Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge discussion

A book with a protagonist that has your occupation ... This should present enough challenges for everyone. Hey, if you come across a book written by a health reform manager, let me know.

Or a Chemist!! I'm hoping to find a cozy mystery with a nerdy chemist as the protagonist who stumbles across things a la Murder She Wrote!!

Looking for suggestions for a character that is a secretary...I feel like this should be easy but I'm drawing a blank.

What about the cuckoo's calling or one of Robert galbraith's other books? One of the 2 protagonists is the detective's secretary.

I'll read The Constant Gardener because the protagonist is a diplomat, like me.

Nenda wrote: "I'll read The Constant Gardener because the protagonist is a diplomat, like me."

Very cool, Nenda! Once upon a time, that was my career aspiration too.

I'm a teacher so maybe The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

My current job is a bartender (server/busser would work, too, though), but I just graduated this year with my MA in counseling, so a therapist would work, as well. Any suggestions?

Sara wrote: "Or a Chemist!! I'm hoping to find a cozy mystery with a nerdy chemist as the protagonist who stumbles across things a la Murder She Wrote!!"

Although these books are geared toward young adults, they all feature female protagonists who excel in STEM fields: http://www.teenlibrariantoolbox.com/2...

I'm an earth scientist so I'm thinking of reading "At the Mountains of Madness" by H.P. Lovecraft because the protagonist is a geologist. Although I'm a geophysicist and not a geologist, I'm thinking any subdiscipline of earth science is close enough.

Katherine wrote: "My current job is a bartender (server/busser would work, too, though), but I just graduated this year with my MA in counseling, so a therapist would work, as well. Any suggestions?"

Desmond Miles, the protagonist of the Assassin's Creed video game series, is a bartender. I'm sure there are some spin off novels or comic books about his life.

The Draco Tavern by Larry Niven and Callahan's Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson are both scifi books about bartenders at galactic space bars with different alien regulars.

Also, I believe the titular Rosie of The Rosie Project is a bartender.

Torey Hayden is a psychologist and her non fiction books are fantastic! Ghost Girl is my favourite.

I used to be a secretary but I am now on disability due to my epilepsy. So should I pick a secretary or a protagonist with epilepsy?

Adria wrote: "Sara wrote: "Or a Chemist!! I'm hoping to find a cozy mystery with a nerdy chemist as the protagonist who stumbles across things a la Murder She Wrote!!"

Although these books are geared toward young adults, they all feature female protagonists who excel in STEM fields..."

Thanks Adria! The cover of The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate has caught my eye several times in the library, but I hadn't read the description before. I have a biology degree so a bio related story isn't too far off the mark :)

I also came across this list for science related books: http://www.lablit.com/the_list#novels

I found one on there that involves a Chemistry professor. I am certainly not a professor, but it will still work.

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "I used to be a secretary but I am now on disability due to my epilepsy. So should I pick a secretary or a protagonist with epilepsy?"

As was mentioned above, Robin Ellacot, deuteragonist of Cuckoo's Calling is a secretary, and I will never not recommend those books because they are amazing!

Buuuuuut there are some pretty interesting books about people with epilepsy too! Both Julius Caesar and Caligula had epilepsy and there are a ton of great books about them both fiction and non-fiction. My favorite is I, Claudius. However, even though Caligula is unarguably the best character in that book he is more a strongly featured subject than the protagonist (Claudius), so depending how close to the prompt you want to stick, you might want to pick any of the numerous books about Gaius Caesar or Caligula.

Prince Myshkin from The Idiot, which is an amazing book, also has epilepsy. I think Dostoevsky had epilepsy as well and actually several of his characters have the condition, one of the titular Karamazov brothers has it as well.

If anyone knows about book about a clinical pharmacist, please let me know! Otherwise, I'll have to go with another medical professional but it would be really cool to find a pharmacy-ish book!

The other challenge I'm doing has this same prompt. I work in a mental hospital so I picked One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest for this one! I will try to see if I can find another one.

I think I read a book where the pharmacist is one of the suspects, but not the main character.

Lauren wrote: "If anyone knows about book about a clinical pharmacist, please let me know! Otherwise, I'll have to go with another medical professional but it would be really cool to find a pharmacy-ish book!"

They should write more books with scientists as protagonists. We would make great amateur sleuths because we are trained to be observant! :)

I thought you would like this :)

http://hubpages.com/literature/PHARMA...

That article reminded me of a book with an old school pharmacist. It's called The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen. It's been a few years since I read it, but I remember enjoying it.

Megan wrote: "Looking for suggestions for a character that is a secretary...I feel like this should be easy but I'm drawing a blank."

I read a mystery this year called Mr. Churchill's Secretary. It was pretty fun.

I'm looking for a book about a (mechanical) engineer. The Martian would have been PERFECT, except I read it already. I am surprised that I can't find any others, even in sci fi: lots of scientists, soldiers, pilots, no engineers.

How about this, Nadine?

10 Awesome Female Engineers in Science Fiction:
http://io9.com/5974043/10-most-awesom...

Yeah I got excited when I found that, but they are movies and TV shows! (Unless I missed a book in there? she asked hopefully ...)

Nadine, check out the link I posted above. I believe there were several books with an engineer character.

Sara - hey what do you know, there ARE!! I only looked at the first dozen or so and saw all scientists so I stopped looking. But now I'm home and could use ctrl-F to search and already I found a cheesy romance with an electrical engineer :-) That works, close enough!

I'm not a librarian but I work in a library checking books and putting them on the shelves. I don't what that is called. Any Ideas?

I'm not sure what it's called, but I think the job of the protagonist of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is pretty similar to what you describe.

Melody wrote: "I'm not sure what it's called, but I think the job of the protagonist of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore is pretty similar to what you describe."

Thanks, I forgot about that book.

This is a brain buster for me. I'm a Customer Success Manager at a software company....any creative spins on that?

I'm looking for a book where the protagonist is on disability. Or works in a yarn store. Either way not too many options, I'm afraid.

oh geez, I feel like I read a book w/ a protag who works in a yarn store, a few years back!!!! I'm going to think on that a bit.

I'm not sure what a Customer Success Manager does - describe your job a bit, maybe we can help!

Erin: Have you read Disclosure by Michael Crichton? Great book. Movie featured Demi Moore and Michael Douglass.

Nadine: Check out The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs.

No it's not The Friday Night Knitting Club but that looks like a good choice, plus when you go to that page it recommends a bunch of other books that involve yarn and knitting (NONE of them are the book I'm thinking of! argh!!) These all look like decent choices!

Turns out there are quite a few websites out there dedicated to listing books involving knitting or yarn! it's quite the sub-genre!! Karin, I think you'll have no problem finding a book :-)

A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield is a mystery with a protagonist who owns a sewing machine and sewing notions shop - I LOVE this author. But this isn't the book I'm thinking of either ...

Howl's Moving Castle features a protagonist who runs a hat shop ...

Ok guys! Here is one....I am an Account Manager and Workflow Planner for a design agency!!

.......

Erin wrote: "This is a brain buster for me. I'm a Customer Success Manager at a software company....any creative spins on that?"

I've been having a similar problem. In January, I'll be starting a new job as a Client Rep at a beauty industry tech startup. I know there are books about people who work in the beauty industry and books about people who work at tech startups and people who do something in the vicinity of a Client Rep, but I feel like my job is very specific, unless someone knows of a magical book out there!

This one is stressing me out so I just chose a book that features my dream occupation!

I don't think any of us are going to find books w/ protags that have our specific occupations!!! I know I have zero hope for finding someone who actually does what I do (I'm a mechanical engineer, I design large commercial chillers for a large air conditioning company - just on the off chance that someone has come across a novel w/ a character who designs air conditioners? or pressure vessels? I know I never have ...), I'll just settle for ANY engineer (as I mentioned above, The Martian would have been perfect, but ... I read it already).

For Sooz: this one is probably not so close to what you do (and I honestly have no idea what a Account Manager and Workflow Planner for a design agency does! I don't even know what a "design agency" is!!) but there are three main characters in The Husband's Secret who run a small three-person design/advertising agency. I have no idea if that's close?

I'm good with this one lol I'm a teacher and currently stay at home mom, both of those should be relatively easy :)

Nadine wrote: "I don't think any of us are going to find books w/ protags that have our specific occupations!!! I know I have zero hope for finding someone who actually does what I do (I'm a mechanical engineer, ..."

Nadine...that sounds pretty perfect actually!! :) I'll check it out.

Thank you!

Here's a book about a civil/structural engineer. Maybe this will help someone.

http://bigbeacon.org/2012/11/the-jack...

If any of you have worked as a babysitter, you could read The Nanny Diaries.

I found an engineer book!! (Just in case someone else needs one, too.) I mentioned the Challenge to some coworkers, and one immediately said "The Engineer Trilogy!" (and with a name like that, I can't believe it never showed when I ran searches). Author is K.J. Parker, first book is titled "Devices and Desires," it's a high fantasy, this Roman type guy, an engineer, is sentenced to death, he escapes, and lives in exile with some Germanic type people, and he uses his engineer skills to help the enemy so that he can get back to his family.

The other books looked good but my library didn't have them. So now I have a winner!

Katy wrote: "This one is stressing me out so I just chose a book that features my dream occupation!"

Great idea!!

Any ideas for a teacher and/or school counselor?

Right now I'm considering the Freedom Writers Diary but I would prefer something fictional.

Two novels about teachers are Goodbye Mr. Chips and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. There's always the play The Children's Hour.

Michelle I just finished reading Learn Me Good by John Pearson. It's not really fiction, but it is very funny :)

One of the protagonists in the casual vacancy by jk Rowling is a school counsellor and another is the deputy headmaster (vice principal in uk schools). I found it a bit boring and the end was depressing but I found it interesting to see how she handled a more adult book after finding so much fame and success as a children's/ya novelist (I'm not sure where hp fits as a series lol I think it depends on the book)

I'm a customer service rep, so I'm definitely struggling with this one. Any suggestions?