1st to 31st March 2024
Welcome to DHQ (Dewithon Headquarters), the freshly updated nerve centre for Reading Wales 2024!
The people of Wales celebrate St David’s Day annually on 1st March – the date of our patron saint’s death in 589 CE. In honour of this traditional anniversary, and also in recognition of the time of year when daffodils (the national flower of Wales) explode into bloom, I will hold the sixth Dewithon – Dewi being the diminutive form of the Welsh name Dafydd (David).
Throughout March 2024 the international book blogging community will be invited to write about the literature of Wales. This will include reviews and articles about novels, non-fiction publications, short story anthologies, biographical works (by or about Welsh writers), travelogues, volumes of poetry (or single poems), essay collections, or indeed any texts with a meaningful connection to Wales.
You may write in either Welsh or English, whichever you prefer, but as a non-Welsh-speaker, I regret my posts won’t be bilingual. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop native speakers from reading and posting in Cymraeg (the true ‘British tongue’).
This is a multiblogual event, so please be sure to let me know if you post anything at all about our readathon, however brief. In the meantime, please keep checking DHQ for regular updates.
Diolch yn fawr (thank you very much)!
What should I write?
I would love to read your reviews, features, essays, interviews or anything else with a connection to the literature of Wales. Should you wish to cover plays, films, radio programmes, literary events etc., please feel free to do so.
Any dewi-dos and dewi-don’ts?
- Posts may be written in English or Welsh (bilingual if you wish).
- The subjects covered in your posts must relate in some way to Wales and/or Welsh writers (or the Welsh diaspora), however, it is permissible to critique works by authors permanently living and working in Wales, regardless of their country of origin.
- Please use the official hashtag #dewithon24 when tweeting/xing about Reading Wales 2024.
- All Dewithon-related posts should link back to (or acknowledge) Book Jotter in some way.
- The period in which you should read and post related content to your blogs (or other platforms) is Friday 1st March to Sunday 31st March 2024.
- Please feel free to use any of the Dewithon logos with a link back to Book Jotter.
- Have fun!
Where should I look for inspiration?
There are numerous websites listing Welsh writers, some more comprehensive than others, often providing a bridge to further sources of information. The following links are worth perusing as you may feel motivated to examine in more depth a particular author or piece of writing:
Official Dewithon Posts (2018-24):
- A Dewithon 19 Taster
- ‘A Pocket Guide: The Literature of Wales’
- ‘A Private Language? A Dip into Welsh Literature’
- Are You Looking Forward to Reading Wales 2022?
- Are You Looking Forward to Reading Wales 2023?
- Are You Ready For The Wales Readathon?
- Are You Ready for Wales Readathon 2020?
- Are You Ready for Wales Readathon 2021?
- D21: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) Part One
- D21: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) Part Two
- D22: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) #1
- D22: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) #2
- D23: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) #1
- D24: Llyfrbabble (Bookbabble) #1
- International Dylan Thomas Day
- Owain Glyndŵr Day
- Prepare for Reading Wales 2024
- Reading Wales 2022
- Reading Wales 2023
- Reading Wales 2024
- The Tomes and Towers of Harlech
- Wales Readathon 2019
- Wales Readathon 2020
- Wales Readathon 2021
- The Welsh Diaspora and its Literature
- Wales Readathon Library: On Our Shelves
Links of Interest:
- 12 Famous Welsh Writers – VisitWales
- Archives of Welsh Writers in English – The National Library of Wales
- Inspirational Welsh Women Writers – Wales Arts Reviews
- List of Welsh Writers – Wikipedia
- Niall Griffiths’s Top 10 Welsh Books – The Guardian
- Novels Set in Wales – Wikipedia
- Plotting English-Language Novels in Wales – Literary Atlas
- Rachel Trezise’s Top 10 Welsh Underground Novels – The Guardian
- The Top Ten Books of Rural Wales – Cynan Jones
- Top 10 Adventure Stories Inspired by Wales – Jenny Nimmo
- Top 10 books about Welsh identity – Richard King
Other Helpful Websites:
- The Association for Welsh Writing in English
- Literature Wales
- The Mabinogion
- Mentrau Iaith
- New Welsh Writing Awards
- Pendragonry
- Wales Arts International
- Wales Literature Exchange
- Wales PEN Cymru
- The Welsh Academy
- Welsh Books Council
- Welsh Language Literature
- Welsh Libraries
- Welsh Writers’ Trust
A Selection of Yearly Events:
- Beyond the Border
- Cardiff Book Festival
- Crickhowell Literary Festival
- Dinefwr Literature Festival
- Dylan Thomas Festival
- Hay Festival
- The Laugharne Weekend
- Llandeilo Lit Fest
- Llangwm Literary Festival
- The National Eisteddfod of Wales
- PENfro Book Festival
- Roald Dahl Day
- RS Thomas Literary Festival
- Urdd Eisteddfod
- Wales Week London
- Wrexham Carnival of Words
Publishers:
- Firefly Press
- Honno Welsh Women’s Press
- Parthian Books
- Seren Books
- University of Wales Press
- Y Lolfa
Periodicals:
- International Journal of Welsh Writing in English
- The Lonely Crowd
- New Welsh Review
- Planet Magazine
- Poetry Wales
- Wales Arts Review
General Features of Interest:
- Border Crossing – Owen Sheers
- Building Bridges: Language and Cultural Exchange in Children’s Publishing from Wales – Megan Farr
- Celebrating Arthur Machen, the forgotten Welsh horror writer admired by Stephen King – Joe Sommerlad
- How Welsh is Roald Dahl? – Created to Read
- How writers of endangered languages are embracing sci-fi – Britt Peterson
- JRR Tolkien’s Wales – Visit Wales
- Owen Sheers on Gwent: ‘It’s a more ancient world than London’s’ – The Guardian
- Poets, singers and stars: Wales’ national anthem – This is Wales
- Rise of Welsh Crime Fiction, The – Paul French, CrimeReads
- Welsh Homes and Writers of the First World War – RCAHMW
- Welsh-language novels ‘enjoying golden age’ – Alison Flood
- Welsh writers can’t find words for sex – Roger Dobson
SUGGESTED READING
You may be interested in reading The Literature of Wales by Dafydd Johnston, a concise and authoritative guide to the Welsh and English language literatures of Wales, from the earliest period up to the present day.
Please feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts and suggestions.
Categories: Reading Wales
I recommend Honno Press as an excellent source for finding books written by women in Wales. A very extensive website and easy to find whichever genre you wish to read.
A couple I have read, with links to reviews:
The Coward’s Tale by Vanessa Gebbie
Eden’s Garden by Juliet Greenwood
I could have sworn I replied to your message, Claire. Many apologies for the delay. Thank you so much for your suggestions – I’ll definitely make a note of them.
What an impressive post, Paula. So much happening, such a lot to explore!
Many thanks indeed, Gretchen. It’s good to have your support!
Have reblogged, Paula, and Facebooked – hope it helps!
Thank you so much, Gretchen. You’re a star! 😀
This sounds exciting – and with plenty of time to prepare. March is also Read Ireland month and I wished I’d realised earlier so I could participate this year. (I may have the name wrong.) I do like a little structure to my reading plans: I can start working on next March already!
I gave the Read Ireland thing a mention in my last WUTW. Glad to hear you’re keen to get started – I will keep posting updates throughout the year!
I’ll post a note about this in a couple of days, Paula, linking to here of course. How exciting! 🙂 Congratulations on getting this off the ground so speedily *and* efficiently.
Thank you, Chris. Really appreciate your support. 😊
Spreading the word — I’ve posted today about it: https://calmgrove.wordpress.com/2018/03/30/dewithon/
Oh my gosh, how fun. I can’t wait to learn something new!
Thank you, Laurie. It’s great that you’re so keen. 😊
Reblogged this on Thoughts Become Words and commented:
My foray into reading Welsh authors began with Jasper Fforde (Thursday Next) Paula Brackston (Shadow Chronicles) and Bill James (Harpur & Iles) and now, thanks to Book Jotter Paula Bardell-Hedley and Dewithon19, I have a wonderful list to continue reading in more depth. “dw i’n hapus iawn!”
Find more exciting books and authors on Dewithon19 below:
I so much appreciate this, Gretchen. I have added a link to DHQ and will definitely give you a mention in WUTW#13! 🤗
Thank you, Paula, and I will avidly follow Dewithon19 updates.
Any more thoughts on Ozathon? Will be happy to assist in any way.
Thank you, Paula, Ozathon is still in the back of my mind, will let you know when ideas become more of a reality.
OMG this is so perfect. Delighted to have found you via the Les Mis readalong. At this point I should tell you that my full name is Bronwyn and my Pop’s parents immigrated to Australia from Wales and my Nan’s maiden name was Llewellyn. I feel a strong affinity to Wales and have managed 2 visits so far this lifetime. I’m so all over this 🙂
Hello Bronwyn. So nice to meet you. Llewellyn is a good Welsh name: it means ‘like a lion’ (is that an apt description of your Nan?). It’s lovely to have you join us. We Welsh certainly get about! 😊
Hmmm Nan was a bit more passive/aggressive than lioness-like! But we named a ginger cat Llewellyn about 20 years ago and he was out and out psycho!
I was last in Wales in 2007 for the World Cup (Mr Books idea that part) but I was happy to be back in Wales even if just for a few days to watch rugby. My family were from the Llantrisant area – some distant cousins are still there – they showed me all the family gravestones and the old farm during my first visit in 1991. Being Aussie, my ancestors came from all over the UK, with a few convicts in the mix (including Llewellyn), but it’s the Welsh side that has always rang true for me.
I’ve been as far north as Porthmadog, Caernarfon and of course Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch!
Well, that was the perfect name for your ginger cat! Yes, the Welsh love their rugby – my mum (she’s 84) is a little in love with Lee Halfpenny. I know all the places you write of in the north. You did well to remember the latter – we usually shorten it Llanfairpwll or Llanfair PG. I will be quite close to Porthmadog over the next few days as I’m going to stay in my lodge in Talybont (near Barmouth). Other than Cardiff, I haven’t spent much time in South Wales – you would think we were different countries. I come from Llandudno but lived in North-East Wales for quite a while. I’m moving back to my beloved coast again very soon. Have you any favourite Welsh writers?
Sadly I’ve read very few. A Patrick O’Brian book that has a female protagonist called Bronwen – only the 2nd book I ever found with a Bron!
Naturally How Green Was My Valley is in my TBR pile. I’m hoping you’ll lead me to discover more Welsh writers and/or Books set in Wales.
PS I had to google Llanfairpwll to get its full name 😊
I’m going to post lots of suggestions over the coming months. Watch this space, as they say. PS I always have to Google Llanfairpwll when I need to remember the full name! 😉
I now have a post about Dewithon on my blog 🙂
http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/dewithon-2019.html
Ooh, thank you so much, Bronwyn. That’s brilliant! 😃
Great post. Count me in.
Thank you. Really pleased you’ll be joining in the fun! 😊
In your Selection of Yearly Events, Paula, you could also include the Crickhowell Literary Festival (http://cricklitfest.co.uk). Though the website currently (February 2019) only goes as far as the 2018 Festival you’ll see it includes a fair number of Welsh and Wales-based authors every year.
Consider it done, Chris!
OK, Paula, I’m in: https://lizzierosswriter.com/2019/02/09/book-gluttony/
👍