A husband's love letter to his wife's heritage

A retired Devon teacher from Heavitree has published a memoir that shines a fresh light on the turbulent recent history of Ukraine.

David Roberts wrote his debut book in part as a love letter to the daughter of a Ukrainian refugee, his wife of nearly five decades.

A Life in Tales is a collection of 18 free-standing short stories relating to events from his life. 

Much of the book plays out against the changing landscape in Ukraine in recent decades, describing drama on the Soviet border, displacement, a runaway horse, and a sleigh ride across virgin snow. 

David explained: “As almost 50 years of my life have been spent married to one person, it is also partly my wife’s story and that of our families.

“Some of the stories are written in second person, some in third person, and there are also more traditional first-person accounts.

“I am not always the protagonist. I’d like to think of it as a memoir with a difference—maybe even a new genre.”

As well as teaching English for around 35 years, David and his wife spent time in both Ethiopia and Namibia with Voluntary Service Overseas.

It was initially travel writing, along with poetry, that allowed David, who is also a grandfather, to hone his skills in preparation for his book.

His exploration of love, loss, longing, and belonging has already earned critical acclaim.

One review said: David’s ability for vivid description and strong characterisation, along with an observant eye and wry humour, makes A Life in Tales a captivating and engaging collection.

David is already planning a further writing project to tell the story of his late father-in-law, an original refugee from Ukraine.

“Two men in particular were the inspiration for A Life in Tales,” David added. 

“My late father, though ill-educated, was a great storyteller. Born in poverty in North Wales, he related many tales, which sadly I failed to record. 

“My father-in-law never attended school. He was a postwar refugee from Ukraine. He was born two years before the revolution and died in 2005, having seen the demise of the USSR.

“I also had a plan for the book I wanted to write of his life—it might yet happen as I have a sheaf of his handwritten memoirs in Ukrainian which have yet to be translated.”

David enlisted the help of his friend, published short story writer Martin Phillips, to serve as the editor for A Life in Tales.

You can find A Life in Tales on Amazon, where the paperback and Kindle versions are available to purchase.