99 Jobs: Blood, Sweat, and Houses

In this gritty and entertaining memoir, Cottonwood presents readers with a collection of anecdotes%E2%80%94some more serious than others%E2%80%94about his experiences working odd jobs as a contractor, carpenter, plumber, and electrician. As the titles suggests, the work wasn't always easy, but it brought Cottonwood into contact with a variety of colorful characters and situations%E2%80%94e.g., when the author takes a job rewiring an illegal rental for a "crazy man"; when he gets a job changing light bulbs on a college campus; and when he salvages a clawfoot bathtub from a wrecking yard in San Jose, Calif., only to let it sit unused on his unfinished bathroom floor for six years. Cottonwood's prose is lively and his stories often charming. Readers will find it easy to relate to the author and his experiences, which are likely to appeal to anyone who has worked a less-than-perfect job.