March 29, 2010
After graduating from college with a business administration degree—and very uncertain about his career path—Aiken embarked on a yearlong journey throughout Canada and the U.S., trying out new jobs for one week at a time and donating all his wages to a charity. It's a bit contrived and by now familiar (A.J. Jacobs has written a shelf of such books), but Aiken is an appealing guinea pig. Readers expecting a meditation on work (or working at all during a recession, let alone finding 52 jobs) should look elsewhere; this is a lark and Aiken tests a variety of unusual jobs (NHL mascot, snowshoe guide, tattooist/piercer, bungee jumping instructor, cattail picker) and more traditional career paths (research assistant, park ranger, and mayor). The takeaway isn't particularly profound (“Traveling taught me a lot about myself. I experienced new cultures, met all sorts of people, and was forced outside my comfort zone on a daily basis”), but it's a lighthearted read and a pleasant—if unmemorable—vicarious journey to take.