Features the castles or castle ruins at Dinefwr, Carreg Cennen, Dryslwyn, St Donats, Dunraven, Manobier, Llansteffan, Laugharne, Pembroke, Caerphilly, Chepstow, Oystermouth, Kidwelly, Cardiff, Castell Coch, Aberystwyth, Cilgerran, Llawhaden, Raglan, Picton, Haverfordwest, Pennard, Narberth, Cardigan and Carew. Chapters: Travellers, Tourists and Trinkets, Women of the Welsh Castles, Early Castle Construction, The Effect of the Civil War, Fairies and Folklore and Poetry and Pageants, delve into the history of these castles, and their place within Welsh culture.
Chris S. Stephens lives in Pembrokeshire and is currently Officer for English in Wales at the WJEC (Welsh Joint Education Council). He is an experienced author, having written many books for both adults and children.
This is a recent addition to Gomers excellent Inside Out series of one-stop guides to all things Welsh, from the countrys language and traditions to its sports stars and singers. They are slim, card-covered books, sold at a very reasonable price, and the ones I have seen and read so far have all been well presented, well written and full of fascinating information. Castles of South Wales is of the same high calibre. Chris Stephens, who has authored other books in the series, writes lucidly and conveys large amounts of information in a straightforward, accessible manner. The book is divided into short, sharp chapters, in which historical facts are cannily combined with more contemporary snippets to prevent the lazy, lay mind from glazing over with too many dates and names. Did you know, for instance, that newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst once owned St Donats, or that Dylan Thomas worked on Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog in the summer house at Laugharne castle? Stephens also mentions famous travellers accounts of visits to some of the castles included here, so providing pointers for the more curious reader to follow, from Gerald of Wales and George Borrow to Thomas W. Knoxs perhaps less well-known Boy Travellers series. And the copy is pleasingly peppered with quotations. Add to all this the ample and beautifully reproduced illustrations and you have a little book that will grace the shelves of anyone interested in the subject. Suzy Ceulan Hughes It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. Gellir defnyddio'r adolygiad hwn at bwrpas hybu, ond gofynnir i chi gynnwys y gydnabyddiaeth ganlynol: Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru. -- Welsh Books Council
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
