Work Won’t Love You Back

Sarah Jaffe

From the title through every chapter, paragraph, and sentence, this book is a deeply researched polemic against the myth of the “labor of love.”

A Collective Bargain

Jane McAlevey

A brisk, fist-pumping read from veteran labor organizer Jane McAlevey, A Collective Bargain tells stories of unions who won big—and who won during the Trump years, perhaps the darkest time in decades of waning worker power.

Cubed

Nikil Saval

An insightful history of professional work, Nikil Saval’s Cubed interrogates how we work by digging into where we work, and the way those workplaces have changed and evolved.

Working

Studs Terkel

Terkel interviewed people of all walks of life (though mostly the working kind) about what they do and how they feel about it. The result is a massive collection of failed dreams, despair, hope, and pride.

Managing Oneself

Peter F. Drucker

An essay turned pamphlet, short enough to reread regularly. Drucker’s advice comes down to knowing yourself well enough to make the right decisions.

How to Tell When You’re Tired

Reg Theriault

A fabulous little book, written by a lifelong worker.