A collection of writings, old and new, fact and fiction, which provides a fascinating commentary on childhood, by some of Wales's best writers, including Trezza Azzapardi, Dylan Thomas, Kate Roberts, Dannie Abse, Gillian Clarke and Gwyn Thomas; foreword by Stevie Davies.

Detholiad o waith awduron a beirdd hen a newydd sy'n bwrw golwg ar amryfal agweddau ar blentyndod, gan gynnwys gwaith gan rai o lenorion mwyaf talentog Cymru megis Trezza Azzapardi, Dylan Thomas, Kate Roberts, Dannie Abse, Gillian Clarke a Gwyn Thomas; rhagair gan Stevie Davies.

This, to my mind, is a book of the unexpected. So much written on the subject of childhood is trite, but Roberts's anthology on childhood has succeeded in gathering together many new voices, in prose or poetry, together with the familiar.

It is a book of catholic tastes, and cements together centuries of childhood memories, from the pride of the young miner's lad on his first day at work with his father, to the tremendous sadness felt by the child who left his ‘Mam' at the asylum, holding in his hands her two rings and a little parcel containing her clothes: ‘Dew, I'd never cried like that before, and I've never cried like that since, either. I'd love to be able to cry like that again, just once more.’(What a legacy from the adult world!)

Descriptive language we are not short of; Peter Finch's ‘The Tattoo' has some typical schoolboy verbiage. Of young love unrequited there is plenty; I particularly liked Phil Carradice's ‘Jenny', which really leaves us in suspense: ‘so now, to find Jenny – decidedly one of the more desirable elements in the school – actually interested in me? Well, it was too much.’ Leonora Brito's beautifully written piece ‘Lesley-Ann’ gives us a clearer understanding of working-class morals in the black-and-white TV era.

And so I could go on. This is a well-produced and distinctive anthology. Perhaps these few lines from Henry Vaughan's ‘The Retreate' sums up much of the reader's thoughts, though cast somewhat out of context: ‘Oh how I long to travel back And tread again that ancient track!’

Childhood brings us all to account, a book well worth giving shelf room to.

Norma Penfold

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.