Odd Jobs: Portraits of Unusual Occupations

by Nancy Rica Schiff

Book Overview

Who blows the bugle at the Kentucky Derby? Who dusts the dinosaur bones at the Smithsonian? Who sniffs dog breath for a living? Who measures the breasts of real models? ODD JOBS introduces you to the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1580084575
• ISBN13: 9781580084574
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 7.2" x 7.4"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Very entertaining page turner

When I spotted this book on the shelf, I immediately knew that I had to buy it. It contains a series of photographs of people performing unusual jobs along with a brief description of the job and the person. The cover photo is of odor judge Betty Lyons sniffing the armpit of a man. That photo definitely qualifies as an attention grabber. Her job is to test the efficacy of deodorant. Other jobs depicted in the book are: *) Dinosaur duster, he dusts the dinosaur bones in a museum. *) Mohel, a man who circumcises male Jewish babies. *) Barbie's dress designer. *) Solfeggist, a person who writes down the notes of a musical composition while listening to it. *) Diener, a person who prepares bodies for autopsies. *) Duckmaster, a man who walks a small flock of ducks from their home on the roof of a hotel to the fountain where they spend their day. *) The headmistress of a school for men who want to cross-dress. *) The keeper of professional hockey's Stanley Cup. I strongly recommend this book for light reading. I started it and couldn't put it down until I finished it.

Yikes!! People Really Do These Things For A Living!

Funny and fascinating stuff. I bought four copies and two of them are intended for my twin teen granddaughters with the idea that it is funny and serious all at the same time. It will certainly open their career choices to "outside the box" occupations.Yes, these are really funny things to read about. The sweetly proud faces tell of the pride of these holders of unusual jobs. I actually visited a packaging operation where ladies were testing condoms on steel "devices" and I was delighted to see a similar job shown in Ms. Schiff's hilarious book. One reviewer myopically advised school librarians to not buy this book because it was for adults. That's pretty strange advice to this reader who was exposed to the French Impressionists and the wonders of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other highly "adult" topics when I was a boy. This early appreciation for the unusual things in our world provided me with the freedom to choose from a bigger buffet of options. I used to sample a number of unusual occupations with pride instead of embarrassment. The beauty of Ms. Schiff's book is that it's both really funny and eye-opening at the same time. What could be a better occupation carousel of the unusual for a students wondering what they might want to be in life?Buy it for your teenagers. It's a perfectly charming and meaty gift for all ages. C. H.Current author and former Ford plant 2nd shift "emblem slammer." (My job was to just snap the Ford Emblem under the hood ornament of every car leaving the Edgewater Assembly Plant.)

Alternative careers

I think this excellent book is appropriate for any reader teenager or beyond. At a time when jobs are scarce and people are searching for new employment, 'Odd Jobs' allows the reader, whether young or old, to become aware of a vast array of jobs that are inventive and alternative.One must be resourcful during this ecomony. Odd Jobs is done with a sense of humor and captured the teenage market by having been selected by a panel of young librarians at the New York Public Library for their Teenage List 2003.

Well? Somebody's Gotta Do it!

This funny little ditty will make you feel better about your current job. If you collect the unusual books add this to your collection. You'll be chuckling to at least some of the outrageous and for real really odd jobs that exist, like-armpit sniffer, duck walker and doggy breath wiffer. It comes with humorous photos and delirious profiles. This would be a guaranteed conversation piece on any occasion.

The perfect Holiday stocking stuffer!

Odd jobs--portraits of unusual occupations is the perfect gift! It's a little jewel of a book, filled with wonderful photos and amusing profiles. Everything in this book about work--works!