When the Prince of Wales takes it into his head to appoint a Household Bard he hasn't reckoned on the delectable but subversive Cerys Gifford Huws, fine poet in the strict metres and staunch Nationalist, who tries to teach him Welsh and encourages him to make his Principate more truly reflective of the country from which he takes his title. Not only does he introduce Highgrove and Floomerwormwood, his little place down in Wales, to all things Welsh but insists on innovations like bilingual road-signs in England, Welsh on the syllabus of schools, a Welsh page in all the Sunday papers, and much more. For a while he is admired for his bold patriotism but eventually the English Establishment reacts and the monarchy falls into disrepute. By 2020, the Yookay having broken up after Scotland's secession, Cymru is an Autonomous Republic within the Celtic Confederation and ruled by a permanent green-red coalition. Charles has renounced his title and his claim to the throne, and gone to live quietly at Gregynog, where he has found contentment at last. With the death of his mother, and William's succession, the Windsors troop out on to the balcony of Buckingham Palace, and the sound of gunfire is heard echoing down the Mall. And all this happens because of a Welsh poet...This 'likely story', at once provocative and percipient, but never bland, is partly a critique of the institution of monarchy and partly a satire on the culture and politics of contemporary Wales. Laying no claim to 'literary merit' (the bane of so much of what is published in Wales nowadays), but elegantly written, it will make some readers grin and get up the noses of others, in about equal measure.

Including never-before-published poems, this landmark collection of more than 300 poems follows the poet's development of subject and style chronologically. From early work that shows influences of Dylan Thomas to later work that is distinctly American, Norris' poems feature vivid descriptions of an extraordinary world in settings that include his native Wales, southern England, and the American West.

Holding a mirror up to Wales' cultural life, this collection of 60 obituaries celebrates this unique writing form, as well as providing a broad context to place and analyze the subjects of the obituaries themselves. Writers, historians, artists, broadcasters, political activists, cultural mandarins, educationalists, and cranks are all included in this exploration.

This is his first full biography, describing the early years of the Blaenclydach grocer's son, his abhorrence of chapel culture , his bohemian years in Fitzrovia, his visit to the Lawrences in the south of France, his unremitting work ethic, his patrons, his admiration for the French and Russian writers who were his models, his love-hate relationship with the Rhondda, and above all, the dissembling that went into Print of a Hare's Foot (1969), an autobiographical beginning , which proves to be a most unreliable book from start to finish.

The most legendary names in poetry from Wales - David Jones, Idris Davies, Vernon Watkins, RS Thomas, Dylan Thomas and Alun Lewis - are featured here alongside many living greats such as Dannie Abse, Tony Conran, Gillian Carke, Tony Curtis, Robert Minhinnick and Gwyneth Lewis. Every decade of the century is featured, as is almost every part of Wales - urban, industrial and rural - and many of the poems reflect our history from Edwardian times to the post-industrial present. Biographical notes are provided for all the poets. A few lesser names have been selected to suggest continuity and the changing literary scene over the century. Wales now has a rich, vibrant and varied literature in English and this anthology reflects it comprehensive, authoritative and lively way.

This is the most comprehensive guide ever compiled and comprises over 2,000 Welsh first names. This third edition contains over 100 additional names. Welsh is a Celtic language and is spoken by over a million people world-wide. It is the oldest living language in Europe and has a rich, diverse and distinctive collection of personal names, of which several, such as Dylan, Megan, Arthur and Sian, are internationally recognised. More and more parents are making a positive choice and giving a Welsh name to their children and in doing so handing down their Welsh heritage to the next generation. This book is the complete guide to making that choice. Names are arranged according to the English alphabet and, in many instances, an explanation of the name's meaning and a brief word about illustrious bearers of the name are also provided. For those not familiar with the Welsh language, the book also has a section on pronunciation.

This is an introduction to the Basque Country for the student and the general reader. Providing comprehensive coverage of this region of Europe, the book traces the political, cultural and linguistic history of the Basque Country and its struggle for independence from the Spanish and French states.

Rhys Davies (1901-1978) dedicated his life entirely to writing and is now generally regarded as one of the most prolific and accomplished of Welsh prose-writers in English. In addition to writing over one hundred short stories, his many novels included The Withered Root (1927), The Black Venus (1944) and The Perishable Quality (1957). While he has long been thought of as a master of the short story form, his novels are now considered to be among the finest written by a Welsh writer in English and a critical re-assessment of his career is long overdue. Rhys Davies: Decoding the Hare contains essays on the major aspects of Rhys Davies's life and work, from the literary, social and national contexts within which he wrote to issues of gender, sexuality and race. Published to mark the centenary of Rhys Davies's birth, Decoding the Hare is the first substantial study of his work and will be essential reading for all those interested in twentieth-century Welsh writing in English and in this complex and elusive writer in particular.