“A useful tool for helping college students think about vocation and how to approach work with a sense of meaning and purpose.”

— Mark Elsdon, U. of Wisconsin-Madison

“This wonderful book tells a story of how the human family finds agency and purpose through work. What’s most remarkable, given how different the stories are, is the human theme of the human spirit expressing itself through work.”

— Ben Powell, Agora Partnerships

“A must-read. Brings to life actual work experiences across the world, showing that we have a lot in common; illustrates that we’re not alone.”

— Craig Newmark, Craig’s List

“The distinct voice of each narrator held me spellbound. Pain and trauma mark a good many of the stories, but resilience predominates.”

— Peg Conway, Embodying the Sacred

“These stories reveal the human spirit through our common aspirations to create, thrive and leave something better behind.”

—David Bornstein, New York Times 

“Skees has done a great job unearthing touching personal stories, meaningful insights and inspirations, and diverse perspectives on the world we all share.”

— Darian Rodriguez Heyman, Nonprofit Management 101

“Very well researched. In what seems to be an increasingly ‘us and them’ world, MY JOB helped me feel a connection with each of the diverse set of interviewees.”

— Vivek Ullal Nayak, TerraClear Inc.

“There’s a mythic quality in these stories; they cross national borders and income brackets to explore how people make a living and make a life through their work.”

— Paul VanDeCarr, Working Narratives

“No matter your station in life, you’ll find a piece of yourself in these stories. MY JOB bridges the divide of geo-political barriers and reveals the universal human desire to make the world better.”

— Henry Berman, Exponent Philanthropy

“A true gift to people everywhere who work hard to make our world a better place.”

— Cristi Hegranes, Global Press Journal

“Satisfies the voyeur in me, who is always wondering what it would be like to live in someone else’s shoes. Perfect for book clubs and people trying to figure out their careers.”

— Eden Rock, Placer Land Trust

“Despite our diverse cultures and life experiences, we meet on common ground in the pages of this book, as human beings striving daily to make the world a little better place.”

— Sheri Sobrato Brisson, Philanthropist/Author

“A tapestry of rich storytelling, providing a brilliant peephole into the makeshift destiny of everyday work. Explores themes of meaning, craft, grit, hustle, and exposes the often invisible humanity at the core of our economy.”

— Alexa Clay, The Misfit Economy

“This is not as much of a book about jobs as it is a book about lives, and women’s changing place in the work-world. Readers can build greater understanding of how they want to create their own work in the world.”

—Amanda C. Peters, Harvard University, MIT

“Wide-ranging collection of first-person narratives provides a wonderful look into myriad jobs around the world. Readers will see vividly how work, culture, and personal circumstances intertwine in these true stories. Truly a great project.”

— Peter Alter, Chicago History Museum

“A vocational and sociological travelogue that readers will find to be time well spent.”

— Kirkus

“These stories show the amazing diversity of ways people show up to get work done in the world–the basic dignity of putting in time and effort to achieve something you care about, and how there is little correlation between income and contribution to improving society.”

— Ben Powell, Agora Partnerships

“The books made me look at jobs—including my own job—not in the traditional sense as work but rather as a tool for social change. MY JOB reveals the inner philanthropists we all embody, through stories of individuals giving so much more than money and making tangible impact in their communities.”

— Henry Berman, Exponent Philanthropy

“From the coffee farmer in Nicaragua who turned her heartbreak into empowerment of herself and other women, to the hip-hop artist in Chicago, who transcended gang and gun violence to mentor other young men in music . . . With what brief time we have on this planet, that’s the best we can do, and it is a lot.”

— Sheri Sobrato Brisson, Philanthropist/Author

“MY JOB is a book series about dignity. Whether a rickshaw driver or a technology entrepreneur, Suzanne draws out their intimate stories of success and survival to highlight the humanity we all find in work, especially work that we love.”

— Cristi Hegranes, Global Press Institute

“Each individual’s distinct voice comes through as we learn details about others’ lives that we would rarely otherwise be privileged to know. We follow along through the path their life has traced, as it is shaped by circumstance, interests, culture, politics, choices, relationships, and, yes, jobs.”

— Amanda C. Peters, Harvard University, MIT

“What comes through so beautifully in MY JOB is the link between the worldly and the spiritual, between the daily goings-on of work and the larger purpose of the worker. Each of the storytellers has got some things figured out, or at least they think they do; but each is also searching for their mission. It’s fun to follow their various explorations, from the Maasai warrior who goes on a lion hunt, to the Nicaraguan coffee farmer who finds strength after her divorce. Through their narratives I connected with their search for purpose, and with my own.”

—Paul VanDeCarr, Working Narratives