New York Times Bestseller
In this humorous memoir, New York Times bestselling author and podcast host of The Spiritual Life, Father James Martin tells the story of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, and corporate tool and, finally, a Jesuit priest.
"Funny, charming, inspiring and wise-this is a memorable memoir." - Stephen Colbert
Work in Progress is a snapshot of several years-first as a boy, then as a teenager, and finally as a young adult--of being thrown into a series of jobs for which Martin had zero training. He had never set foot in a restaurant kitchen before working as a busboy and dishwasher; never stepped onto a golf course before working as a caddy; and had never seen a factory floor before working as an assembly-line worker. He almost always felt uncomfortable, unsettled, and uneasy. But, like many of us, he needed the money.
This coming-of-age story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, a lighthearted tale for readers who enjoy personal narratives, and it's unlike anything Father Martin has written before. As he puts it, "This is a spiritual memoir from a different angle … told 'slant' as Emily Dickinson might say."
Each chapter features photos of memories and milestones throughout Father Martin's young life. If you're an aficionado of snafus, you won't be disappointed. He's not the hero of these stories, more a hapless teenager who learns in each job, even the ones he loathes, something about the value of work, about what it means to be an adult, about people, and about life overall.
Work in Progress teaches us small but important life lessons such as:
| ISBN: | 9780062694485 |
| Publication date: | 12th March 2026 |
| Author: | James Martin |
| Publisher: | HarperOne an imprint of HarperCollins |
| Format: | Hardback |
| Pagination: | 368 pages |
| Genres: |
Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church Christian life and practice Spirituality and religious experience Personal religious testimony and popular inspirational works Assertiveness, motivation, self-esteem and positive mental attitude Biography: religious and spiritual Memoirs Mind, body, spirit: thought and practice |
New York Times Bestseller
In this humorous memoir, New York Times bestselling author and podcast host of The Spiritual Life, Father James Martin tells the story of a busboy, dishwasher, caddy, usher, factory worker, bank teller, and corporate tool and, finally, a Jesuit priest.
"Funny, charming, inspiring and wise-this is a memorable memoir." - Stephen Colbert
Work in Progress is a snapshot of several years-first as a boy, then as a teenager, and finally as a young adult--of being thrown into a series of jobs for which Martin had zero training. He had never set foot in a restaurant kitchen before working as a busboy and dishwasher; never stepped onto a golf course before working as a caddy; and had never seen a factory floor before working as an assembly-line worker. He almost always felt uncomfortable, unsettled, and uneasy. But, like many of us, he needed the money.
This coming-of-age story is set in the 1960s and 1970s, a lighthearted tale for readers who enjoy personal narratives, and it's unlike anything Father Martin has written before. As he puts it, "This is a spiritual memoir from a different angle … told 'slant' as Emily Dickinson might say."
Each chapter features photos of memories and milestones throughout Father Martin's young life. If you're an aficionado of snafus, you won't be disappointed. He's not the hero of these stories, more a hapless teenager who learns in each job, even the ones he loathes, something about the value of work, about what it means to be an adult, about people, and about life overall.
Work in Progress teaches us small but important life lessons such as:
Work in Progress features in the following genres: Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church, Christian life and practice, Spirituality and religious experience, Personal religious testimony and popular inspirational works, Assertiveness, motivation, self-esteem and positive mental attitude, Biography: religious and spiritual, Memoirs, Mind, body, spirit: thought and practice
Work in Progress is available in Hardback
Work in Progress was written by James Martin and published by HarperOne an imprint of HarperCollins
Work in Progress has 368 pages
£22.50