Crucial texts from ninth- and tenth-century Wales analysed to show their key role in identify formation. Early medieval writers viewed the world as divided into gentes ("peoples"). These were groups that could be differentiated from each other according to certain characteristics - by the language they spoke or the territory they inhabited, for example. The same writers played a key role in deciding which characteristics were important and using these to construct ethnic identities. This book explores this process of identity construction in texts from early medieval Wales, focusing primarily on the early ninth-century Latin history of the Britons (Historia Brittonum), the biography of Alfred the Great composed by the Welsh scholar Asser in 893, and the tenth-century vernacular poem Armes Prydein Vawr ("The Great Prophecy of Britain"). It examines how these writers set about distinguishing between the Welsh and the other gentes inhabiting the island of Britain through the use of names, attention to linguistic difference, and the writing of history and origin legends. Crucially important was the identity of the Welsh as Britons, the rightful inhabitants of the entirety of Britain; its significance and durability are investigated, alongside its interaction with the emergence of an identity focused on the geographical unit of Wales.

The Covid-19 virus outbreak of 2020 will forever be a pivotal part of human history. The impact was global and affected everyone on the planet. Here, in the UK, we managed the coronavirus in similar ways to other countries but also with a degree of Britishness that has defined us for centuries. Not that it was all good and it raised many issues about our culture and values. Hundreds of thousands caught the virus and many thousands died. The impact on the nation, on families and our very own NHS was palpable and at times, almost too much to bear. A Facebook group in Marlow was set up to help people, to communicate and provide support to anyone that might need it. It became incredibly important for many and it was here that Mike started writing 'The Virus Poems'. The journey began and ended sixty seven days later on the 31st May 2020. When you read just one poem it might touch you or amuse you. It is when you consider every subject that, without knowing, this has become a walk through our time in 'Lockdown' as this period will be forever known. We have also included alongside every poem an extract of the news headlines of the day to help you put the poems into some context.

Are you a fan of wine? Often find yourself scouring alcohol stores for new flavors to experiment with? Do you value wine for more than its intoxicating effect? In that case, this is the book for you. You will learn how to properly host wine tasting parties, social events dominated by the consumption of wine not for intoxication, but for the knowledge of the different processes preceding the final product and how each of those individual processes - as well as circumstances - contribute to the flavor of the wine. Not only will you learn how to identify properties of wine based only on sight, but you'll learn to truly appreciate the beverage for what it is, not what it does.