The Story In Your Eyes

Author and poet Andrew Stephen goes on a quest to find out more about his ancestors and ends up discovering himself in this beautiful story, told in prose and poetry

This is Andrew's third book, following on from his educational memoirs (Reading, Writing and Redemption) and his poetry anthology (Endless River). In this latest volume, he relates his 'voyage of self-discovery' as he explores the influences which have helped form him, both people and places. The prose is interspersed with a selection of new poems, in the same arresting style the reader will recognise from the earlier volume.
A catalogue of someone else's ancestors could be a tedious litany, but Andrew is fortunate to have many fascinating characters in his family, and the knack of bringing them to life for the reader. He discovers some of the frustrations of genealogical research, such as unreliable record keeping by previous generations, but also draws heavily on his own memory of the more recent family members and the recollections of those still with us. We travel with him to the places which so often inspire his writing, such as Norfolk and Dorset, and better understand the influence these have had on him. As so often, Andrew's writing brings these much-loved landscapes alive. Similarly, he explores and explains the origins of some of his enthusiasms, such as football (Cambridge United in particular) and railways.
The poems here are as delightful as in Endless River, and Andrew's unfailingly apposite choice of the perfect word is again apparent. No teacher can fail to identify with 'Playing Parts'; Andrew's trademark positivity is on display in 'Sweeter Springs', and he never shies away from the poignant or difficult subject.
Andrew has again been fortunate in having Dave Phillips as his editor; the design of the book and the selection of photographs add greatly to the text.
From the opening loving dedication to his children, to the affecting final poem for Remembrance Sunday, 'Fallen Leaves', this is a rewarding book, and leaves the reader feeling privileged at having shared the author's journey to greater self-understanding. As Andrew says, 'Without our authentic voice, we are nothing'. Andrew's voice is indeed authentic.
Review by Marc Starling