Escape Artist: True Stories of People Who Turned Their Obsessions into Professions by Joshua Piven, 4/5

This refreshing book tells the stories of ten people who rejected the financial security of traditional careers in favour of less-profitable occupations that made them feel happy and fulfilled instead.  I enjoyed reading about the chance circumstances, accepted and rejected opportunities, and unpredictable chains of events that ushered these people into occupations they probably couldn’t have planned for and might not even have imagined.  I appreciate that Piven doesn’t romanticize these stories, attempt to create some sort of cheesy blueprint for success from them, or devalue the majority of people who are willing to spend half their lives working a normal, 9-5 job.

[Why I read it: I came across it while browsing the library and the topic is relevant to me.]