First Book Review- Construction Tales- A Young Person's Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life

Hello everyone! Here is a book review from a fellow coworker from Five Star Electric in New York City. "CONSTRUCTION TALES: A YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING IN LIFE" AUTHOR: LESLIE JASPER BOOK REVIEW BY JACQUELYN HECHT, 1/24/16 I am honored to write this review for "Construction Tales: A Young Person's Guide to Accomplish Anything in Life" by Leslie Jasper. Leslie Jasper is a successful female Journeywoman Electrician in a field traditionally dominated by men. The reason I am so honored to write this particular review is because this book is far from what it's title suggests. In "Construction Tales," Leslie Jasper challenges her readers to be open-minded and to read between the lines to get the most meaning out of her tales. If the reader only reaches the conclusion that the book is full of dirt on her male coworkers and their deficiencies, then the reader's ignorance is obvious & the true meaning of this book was missed. This book is not a guide in the literal sense. If you want a guide on how to be successful in the electrical industry, pick up "Electrical & Lighting for Dummies." This book is an autobiographical, extremely personal, account of Leslie's journey from her first year apprencticeship and leading up to the final chapter & publication of this book in 2014 which at the time was her 17th year as a full-fledged, experienced electrician journeywoman. Jasper's individual journey is a unique road she alone took from novice to the professional woman she is today in the electrical industry. She tells the truth about every challenge she went through. Jasper writes from her heart. I respect Jasper for all of her honest truths. She is real in a world that shuns it. A world that looks at people who don't conform to society's standards as a menace to others. But in fact, Leslie is special because she refuses to back down or be told she cannot break the norms of what society deams acceptable for women. She breaks the mold. For this reason, Leslie proves herself as a leader instead of a follower. Like she says on page 127, "Few women go against the grains of society to even make an attmept" to reach their full potentials. As a female, Leslie chose a difficult road in life. She has not looked for an easy way out but instead has accepted all challenges placed before her. When bosses challenged her & coworkers watched to see if she would fail, she explains how she worked her tail off to prove them all wrong. Leslie explains throughout the book that if you are willing to work hard & be a strong female, the men in this industry for the most part will learn to accept you. She has proved herself & her abilities to not only herself but to all of those around her. Another suitable title for this outstanding book is "Leslie Jasper: A Force to be Reckoned With." Interestingly, part of the reason she chose to write this book, as she explains to the reader, is unique all in itself. Leslie uses this book as a form of release to separate her past from her present. She doesn't hound on any past derailments or losses. Additionally, she seeks revenge on the people who tried to hold her back. On page 115, she gives a powerful statement about this. Jasper has the ability to compartmentalize her life into separate sections in which she has either endured major loss, faced great challenges, grown as a electrician and so forth. Many times the sections overlap. Jasper has the ability to step back & view her past from the outside. She is not held back by her past. Her past is actually what propels her forward. This book offers many powerful take home lessons on how to be successful. Pages are referenced in parenthesis: - Learn from your inevitable mistakes and don't repeat them (76) - You only have one life, make the best of it (77) - Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself (77) - Don't take the easy way out (83) - Marketing yourself as being a well-rounded & multi-faceted worker with multiple talents is highly beneficial when looking for employment (83) - Don't take messy shortcuts or cheat in your work (102) - Experience & confidence come with time (104) - Step out of your comfort zone (129) I get the sense from her book that Leslie Jasper is a strong woman both physically and mentally. I can only see further successes for her as she continues her life journey. Many doors are open for her. I am super grateful for her taking the time to read the book and offer a review for Amazon and Barnes&Noble! She said it is suitable for high school and maybe middle school readers. So did another friend after reading her copy. As always, thank you for reading this blog. Cheers! Leslie M Jasper