Promises and Secrets

The Meanderings of Andrew Banks Townsend

By: Steven L. Hostetler

Narrated by: Kevin Meyer

Songwriter turned lawyer and author, Andrew Banks Townsend, recounts the events of his youth that led him to important lessons about race, acceptance and overcoming adversity. Much of his journey involved learning from the experiences of his grandparents and others of his grandparents' generation. Andrew's life reminds how seemingly unrelated historical events continue to ripple through ensuing generations in unexpected and sometimes mysterious ways.

A work of historical fiction, Promises and Secrets tells in memoir-like fashion the story of a young boy with a disability growing up in the Midwestern United States in the 1960’s, who becomes a touring musician and hit songwriter in the late 1970’s, and ultimately a successful lawyer in the 1980’s. All the while, the journey is never his alone, as he walks beside and learns from those who survived the Great Depression and World War II. Their stories become inexorably intertwined with his, as together they finally find peace.

©2024 Steven Hostetler (P)2025 Steven Hostetler

Wonderful storytelling. Compelling characters. Highly recommended.

Impactful and realistic portrayal of the people in our lives. All have redeeming qualities. Graceful treatment of the antagonists in life. Author doesn’t define people by their worst moments. Subtle message of how major world events shape lives across generations. Excellent narration.