Inspiration
Where did the idea for the book come from?
One day I was driving through Liverpool when I stopped at a set of traffic lights. I looked to the right of me and in the next car was a man who had a very badly burnt face. I could see that he had received plastic surgey, he was very relaxed and at ease with himself but I could not help staring at him. Infact I was so stunned by the way he looked that I was almost in a state of shock. I didn't realise that he had driven off until the driver behind me started sounding his horn. Afterwards I did not feel happy with myself.
I have been to places where therre are no Black people and have been stared at myself, so I should have known better. I wondered what prejudices a person with a disfigured face would come across. Was discrimination by face the same os discrimination by race? Was he ever bullied? What does real beauty mean? Who were his friends and lovers? These were the issues I wanted to explore in 'Face'.
Deep down I think I also wanted to warn all those who discriminated against. I had to do a lot of research for this book, I had to look at surgical procedures, trauma counselling and even the way a car burns in a crash amongst other things, so I learnt quite a lot.
This is the sotry of a boy whose life changes when he makes one wrong decision, he isn't a bad person, he is just like me or you, another 'face' in the crowd.
Benjamin Zephaniah
(for Red House Bookclub 1999)
