Nine Lives: From Stripper to Schoolteacher : My Year-Long Odyssey in the Workplace (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Freelance magazine journalist Snowden follows through on an interesting idea here: she selects occupations that have "very strong stereotypical images" and reports back from inside. Her stories are engaging and often amusing. Working as a roadie for the heavy metal band, Skid Row, she daringly "stage dives" with singer Sebastian Bach and observes the fanatic, pathetic world of groupies. As a substitute teacher, she improvises new classroom rules and is dubbed "the cool substitute"; her skills serve her well as a Hollywood publicist. Serving as a Las Vegas cocktail waitress is tiring and demeaning, but stripping in New Orleans turns out to be lucrative and in some ways empowering. While Snowden's spell as a rape-crisis counselor prompts her to reflect on her "low-grade level of personal dread," she is too infrequently self-revelatory. Also, her stints as an ad copywriter, housewife and (chocolate) factory worker are forgettable. Still, Snowden has moxie, and her book is a breezy read and a good conversation piece. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Reminiscent of the old film The Great Imposter, this incredible cross-country journey through nine contrasting professions will pique the occasional longing in all of us to "try on" another life. Snowden's employment included pyro-technician to a heavy-metal band, advertising copywriter, Hollywood publicist, substitute teacher, Vegas cocktail waitress, suburban housewife, stripper, rape counselor, and chocolate factory worker. Her odyssey is more than mere playacting, however. She analyzes each job for clues to its effect on self-esteem, individual perspective, and group values as well as for the attitudes it elicited from others. Well written, insightful, and entertaining, this is one of the most riveting journalistic accounts of working America to have appeared in a long time. For circulating libraries.
Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, N.J.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 287 pages
• Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc; 1st edition (August 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393036731
• ISBN-13: 978-0393036732
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #580,493 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasure to Read!, January 31, 2000

By	Bronson Picket "B. Picket" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ms. Snowden's accounts of her adventures in nine different jobs demonstrate a brilliant understanding of the workplace and its effects on one's identity, while at the same time explaining this connection with a wonderfully witty and dry sense of humor. Addditionally, Snowden's ability to poke fun at herself and her assumptions about various jobs prior to doing them offer an excellent insight into and challenge our own preconceived ideas about upper, middle, and lower class occupations. It's quite obvious the author has a love for language (english, that is) and is thankfully influenced by writers such as Tom Wolfe and Martin Amis. I'm sorry to see her book is no longer in print as I believe it an enjoyable experience for anyone who's ever worked, or dreamed about working, anywhere. I do hope Lynn Snowden writes a second book, and on what, quite frankly, I don't care, due to the fact she could probably make boiling water interesting.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Move Over, Studs Terkel! Meet Your New Co-Conspirator, July 22, 2002

By	James T. Reed III "Jim Reed" (Birmingham, Alabama) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a delight--it's a pop version of Studs Terkel's WORKING, only author Lynn Snowden goes Studs one better: Instead of just talking with people about what their jobs are like, she actually works the jobs! From the horrors of being a housewife (the scariest chapter in the book) to her in-your-face observations of males and their pseudo-sexual behavior (the time she danced as a stripper), Snowden seldom lets the reader down. She is enormously aware of the unimportance of her ego in each job, and she never patronizes those with whom she works. She really gets in there and does the job--with hilarious and sometimes angry abandon. This book is about the nine jobs you don't want your son or daughter to have, but, disturbingly, it's also a book about all jobs and the politics of the workplace. Let me out of here!

--Jim Reed, ...

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a book you can read again and again, March 13, 2000

By	Elaine Wagg (Northern California) - See all my reviews

This is one of my favorite books to have around and let people read. Lynn Snowden is a most entertaining writer and I really enjoyed the brief peek into so many worlds. Her tour with Skid Row was my favorite since it's so foreign to me. It did crack me up how she had to learn certain basics about office work, such as how you are always supposed to look busy, and the low, low temperatures to keep you from falling asleep.

I agree with the previous reviewer: Lynn Snowden, it's time for you to write something else!