A Bricklayer's Tales - Paperback

by Gary Troia (Author)

A Bricklayer's Tales: A Collection of Short Stories and Memoirs by Gary Troia is a raw, darkly humorous exploration of working-class struggles, self-destruction, and creative frustration. Told through the eyes of Ray Dennis-Troia's disillusioned alter ego-these gritty, unflinching stories dive into the realities of depression, alcoholism, drug use, and the suffocating monotony of low-paid labour.
From bleak construction sites to psychedelic escapes, each tale captures the highs and lows of a man trapped between artistic ambition and brutal wage slavery. Whether facing deportation in Return Ticket, tripping through philosophical hallucinations in Angel Dust, or drowning his dreams in cheap booze in A Bricklayer's Tale, Ray's journey is equal parts tragic, absurd, and painfully relatable.
With the biting wit of Charles Bukowski and the raw realism of working-class fiction, A Bricklayer's Tales is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a soul-crushing job, wrestled with addiction, or longed for something more.
Brutally honest. Darkly funny. Deeply human.
Perfect for fans of outsider literature, underground fiction, and Bukowski-style storytelling.

Author Biography

Gary Troia was born in South-East London and studied Spanish and Philosophy at Middlesex University and the Universidad de Deusto. In 2010, he left behind a career in education and moved to a small Spanish village, where he began his lifelong dream of writing. His first book, Spanish Yarns and Beyond, is a collection of short stories that are humorous accounts of his time in Spain. 'A great play on words, witty and well written, ' was how one reviewer described the book. A Bricklayer's Tales, published in 2013, is a collection of ten short stories and memoirs, including: Angel Dust, the peculiar story of a man whose new life in America leads to conversations with Ancient Greek philosophers. Mrs. McClintock, an absurd farce in which a Glaswegian couple retire to Spain, and A Bricklayer's Tale, the story of a disillusioned, alcoholic bricklayer. Coming soon, Gary's début novel. Gary now lives in Winchester, with his partner Marina where he continues to write.