| Bibliographical Information |
| DowntrainRobert Nisbet
View more titles by 'Robert Nisbet' |
ISBN: 9781902638379 (1902638379)Publication Date February 2004
Publisher: Parthian Books, CardiffFormat: Paperback, 197x127 mm, 188 pages
Language: English
Ordered on request Our Price:
£6.99
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Customers' average rating: 
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A selected edition of the author's best fiction full of depth, poignancy, humour and understanding of the people of Haverfordwest .
Detholiad o straeon byrion gorau'r awdur yn llawn dyfnder, ing, hiwmor a dealltwriaeth o drigolion Hwlffordd.
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For some reason the title of this book conjures up for me another long saga of American urban life. Not so! Robert Nisbet's geographical area is south west Wales, and particularly his native county of Pembrokeshire.
It consists of twenty of the short stories from his prolific output. He presents the depth and variety of human lives in a wide range of circumstances. His characters are presented in all their hopes, triumphs and fears. He is Wales's fictional laureate of small town life.
It goes almost without saying that each of these items of short fiction is extremely accomplished. Although ‘An April Story’ is a mere eight pages long, Nisbet is able to encompass the entire life of his female character. It is a touching and highly credible story. In fact, if I were editing an anthology of the best Welsh stories of the last twenty years, it would certainly be on my shortlist for inclusion.
The author deals with adolescence in an illuminating way. I'm thinking, for example, of ‘Jam Jars of Seaweed and Dreams of Love’, a very appealing account of sexual awakening at St Brides Bay in the nineteen fifties. He has an acute ear for dialogue and this can often be highly amusing, as in ‘Barber Shop Blues’. Nisbet is adept at striking different narrative tones in his work: compare the first person vernacular in ‘Ocky Boxer’ with the more formal tone of ‘The Ladybird Room’, for example. It is this versatility which is one of his main strengths as a writer. Read Downtrain and you won’t be disappointed.
Dewi Roberts
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.
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This title is categorised and/or sub-categorised as follows:
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"This is a book of short stories, which suit me as I like to have a quick read.
These stories are the ideal length for my half hour bus journey and reading one is a good way to spend the time. They are routed in the authors’ personal experiences and many are set in his birthplace of Haverfordwest.
The style is simple and easy. Pleasant stories which demand little of the reader. There is nothing deeply profound about Downtrain. It is hardly Arthur Miller, but some of the stories do give you a warm feeling.
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" Enjoyed some of the stories, but not all. The beauty of short
stories is if you aren't getting on with one, you can move onto
the next. Short stories aren't really my cup of tea, but I didn't
mind these; perhaps it was the Welsh themes running through.
There was language and phrases I recognised and could hear
spoken as I read them. Fairly easy reading – I suppose would
appeal to all adults, not particularly male or female.
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