Top 10 Tuesday: Characters Whose Jobs I Wish I Had

1. “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier

Genre: Historical Fiction

This is such a great historical fiction novel! It’s based on a real painting by Johannes Vermeer (who, if I remember correctly, is a character in the book though is of course fictionalized for the purpose of the story). IF I were good at painting, I think being able to live as a successful artist would be great! However, I can’t paint, the job instability would stress me out, and I don’t think I would enjoy the self-promotion and general outgoingness likely required to be successful. That being said, I would love to be good at painting and be able to spend my life doing something I love!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

2. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl

Genre: Fantasy (Middle Grade)

Owning my own chocolate factory would be a DREAM COME TRUE. Need I say more??

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

3. “Murder on the Orient Express” by Agatha Christie

Genre: Mystery

Hercule Poirot is a detective, and I think that could be an interesting job! I’m sure it’s quite different in real life compared to how it’s represented in books and movies, but I enjoy solving puzzles so the thought of getting to solve mysteries for a living is somewhat appealing!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

4. “Viva Durant and the Secret of the Silver Buttons” by Ashli St. Armant

Genre: Mystery (Middle Grade)

This is another book in which the main character is (essentially) a detective! She’s a child so she’s not a professional detective, but she solves a mystery and is very clever! Having a job where you get to look for clues all the time seems really fun.

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

5. “The Signature of All Things” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Genre: Historical Fiction

If I remember correctly, the main character in this novel is a bryologist… which means she studies moss. Okay, so I don’t find moss interesting at all, but there are some things I find appealing about her career! I like the idea of getting to do research about a topic I’m passionate about and write about it for a living. As an introvert, I also like that a lot of her work can be done independently in her quiet, private lab. There could even be travel involved depending on what you’re researching! And this would help with the potential loneliness of the job.

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

6. “Everything, Everything” by Nicola Yoon

Genre: YA Fiction

I don’t have a medical background, but one of the important professions represented in this book is that of a nurse. In particular, this nurse works one-on-one with a particular patient (and has for the majority of the patient’s life). My favorite thing about teaching is connecting with my students, and I tend to be more successful with this when working with small groups. Therefore, the idea of getting to work one-on-one with a child and really getting to know them and their family is very appealing to me!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

7. “Bluff” by Michael Kardos

Genre: Thriller

The main character in this novel is a magician! When I was a kid, I was very interested in magic. I had little magic kits and would perform magic shows for any parent or family friend who would watch. I would love to actually be good at it, and I actually enjoy performing on stage too!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

8. “The Hypnotist’s Love Story” by Liane Moriarty

Genre: Realistic Fiction

The main character in this book is a hypnotherapist. I’m not sure I would actually want this particular job, but there are certain aspects that are appealing. In this book, she gets to work from home. While teaching from home is incredibly difficult, I like having more flexibility in my schedule and being able to personalize my space so that it’s comfortable for me. I also think being a hypnotherapist would be a very soothing and relaxing profession, and I like the idea of getting to help people as well.

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

9. “Bel Canto” by Ann Patchett

Genre: Thriller

I picked this one because one of the main characters is an interpreter. I actually wouldn’t want to be an interpreter because I think it would make me incredibly anxious. What if I didn’t understand right away and embarrassed myself? What if I interpreted something incorrectly? However, I do love language! So I would love to get to do more with it professionally (though I do teach bilingually already). A translator would be a similar job that I’d be interested in!

There is also an opera singer in this novel. When I was a kid, I used to want to be a singer. If I were really skilled at it, this could be a career that I would enjoy!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.

10. “Other Words for Home” by Jasmine Warga

Genre: Realistic Fiction (Middle Grade)

A small part of this book features the main character participating in ESL lessons. ESL stands for English as a Second Language; another common initialism is ELD (English Language Development). My goal is actually to be an ESL teacher someday! I love the thought of being surrounded by speakers of many different languages, and being able to support them in having academic success through utilizing their bilingualism and varied cultural backgrounds. I also love seeing this profession represented in books, as this means language learners are being represented in books more often as well!

You can find the Goodreads synopsis HERE.