Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool, and Priest

In this sweet memoir, Jesuit priest Martin (Learning to Pray) reminisces about the summer jobs that prepared him for his calling. Aiming “to remind readers of the ways that grace works through all our lives, no matter who we are or how ordinary our daily activities may seem,” Martin describes his employment, starting at age 13, delivering newspapers, followed by jobs bussing tables at an ice cream parlor, ferrying golf equipment, and showing movie theater patrons to their seats. Meanwhile, he immerses readers in the wonders of American boyhood during the 1960s and ’70s, recalling watching the moon landing with wide-eyed awe and days spent playing outdoors that spurred an early fascination with nature. Guided by his parents’ strong work ethics, Martin attacked each of his teenage jobs with the mantra “How hard could it be?” and resolved to only apply for positions for which he had no previous experience. With humility and good humor, Martin discusses how, for example, the patience required to master an industrial mop has served him in the clergy, and gets candid about his regrets, including his unkindness to a developmentally disabled colleague at the movie theater. Heartfelt and refreshingly self-aware, this humble portrait of a priest-in-progress will charm readers. (Feb.)