!

Gig is a wonderful book that gives you an insight to who people are and what they do. Some of the people are very well-known, but most are not, which can make it better because you get an insight into the lives of the common man, and what we all go through in our everyday lives. This book comes highly suggested, as it the perfect book for those who aren't sure what they want to do with their lives, or those who just want a good laugh.

This book sits next to 'Working' on my bookshelf. Studs Terkel's classic work is beginning to show its age, and I had hopes that 'Gig' would be up to the challenge of bringing 'Working' into the 90s.

Reading the pair, you get a very good handle on the changes in America in the last 30 years. The lack of political awareness expressed in 'Gig' contrasts sharply with the pervasiveness of race and class issues in 'Working'. In 'Working', the subjects were much more willing to speak frankly and honestly about their feelings. I think this speaks to the interviewing skills of Studs Terkel. The interviews in 'Gig' are good, but they can be shallow. 'Working' wasn't just about the working world, but gave a good impression of the state of the country at the time. 'Gig' doesn't have that cohesion or breadth.

On the whole, though, 'Gig' is a good book, but doesn't quite reach the standard that 'Working' has set.

We are in the middle of a recession/depression and the unemployment rate is fast approaching about 8%. John Bowe's book comes along at the right time for people to start thinking about job changes and preparing themselves for other opportunities. Students no longer walk out with a diploma in hand and find employment that same afternoon. It now takes some planning and Bowe's book will give you insight into various job/career positions. I have used this book for teaching my college classes, particularly in the areas of criminal justice and social studies. Times are a-changing, and the student/job seeker needs to look down the line as what the chances are of finding a good job and of holding one's interest over the course of a working lifetime. Plus, if you're interested in what people think of their jobs, but not planning to go there for employment, it's just plain fascinating to hear what lawyers, pimps, musicians,computer wizards, detectives, actors, doctors, travel agents, etc., think of what they do, and if they do it, is it because they can't do anything else and feel trapped and bored? An excellent book and right for the times. Buy it!

Then you should read this book. Gig is an unexpectedly engaging collection of vignettes of diverse American workers. It makes you think long and hard about your job...as well as all those jobs that someone has to do, but that no one really wants to. (What does the garbage man really think about when he's riding the back of the truck?) My favorite profile: man who runs a company that cleans up murder scenes and homes where people are simply found dead from natural causes.