Griff Rhys Jones considers himself Welsh. He has a Welsh name, his parents are Welsh born and bred, his siblings have Welsh names, all his relatives live in Wales and he was born in Cardiff. He was, however, brought up and educated in Essex and there are many people who consider him to be Insufficiently Welsh. This book is his exploration of what it means to be Welsh, and the traditions and culture of the country. I picked this copy up in a charity shop in Scotland in June last year and the paperback is in excellent condition with many photographs to enhance the text.
The book seems to have been written to tie in with a TV series commissioned by ITV. I haven’t heard anything about the series, which would have been aired about 2014, but it does mean that the narrative talks about filming issues and challenges set by the producers as well as the country and his observations. I didn’t care much about this, but it does make what he does and see contrived to fit the demands of the programmes, rather than just being what he observes.
The book is split into sections concentrating on things that we might consider to be typically Welsh – the landscape, the food, the language, the furniture, the wildlife, the mountains, etc. Each subject is explored during a visit to a different area of Wales and each visit has a challenge, often physical. Each section has many photographs. The author describes the area, its landmarks, its history, its people and what he observes during filming. This is not a comprehensive guide to this wonderful country, but a series of snapshots and some compelling information.
The book is well written and easy to read. It has some humour but it never makes fun of its subjects. It is really a hymn of praise. I enjoyed reading it but I usually don’t keep travel books so this one is off to Oxfam for a new reader to enjoy.
Anne Is Reading 