{"title":"Gary Troia","description":"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.","products":[{"product_id":"a-bricklayers-tales-paperback","title":"A Bricklayer's Tales - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA Bricklayer's Tales: A Collection of Short Stories and Memoirs\u003c\/b\u003e 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.\u003cbr\u003eFrom 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 \u003ci\u003eReturn Ticket\u003c\/i\u003e, tripping through philosophical hallucinations in \u003ci\u003eAngel Dust\u003c\/i\u003e, or drowning his dreams in cheap booze in \u003ci\u003eA Bricklayer's Tale\u003c\/i\u003e, Ray's journey is equal parts tragic, absurd, and painfully relatable.\u003cbr\u003eWith the biting wit of Charles Bukowski and the raw realism of working-class fiction, \u003ci\u003eA Bricklayer's Tales\u003c\/i\u003e is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a soul-crushing job, wrestled with addiction, or longed for something more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBrutally honest. Darkly funny. Deeply human.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePerfect for fans of outsider literature, underground fiction, and Bukowski-style storytelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67943415742687,"sku":"9781489598714","price":10.84,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/9OOFXuR-_L9781489598714.webp?v=1791464008"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/gary-troia.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}