A diverse, contemporary collection of 18 short stories by a dozen writers who all have Welsh connections either by birth or by having lived in Wales at one time or other, reflecting the sweet and not-so-sweet experiences of life. 5 black-and-white illustrations.

Casgliad amrywiol, cyfoes o 18 stori fer gan ddwsin o lenorion, pob un â chysylltiad Cymreig naill ai trwy enedigaeth neu trwy fod wedi byw yng Nghymru ar un adeg, yn adlewyrchu profiadau chwerw-felys bywyd. 5 llun du-a-gwyn.

This selection box of quality short stories finely selected from the cream of Wales’s authorial ‘A-list’ is a wonderful and essential work. At its worst, eminently readable, and at its brilliant best, a prism of reflection on Wales in a menagerie of styles, settings and pure prose majesty, Wales, Half Welsh is a fascinating work in its own right and a great preview showcase to anyone with an eye on literary Cymru or who wants to experience its burgeoning selection of talent.

Those who are familiar with these writers will recognise some of the characters and contexts, and for those virgin eyes casting a glance over these contemporary writers for the first time, I can guarantee at least a fair proportion of the twelve selected authors will whet your appetite. From moving tales of prejudice and betrayal to comic and often subtle humorous dialectic diatribes, and with one story even concerning a terrorist bomber, this book’s awesome range speaks for itself.

Malcolm Pryce’s hilarious comic adaptation of detective noir novels set in Aberystwyth, chasing a monkey with only a dubious Timbuktu postcard for reference, and Niall Griffiths’s gritty yet hilarious narrative of opportunist theft of a mansion by some valley boys and a hapless plumber’s mate, are only two examples of the gems on show.

Really, I cannot recommend this short story collection strongly enough and for the price it is an absolute bargain. Welsh literature is currently full of precocious talent and this is a perfect opportunity to dip one’s toe into the refreshing valley lake of literature and try out the best.

Jack Clothier

It is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgement 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 ganiatad Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru.