Timothy Lemire

This is an outrageously practical book for English majors - or, I'd argue, similarly unmarketable liberal arts degrees - who are being smacked in the reality that you cannot be an English major for your whole life. At least, not without somehow becoming independently wealthy. (And even then you're liable to end up a grad student, which is relentless hard work no matter how you slice it. Lemire limits his in-depth discussion to jobs he's actually held, which adds a nice level of pragmatism even if it does limit the selection a little, and tops off each chapter with ideas for how to break into the industry and interviews with professionals working in that capacity. I would absolutely recommend this book to English majors - but only ones who have expressed fear and confusion at the prospect of an eventual career. If you give it to them too early, they're just going to rebel against all the practical advice and end up spending a couple of years eating ramen and working as a telemarketer like I did.… (meer)

"People typically choose to major in English because they love literature, reading and writing. Then, when they enter the workforce, they discover they also love eating, preferably something other than cold baked beans out of a can." -Lemire, page 1
Students graduating with or even considering English as a major should consider reading this book. Lemire provides a thorough, realistic and knowledgeable guide to breaking down the worth and potential of English as a college major. Lemire begins with a calming tone, assuring the reader that there is no need to panic- English majors *do* have great skills and versatility, and you can do something other than just teaching English with your degree. In fact, you can do much more, particularly if you take a step back to recognize which skills you've gained from your education and those you've gained from practical experience. Lemire himself graduated with an English degree, and with his experience in a variety of fields, he discusses (with elegant prose) these various fields (from corporate life to journalism to, yes, teaching English).… (meer)

This book is a great resource for college students and recent graduates (including myself) who are trying to figure out what to do next, career-wise. Lemire covers many major career fields that English majors end up in -- teaching, publishing, corporate communications, journalism, and technical writing, to name a few. For each career path, Lemire offers how an English degree prepares a person, first steps toward entering the field, and interviews with English majors who have found success in the field.

I think the best chapter comes toward the end, when Lemire describes the faults in our current higher education system. He argues that since most English majors don't go on to higher education in English literature, college programs should offer a wider variety of classes, such as business writing, journalism, proofreading, and editing. While literary criticism is the foundation of the English major, a few practical classes would definitely make English majors more desirable and effective employees.… (meer)