Editor's note: This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated with new titles.
Did you know that it’s someone’s actual day job to engineer the pyrotechnics for KISS’s electric guitars? Or that a woman in Australia runs a small business cleaning up after the very worst things that can happen to you? Or that, at the Tower of London, a Yeoman Warder is duty-sworn to feed the ravens their favorite snack of biscuits soaked in blood?? As part of my own (mostly normal) job as memoir editor, I rounded up some of the most fascinating listens about the weirdest professions.
Occupation: Funeral Director
Custodians of some of the most unusual stories from embarrassing to deeply poignant to bizarre, undertakers bare all in this special body of work about the dearly departed and the challenges of dealing with their loved ones.
Occupation: Astronaut Guitarist
While "guitarist" isn't part of his official job description, astronaut Chris Hadfield is known for playing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" in outer space! In this listen, he teaches you how to think like an astronaut. (Guitar lessons not included.)
Occupation: Comma Police
Journalist, author, broadcaster, and playwright Lynn Truss is a staunch believer in looking at commas and semi-colons as wonderful and necessary.
Occupation: Ravenmaster
Local legend holds that the city will fall if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London. As the Ravenmaster, Christopher Skaife keeps the ravens happy and the city standing.
Occupation: Incognito Food Critic
As a famous food critic, Ruth Reichl knew restaurants rolled out the red carpet for her. So, she started dining in disguise … and seeing things in a new light.
Occupation: Guitar Special Effects Engineer
As someone who always found machines easier to understand than people, Jon Elder Robison felt right at home designing pyrotechnic effects for KISS. This listen especially rocks for people who experience the world differently.
Occupation: Carnival Performer
Some people dream of running away with the circus; Tessa Fontaine really did it. From escape artist to snake charmer to high-voltage Electra, she learned the tricks of the carnival trade.
Occupation: Forgery Artist
What do you do when you're a down-on-your-luck biographer? If you're Lee Israel, you start using your talents to forge literary letters and become a criminal mastermind.
Occupation: Ad Copywriter
Sell a half a can of soup as a whole can of soup, write about tampons but do not offend, and make cottage cheese a delicious treat. At one point, Yvonne Durant (now an Audible Editor) was one of the few Black copywriters in advertising. In her memoir, she shares some of her tasks and experiences.
Occupation: Presidential Stenographer
Recent college grad Beck Dorey-Stein answered a job posting on Craigslist, blew off the first interview, and then found herself working as a stenographer in the Oval Office.
Occupation: Hat Designer
Before he became a celebrated street fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham enjoyed a stint as one of New York City's most outlandish hat designers. He was a true original, and his story will inspire you to find and flaunt your style.
Occupation: Trauma Cleaner
Although it's impossible to sum up Sandra Krasnostein's job in just a few words, here's a start: Her small business cleans up after the very worst things that can happen to you.