News

Welsh rugby’s 1970s legend Ray Gravell was undoubtedly one of Wales and rugby union’s greatest ever characters, and this collection of anecdotes about Grav from family, friends and colleagues showcases his endless kindness, mischievous sense of humour and legendary humanity. Grav - The Legend of Ray Gravell: Stories from friends and family, which is edited by Rhys Meirion, shows us that over a decade after his death, he is just as much of a cult hero as ever.  read more

Although he only won a handful of international caps for Wales, Anthony Buchanan’s career is unique in that it spans both the playing and administrative side of the game and bridges Welsh rugby’s momentous shift from the amateur days to professionalism. His love for the sport, for Ystradgynlais and Llanelli shines through in a new autobiography, entitled The Buck Props Here! (Y Lolfa) which has been written by Anthony and journalist and writer Geraint Thomas.  read more

This week sees the publication of Photographing Pembrokeshire – A Paradise for Pirates (£12.99, Y Lolfa), a fascinating voyage of discovery through Pembrokeshire locations frequented by pirates, smugglers, wreckers and others who have exploited the coastline over the centuries. Ieuan Morris’ stunning images showcase one of the UK’s most beautiful counties, but as well as discussing historic events the county is famous for, Morris also considers the impact of migration, tourism and industrial pollution and asks: Can Pembrokeshire as we know it survive?  read more

Wales is famous for its castles – according to some estimates there are more than 700 medieval castles (or castle sites) of varying dates and function in Wales. This week sees the publication of Towers of Defiance: The Castles and Fortifications of the Princes of Wales by Paul R. Davis (Y Lolfa) is a comprehensive and fully illustrated guide to the history and architecture of the Welsh castle from roughly1066 to 1283. The book contains new aerial photographs of the castles, which give a greater understanding of the size and layout of the fortifications.  read more

The Welsh in Liverpool: A Remarkable Story by D. Ben Rees (Y Lolfa) is the culmination of decades worth of research into the unique history of the contribution made by the Welsh in Liverpool and Merseyside.  read more

This week sees the publication of an unusual story and exercise book that aims to introduce more children to the practice of yoga. Strong as a Mountain, Supple as a Snake: A Yoga Story and Exercises for Children and Grown-ups by Ginny Moffett (Y Lolfa) weaves detailed descriptions of more than twenty yoga poses and breathing exercises into a story about a visit to Tada mountain and the Great Forest.  read more

A new book published by Y Lolfa called Land of Lead charts the story and recollections of four generations of the same family, from the 19th century to the mid-1960s. The history has been collected from detailed family records, including detailed notebooks, postcards sent home during WWI and notes left by a great-uncle whilst working on the Rheidol Valley narrow gauge railway. The snapshot of one north Ceredigion family is presented by one of their descendants, Brian Davies, originally from the village of Penrhyncoch, near Aberystwyth.  read more

An award-winning Welsh author has just published her first children’s book in English. Manon Steffan Ros has won numerous awards for her work, including the Welsh Book of the Year and the Prose Medal at the National Eisteddfod (both for Llyfr Glas Nebo), as well as the prestigious Tir na n-Og children’s fiction prize on numerous occasions. Those People Next Door carries an important message about showing kindness to all and to not judge people who are different.  read more

“I don’t expect everyone to agree with everything in the book – it will be too radical for some, and for others it won’t be radical enough,” says author Llywelyn ap Gwilym about his new bilingual book, Llyfr Du Cymru Fydd / The Black Book of the New Wales, which is published this week.  read more

With 2020 such a tough year, most of us have found life harder than usual. This week sees the publication of an easy-to-follow self-help book that promises to furnish readers with an effective toolkit to take control of their lives and make lasting, positive changes that could radically increase your happiness. Let It Go by David Rahman is a book for “people who feel blocked and are looking for a way to reset their lives.”  read more