Böcker utgivna av University of Wales Press

This is not a stuffy anthology of poetry. It offers a new way of viewing the Welsh past, showing how some aspects of it are best accessed through the words of its renowned poets.

A History of Money looks at how money as we know it developed through time. Starting with the barter system, the basic function of exchanging goods evolved into a monetary system based on coins made up of precious metals and, from the 1500s onwards, financial systems were established through which money became intertwined with commerce and trade, to settle by the mid-1800s into a stable system based upon Gold. This book presents its closing argument that, since the collapse of the Gold Standard, the global monetary system has undergone constant crisis and evolution continuing into the present day.

Having worked on projects around the world, strengthening and restoring historically significant structures from Windsor Castle to the parliament buildings in Canada, Peter James brings insight to the structural engineering of ancient Egypt. After fourteen years working on the historic buildings and temples of Egypt, and most recently the world's oldest pyramid, he now presents some of the more common theories surrounding the 'collapsing' pyramid - along with new and innovative projections on the construction of the pyramids and the restoration of some of Cairo's most monumental structures from the brink of ruin. The decoding of historic construction from a builder's perspective is examined and explained - at times against many existing theories - and the book provides a new outlook on long-held assumptions, to embrace modern theories in a bid to preserve the past.

In this novel, Peredur defies both his mother's hostility and his brothers' lack of concern to seek out the truth of his father's death and to take part in a protest against the 1969 Investiture that goes violently wrong. Only at the end when Amy Parry faces death can reconciliation be achieved.

This is the first book-length study of the poetry and journal writings of Gillian Clarke in their entirety; it is the first extensive examination of her work published in this century, and the first full account of how her work has developed in the course of her career as a writer and teacher. In addressing timely and highly relevant themes in Clarke's work, which have been relatively overlooked until now, the book highlights and re-examines her importance for today's readers. Discussing the energy, subtlety and originality of her works, the author commends Clarke as an innovative, politically-alert and scientifically and cosmologically-aware Welsh writer of global significance.

This book adopts an Eastern or Chinese perspective on Alexis de Tocqueville's political thought, highlighting the 'aristocratic' nature of his theory of freedom; and, as it does to, it takes the great traveller of nineteenth-century Europe to the East. What would that traveller see in China? What kind of freedom would be identified in Chinese social contexts? And how would Confucianism figure in today's politics? This book departs from the usual present-day distinction between democracy and authoritarianism, to analyse how 'equality of conditions' has affected both China and the West, albeit in different forms. It rejects the 'End of History' perspective as both false and dangerous, arguing in the Tocquevillian spirit that 'democracy', although inevitable for human societies, it is not an 'end' but rather a condition according to which we must adjust ourself in order to stay free, whether in the West or in the East.

The British economy altered radically between 1934 and 1947. Some of the most dramatic changes were in Wales as its struggling private-sector-led economy was supplanted by one dominated by the state. Initial changes were barely noticeable as pre-war rearmament had little impact on its economy and labour market - yet wartime demands for munitions and raw materials prompted the state to govern an all-encompassing mobilisation that upended its relations with business and eliminated unemployment. New factories employed many thousands of people, agriculture was modernised and metal manufacturing thrived, although coal mining remained mired in crisis. As the war ended, lessons learnt during the conflict helped guide the government as it reconverted the economy to peacetime while retaining a dominant role. This book is the first to fully set out and explore these linkages in Wales between government planning, workplaces and their employees.

Dive into the thrilling life of Raymond Chester, the Oakland Raiders legend. While America was convulsed following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Chester was central to the move of Black American football into the mainstream. From his college glory at Morgan State to his iconic moments on the NFL field, Chester's story is one of resilience and triumph which resonates far beyond the world of sport. This inspiring account of an American sporting hero and his extraordinary impact on society is entrusted to his close friend, author and rugby fan Jon Gower, revealed through extensive interviews taking place from Wales to the US. Raider is the story of a true team player, one musician in a band of brothers who played their own wild tune on the football field, in a life filled with exceptional athleticism, brotherhood, friendship and love.

Ours is an age of precarity, with fear and anxiety coming to define the twenty-first century; politically, economically and socially, neoliberal systems and policies dominate globally. Traditional frameworks of protection have consequently been dismantled, and existential insecurity is increasingly passed from nations and institutions to individuals. Against this backdrop, the Gothic mode of fiction is experiencing a new ascendancy, strengthening the argument that the Gothic represents the best literary mode to address this age of precarity. Examining twenty-first-century Gothic fiction's engagement with the most pressing issues of our age, the readers of this volume will consider the oppression and existential entrapment experienced by marginalised populations in the provincial China of the late 1970s, and observe a modern-day Frankenstein's creature occasion violence and destruction across Baghdad post the 2003 Iraq War. They will also discover vampires (representatives of a voracious, toxic economic model) in an alternate Mexico City, encounter a nomadic group traversing the only remaining wilderness in a near-future North America devastated as a result of the climate crisis, and be haunted by a spectral migrant who died in their efforts to flee political oppression in Vietnam.

Dafydd Elis-Thomas, The Rt Hon. the Lord Elis-Thomas of Nant Conwy, is an outstanding Welsh public figure. His political career spans from his first election as a Westminster MP for Plaid Cymru in 1974 at the age of twenty-seven, until May 2021 when he finally retired after twenty-two years of service as a member of the Senedd in Cardiff. Both controversial and magnetic, his life is captured in this biography. He has been branded a 'maverick', an 'intellectual acrobat' and a 'political chameleon' - as well as being labelled a 'terrorist' for his interventions in Northern Ireland, and a 'traitor' for opposing nationalism. As the first Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, he helped stabilise the new institution and embedded devolution during its first tentative decade. His career has often been marked by controversy, and this is what makes his story remarkable - just as his political life has proved to be unpredictable.

The music industry as you've never seen it before - from the bottom.  Music. We all love it. We can't live without it! But what exactly is it? Why is it so awesome? And who are the mysterious figures who create it, perform it and keep us all stocked up with the good stuff? What's it really like to be in a band and just how bad is the music industry?  In his new book, rock'n'roll underdog James Kennedy takes us on a tour through the hidden lives of the every-day musician - this isn't hotel room trashing but how 99% of musicians live in the real world. Blowing away the usual mythologies and pulling no punches, Loud Medicine is a rough and ready rollercoaster ride - OK, transit van ride - into the secret world of the modern day musician.   It's also an exposé of music's many enemies, a manifesto for change and a love letter to everyone's favourite medicine. There will be rants, dramas, a cast of dysfunctionals, big ideas, industry scam shockers, truth-bombs, f-bombs, the likely crucifixion of a beloved music icon or two -  and yes, of course, there will be road stories. So come and squeeze in amongst the drum cases and warm beers, and let's hit the road!

The literatures of medieval Wales and Ireland are among the richest vernacular traditions of medieval Europe. From a large corpus of poetry and prose, key texts such as the Welsh Mabinogion, the Irish sagas, Celtic Latin literature, chronicles, saints' lives and court poetry have established their place within the written legacy of medieval Europe. This collection of original essays by leading Celtic scholars, writing in honour of Catherine McKenna, Professor of Celtic at Harvard University, goes beyond the familiar canon of medieval Celtic literatures to showcase a wide range of Welsh and Irish texts that are compelling in their literary imagination and technical innovation.

Who are the queer figures, past and present, who shape Wales? Discover the diverse array of LGBTQ+ figures who have shaped Wales, in a tour of how they shape both their fields and drive forward queer representation.  Embark on a journey that takes us from the Marquis of Anglesey, through the lives of the Ladies of Llangollen, to artist Gwen John, to pioneering writer Jan Morris and playwright Peter Gill. Celebrate queer entertainers from Ivor Novello and H from Steps, to sporting icons from Gareth Thomas to Jess Fishlock. This book takes you on a whirlwind tour from culture and sport to politics and activism, marking the breadth and variety of queer achievement.  Spanning historic milestones of the past to iconic drag queens of the present, Queer Welsh Icons is a jubilant exploration of the rich tapestry of queer identity in Wales.

Fieldnotes from Celtic Palestine embodies a new type of sociological writing that weaves ethnography with memoir as well as fusing other convention-breaking literary forms, styles and devices. In its innovative analysis of the rhetorical power of the creative works of four Celtic witnesses to the conflict in Palestine, three Irish and one Welsh, it explores how the creative practitioner may effectively engage in political persuasion and activism without compromising their art. The book also reflects upon a series of encounters in the field between the author and various individuals - political prisoners, diplomats, members of terrorist organisations, members of the security services, journalists and politicians, and also ordinary people making their lives in a society profoundly shaped by brutal ethno-political occupation and conflict. Amongst these encounters is that of being served tea by the daughter of a Hamas suicide bomber, and that of being taken to Jewish settlements regarded as illegal under international law.

The elemental pull of water is irresistible, whether it's to bathe, swim, shower, splash about, sail or simply paddle. We are drawn to it not just for pleasure but for its healing and wellbeing benefits. Destinations, from holy wells to mysterious lakes and enchanted rivers, also have spiritual meaning and are shrouded in myths and folklore. In The Water Remedy, Clare Gogerty offers a guide to some of the best places in Wales and the UK to enjoy being with water, inspiring us to see beyond its day-to-day domestic use so that we can benefit from its spiritual and restorative powers. Discover the difference that our rivers and seas, lakes and springs, wells and waterways can all make to our wellbeing

Ar drothwy trichanmlwyddiant ei enedigaeth, mae'r gyfrol hon yn cyflwyno'r astudiaeth lawn gyntaf o Thomas Pennant, y naturiaethwr a'r teithiwr o Sir y Fflint, ar gyfer cynulleidfa Gymraeg ei hiaith. Er gwaethaf ei fri rhyngwladol yn ei ddydd, esgeuluswyd Pennant yn ddiweddarach gan ei gydwladwyr mewn cof niwlog fel 'teithiwr'. Cynigir yma ddarlun mwy cymhleth sy'n cydnabod ei le fel un o feddylwyr polymathig yr Oleuedigaeth, â'i ddiddordebau'n rhychwantu byd natur, celf a hynafiaethau. Edrychir ar y Cymry allweddol a ddylanwadodd ar ei waith - o Forrisiaid Môn, sylfaenwyr Cymdeithas y Cymmrodorion, hyd at John Lloyd, rheithor rhadlon Caerwys, a'r artist Moses Griffith o Ben Llyn. Wrth bendroni sut y ciliodd Pennant o olwg ei gyd-Gymry, ystyrir argyfwng adroddiad y Llyfrau Gleision a'r wleidyddiaeth ieithyddol a ddaeth yn ei sgil, cyn ymddangosiad cyfieithiad llawn yn y Gymraeg o'r Teithiau yng Nghymru, ganrif wedi marwolaeth yr awdur.

Beyond the Lesbian Vampire is a groundbreaking dive into the pervasive cinematic archetype of the violent lesbian, examining this historically problematic figure within cultural and cinematic imagination - from witch to vampire to murderer - and identifying her resurgence in seven popular and critically acclaimed films of the late 2010s. Each case study depicts unpunished multidimensional lesbian characters trending toward more justifiable narrative reasons for violence; additionally, they reference past iterations of this archetype's 'innate' desire for violence, particularly so for the lesbian vampire. The combination of excessive citation alongside narrative shift gestures towards a reclamation of the lesbian vampire within queer horror, as the author weaves textual analysis and scholarly debate around lesbianism's queerness and homonormativity to reveal the cultural salience of the violent lesbian, and of the queer fears and pleasures she evokes. Beyond the Lesbian Vampire is a vital contribution to lesbian studies, horror studies, queer studies and feminist studies.

This is an in depth exploration of how the Gothic literature boom of the late-eighteenth century was a response and reaction to the expansion of the British empire, and to the continued periods of war in the second half of the century. The Gothic has often been discussed in relation to the French Revolution as a literature of terror, but The Gothic at War demonstrates how the works of Gothic writers such as Horace Walpole, Charlotte Smith and Ann Radcliffe were also a literature of conflict. This study places a particular focus on masculinity and national identity, analysing how the representations of war and the figure of the soldier in the Gothic of the era allowed women writers in particular to explore anxieties about manliness and nationality.

Written in honour of Professor Huw Pryce, this volume brings together exciting new research on writing and performing the history of Wales, from the Middle Ages to the modern period. Each chapter offers a different perspective on the theme of historical writing and remembrance. The first section (Texts and their Histories) focuses on the creation and function of medieval historical texts; a wide range of texts are investigated here, including chronicles and narrative histories, charters, and the Welsh triads. The second section (History and Identity) concerns the relationship between writing history and identity construction; chapters consider different aspects of this theme, including the role of bishops in writing history and the use of names to construct ethnic identities. The third and final section (Memory and Nation) widens the lens to investigate strategies of remembrance and the performance of history; this includes essays on the Eisteddfod, tattoos of historical individuals and the role of historical pageants in twentieth-century nation building. Taken together, the contributions to the volume offer new insights into Welsh historical writing and perceptions of the past throughout the ages.

Un o brif seiliau hunaniaeth genedlaethol y Cymry yn ystod y cyfnod modern cynnar oedd eu hanes - roedd eu dealltwriaeth o'u gorffennol yn cynnig iddynt amlinelliad o'r hyn a oedd yn eu diffinio. Mae'r gyfrol hon yn archwilio naratifau hanes yn ôl damcaniaeth cof diwylliannol. Wrth ystyried testunau sy'n trafod hanes y Cymry fel cof diwylliannol cenedlaethol (hynny yw, dealltwriaeth o'r gorffennol a oedd yn diffinio'r genedl Gymreig), teflir goleuni o'r newydd ar hunaniaeth Gymreig. Mewn cyfnod o newidiadau crefyddol, gwleidyddol a deallusol arwyddocaol, felly, cafodd y gorffennol Cymreig ei ail-ddyfeisio yn ôl daliadau'r awduron; ac, o graffu ar sut yr aethpwyd ati i ddiffinio'r genedl trwy gofnodi'r gorffennol, amlygir inni arwyddocâd cofio'r gorffennol.

Discover the power of our relationship with Y Môr (the sea) along the Wales Coast Path. Matthew Yeomans takes us on journeys along the official walking trail, which in its entirety covers 870 miles (1400 km) of the Welsh coastline. He uncovers how the sea has shaped our lives through history; how Wales's rich mythology, literature and culture has been influenced by this fluid force, and the growing role that the sea plays in our lives.  Along the way, Seascape challenges us to face the realities of climate change and how we will need to adapt where and how we live. Only by recovering a healthy relationship with the sea can we meet our future challenges and unlock opportunities for better ways of living.