Glass Bricks

by Louella Lester

Told in short prose, Lester shares her experience working both traditional and non-traditional jobs. Sometimes raw and often humourous, Glass Bricks explores the significance of our basic human right to work in an era where the struggle to find meaningful employment is all too real.

"Not many can say their resume includes everything from door-to-door onion seller and weather observer to diesel mechanic and seventh grade teacher. Drawing on her vast — and sometimes humorous — work experiences, Lester invites you to peek behind the door marked 'Employees Only.' What you discover in the next tax file or mink shed she opens may surprise you." — Angeline Schellenberg

93 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2021

Reviews

[Mehreen Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grass Bricks by Louella Lester is a fascinating read on many counts. The treatment and exploitation of themes are one of many. The first story is Lesson: Suck it up, is on household chores: yard work mainly. This story appears to be mundane in which a ten-year-old has to carry out her mother's instructions of keeping the lawn spruced up. Here, the neo-classical era of Jane Austen's neat English lawn has been alluded to. A disgruntled ten-year-old would rather be elsewhere than do this. But the twist comes in the end, ironically, she spies on a tree and despises it so much that she couldn't wait to take it down. The imagery includes multi-fold meanings and continues to be so throughout the book. Screen door is another example of such ambiguous endings. Sometimes funny, gritty, witty, even sad, they bring pleasurable surprises in the end. My favourite is Stay Awake, so poignant that it brought tears to my eyes. 

Literary and poetic devices in the use of imagery is original and masterful. It is both entertaining and enthralling, balanced delicately in the backdrop of a practical, down-to-earth seemingly handbook of useful tips about work and work ethics. It is a book written in earnest and Louella has done wonders with it. 

[Gabriele Goldstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about work? The concept of Louella Lester's book intrigued me. This memoir, filled with snippets of a working woman's life, was un-put-down-able. The reader gets glimpses into a 'working' childhood on the shores of Lake Winnipeg and gradually shifts into university side-jobs and finally the challenges of teaching the more 'difficult' students in the school system. Having my own share of detours towards a writing life, I really appreciated her hard-earned wisdom. As she says, "I take tentative steps towards a new confidence in my own capabilities." (page 36) An easy-to-read book with much to think about.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Glass Bricks” by Louella Lester is a collection of enjoyable flash pieces that reveals her work experiences beginning when she was as young as three years old to her final career as a teacher. Although the stories are out of chronological order, the reader is always well anchored in time and place. This provides the added surprise of what will come next? The flash stories are filled with sensory details and interesting characters.
On the home front in the early years, Mom provided her three daughters with jobs to help inside and outside the home, including sweeping, gardening, canning, and selling vegetables. Lester was the youngest. They often wondered, “why do we always have to be working?”
That early education gave this Canadian author a solid work ethic that knew no bounds. She had no reservation taking on work, even if was uncharacteristic for a woman. In this way, her Dad was influential in certain job choices. The author attended community college and graduated in diesel mechanics, as well as working in other auto-related jobs. Her experiences in male dominated lines of work were funny and enlightening, one example of a sense of humor that is sprinkled throughout the book.
This chronicle of a lifetime of diversified job skills and experiences is remarkable. One position to train young adults with mental health issues for job skills necessary to enter the working world highlights her calling and motivation. It is not surprising that she topped it off with a 25-year teaching career.

[Jocelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glass Bricks is a wonderful collection of flash stories, memoir style, featuring anecdotes from the author’s working life, from the tender age of 3 years old, through student days and on into her permanent teaching career. Such an entertaining array of jobs nestle within the pages of this slim volume along with the perfect accompaniment of Louella’s distinctive B & W photographs. Written with wry humour and brilliant language these short pieces are a pleasure to read. In the final section, part 4, “Using Every Work Skill You’ve Ever Learned” the author’s compassion, caring and genuine love for her students shines through as in this telling sentence: “Every day she forgets — has to start over again — her fragile memory still floating like she once did in alcohol-tinged amniotic fluid.” I highly recommend you dip into Glass Bricks, there’s a good chance the stories will trigger your own forgotten memories of those far off summer jobs and the accompanying angst. It did for me. Oh, and if you are just setting out on this path to earning an honest living, then I know some of these tales will hold a special resonance for you too.

[Kelly Nickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such powerful work! The lessons learned from jobs done and how that follows through the author’s life. The prose is direct and beautifully illustrated.

[Ted Landrum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book from a gifted storyteller, with many stories to tell.
We also learn about the place these stories have flowed from.
A triumph.

[Bim Trandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful snapshots of her working life - always left me wanting more.
Lester is all over the map but in a fun adventurous way, and i enjoyed the travels
(into her past lives and jobs)
She is a delight!

[Joel Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!