Joan Vardy

Joan has been blind from birth. She has always been able to see light and shade and some colours. She thinks that her lack of sight has been compensated for by her memory. She remembers things far earlier than is usual. The lack of distraction of sight has given her brain a better chance to assemble her memories.

A Green Hill Far Away is a collection of Joan's earlier memoirs, a delightful and poignant mix harking back to the latter days of the war years. Never self-pitying, the stories have elements that will draw a smile or a tear and sometimes a full belly-laugh.

While they searched for bright redcurrants, I saw the golden dandelions shining in the sun. When they reached up for the runner beans, I gazed up at the bright white summer sky. They saw only red tomatoes. I saw the green spiders on the top. Grown-ups never bothered to see the things more lovely, like the shape of the chrysanthemum leaves with their rows of crocodile teeth, or the blue haze of the bonfire smoke, drifting over the garden, like I tried to see. And then they said that I was blind!

There were clocks to listen to on the shelves all around me. I could see each one with my ears, and see them all at the same time, because you do not need to turn your head to see with your ears. I was wrapped up in their ticking and carried away to seventh heaven.

Joan with Poet at her book signing at Specsavers Sutton-in-Ashfield on Saturday 19th April 2014

Paperback from the publisher

E Book

Paperback

A Green Hill Far Away Paperback
pages   328
Size  129x198mm
ISBN 978-1-907939-35-8
£7.99 + Post and Pack

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