The SSiW Welsh Book Club 📖 📚 👓

If you’ve read any books by Islwyn Ffowc Elis, especially those set in the future like Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd or Y Blaned Dirion you might like to register for this Zoom talk organised by Menter Caerdydd next Thursday - 14 March:

Go to https://mentercaerdydd.cymru/event/sgwrs_y_mis_mawrth_zoom/29 to receive the Zoom link

I was talking to Kai this morning about reading as I’m currently reading “Blasu” gan Manon Steffan Ros and, although I am enjoying it, I would really like to read something on a similar level of proficiency but for people who have studied with the southern course. Kai said such books do exist but that he couldn’t bring any to mind at that time. Any recommendations, please? If it helps my favourite authors in saesneg include Raymond Chandler, Len Deighton, Douglas Adams and Daphne du Maurier.

Diolch

1 Like

I really, really enjoyed ‘Pantglas’ by Mihangel Morgan, which is set in south Wales and is a similar style to ‘Blasu’ in a way, with different chapters focused on different characters in the village. I’d love to hear what you think of it, @Tony_Davis.

2 Likes

I’ll order that then Deborah, and report back :grin: I did a quick search in my charity shop purchase box and found that I have two books by Mihangel Morgan; Te gyda’r Frenhines and dirgel Ddyn, so I will probably read those first

I read “Dirgel Ddyn” ages ago now. It was always on the reading list for Dysgu Cymraeg classes. I can’t remember a lot about it, but I think it was OK. I haven’t heard of “Te gyda’r Frenhines” though.
I was actually thinking of rereading “Pantglas” while I wait for my bookclub to assign the next book to read, so I just might do that!

1 Like

This may be of interest to members of this thread - a chance to chat with the author Angharad Tomos over Zoom - organised by Cymdeithas yr Iaith for Welsh learners

1 Like

I’ve just finished reading “Gwenwyn
 a Gwasgod Felen” by Haf Llewelyn. It was a fairly easy read (once you learn some older vocabulary) and a nice story as well.

It’s set just before the Mimosa was sailing off to Patagonia and deals with some of the social issues of the day.

I’m getting more used to the North Walian forms, which helps.

1 Like

Sounds interesting!

3 Likes

I’m planning on getting myself a copy of this:

5 Likes

Apologies if this has been asked and answered already, but it’s a loooong thread and I did try searching first.
Is there any kind of guide as to difficulty/recommended reading order of Cyfres Amdani books within their 4 levels? What I mean is, there’s a noticeable difference between the structures in BlacmĂȘl and Gangsters yn y Glaw, both Mynediad; in their case their descriptions include mentions that one is suitable for after uned 8, the other after uned 16. So far I haven’t found that kind of guideline repeated for any other books of the series, and I think it could be really helpful.
(I enjoyed them both, by the way, as well as Gorau Glas and Am Ddiwrnod. Cyfres Amdani has been great so far.)

1 Like

They were graded as being suitable to read after you had completed certain lessons in the DysguCymraeg courses, and they are marked as Mynediad etc
 In the course books (you can download them for free from the dysgucymraeg website) there would be a book mentioned that would include words or patterns that you had learned in the lessons that you had competed at the time.

cofion

Tony

1 Like

Perfect, thank you!

1 Like

Croeso

1 Like

My copy just arrived today. It looks excellent. It’s been a while since I read it in English, so I hope it will encourage me to read more Welsh, which I tend to put off doing, preferring to chat instead.

4 Likes

My copy is traveling across the pond now.

1 Like

Mine arrived today: I’ve read the first couple of pages, and it feels just like reading the original, had it been written in Welsh. The Cofi trolls are excellent (I looked ahead) and the re-drawn maps are great. I have spotted a couple of small typos in the Coelbren y Beirdd in the introduction: where the map reads (correctly) Safwch wrth y garreg
 the transcription on p2 reads Saffwch wrnh th garreg (for those nerdy enough to check). It’s possible that as it’s print on demand, they may be able to fix it electronically - so I let them know about it. It’s entirely possible that I’m the hundredth person to do so :laughing:
ETA: To clarify
 one of the kids caught me checking this; “Nerd,” they said, and walked away.
typo
Edited further to add: I understand from the press via Facebook that later printing have the errors in the Coelbren fixed. They were, understandably, non-committal as to whether the earlier copies will have rarity value :laughing:

4 Likes

Last weekend I read “Gwag y Nos” by Sioned Wyn Roberts. It’s a children’s book (for 9-14 year olds, apparently) and took me less than two days to read (and I did a lot of other things too during those two days!), which is a new record for me. Despite being a children’s book, I thought it was a good read even for adults, with a good plot, loads of good words and the North Walian wasn’t too hard either (or I’m finally getting used to it).

Definitely recommended!

4 Likes

I’ve just started reading “Cysgod y Cryman” and although I have to keep the dictionary close at hand, I’m bowled over by how beautiful the language is! It’s such a pleasure to read.

Which is good, because this will take me a while to get through! :slight_smile:

3 Likes

Sioned has just released a book for adults “Madws”, which is a fantasy novel. It’s a cracking read (if you like that sort of thing), and she has a lovely “voice”.

Also, I recently read “O Ran” by Mererid Hopwood, which I had picked up in a second-hand bookshop. It won the Medal Rhyddiaith in the Eisteddfod a few years back, so it’s not too long, and she writes simply but beautifully (as you’d expect!)

4 Likes