An interesting study tracing the influence of places and people in Cardiganshire on Dylan Thomas's life and works, in particular the Aeron valley and the seaside village of Newquay, 1934-45, including a strong suggestion that Newquay is Under Milk Wood, thus reflecting exciting evidence of new research and interviews with local characters. 80 black-and-white photographs and 1 map.

Astudiaeth ddiddorol yn olrhain dylanwad lleoedd a phobl Ceredigion ar fywyd a gwaith Dylan Thomas, sef dyffryn Aeron a thref glan môr Ceinewydd, 1934-45, yn cynnwys awgrym cryf mai Ceinewydd yw Under Milk Wood, gan adlewyrchu tystiolaeth gyf frous, gwaith ymchwil newydd a chyfweliadau â chymeriadau lleol. 80 llun du-a-gwyn ac 1 map. Cyhoeddwyd gyntaf yn 2000.

So many books have been written about the enigmatic Dylan Thomas, that one first asks, 'why another?' This is new and thoroughly researched information, relating to Thomas’s period of residence in Cardiganshire (1944/45). It is relevant because it throws more light on Thomas’s work, including Under Milk Wood. It includes important insights into Thomas’s feelings and attitudes following the Majoda shooting in New Quay. Perhaps more controversially, it produces compelling evidence that New Quay, Cardiganshire, was the inspiration for Llareggub, the village in Under Milk Wood. The title refers to the places where he resided, or was influenced by, during this period. Just after the foreword, there is a very useful time-line for those not familiar with Thomas.

The research shows that Thomas had an affinity with the local people of Cardiganshire, and we have anecdotal evidence of this. These are invariably pub-related stories (indeed there is one moment of pure hilarity when Thomas and Augustus John insult each other in a pub), and stories of Thomas’s seemingly extraordinary ability to find patrons and sources of income from somewhere, to keep him and his family going.

There is a whole chapter about the Majoda shooting, and how it affected Thomas’s thinking and outlook. His letters stopped for some time after the event, and later on he spoke of recognizing his own mortality, and of being encircled, trapped and stifled, following a series of events, which saw the deaths of relatives, friends and one of his patrons. In a letter to a friend, he even writes ‘the muse is gone’, when later he struggled to compete Under Milk Wood. The author shows how Thomas adopted a more pastoral attitude, and included more about birds and freedom in his poems. As the author states: ‘It seems that Killick and his machine gun were the unwitting architects of a major change in Dylan’s poetry and writing. Poetry genius like political genius is not immune to the influence of events.’

The book puts his Cardiganshire period nicely into context, linking how he went on to compete Under Milk Wood, and how his experiences in Cardiganshire may have provided the main ideas and characters (and indeed the village of Llareggub itself) for the work. Perhaps more importantly the book provides a link (from Majoda to America) on how Thomas’s attitudes and feelings had changed by the time of his death in 1953.

The writer skilfully puts together a more than convincing case that New Quay provided the main setting and most of the characters for Under Milk Wood. There is a whole chapter, 'The Plot', which elaborates on all points of the arguments. Of course this is an emotive issue as Thomas worked and wrote in both places and, without an absolute answer, the arguments will no doubt rage on. I for my part as the reader (but perhaps a biased ‘Cardi’) find the evidence most compelling.

The author also looks at the rumours which supposedly linked Thomas with MI6, and the book provides more research as to whether his trip to Iran was linked.

I found the book to be well researched, very interesting and enjoyable. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about Dylan Thomas. It made me want to revisit his poems in the light of this book.

Ken Jones

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.