A Writer's House in Wales - 9780792265238

Journalist, historian, travel writer, novelist, Jan Morris has guided countless readers through faraway places with her keen eye and eloquent turns of phrase. In this intimate and fascinating memoir, she invites us into her own home in the magical heartland of Wales.
Wales is a realm unto itself, ancient, unique, and unforgettable. In this craggy country lashed by the Atlantic dwell the last of the original Britons, a people with a colorful history and a language all their own. Long before English was spoken, Welshmen - cymry, in their native language - were composing epics in their lilting Celtic.
Morrises have inhabited this far western corner of Britain for centuries, and Trefan Morys - Jan Morris's house between the sea and the mountains - is the eighteenth-century stable block of her former family home nearby. Morris regards this modest building not only as a reflection of herself and her life but also as epitomizing Wales, which has for centuries defiantly preserved its own identity. In this fluent and welcoming book, she explores the colorful history of the house, then invites us inside for an entertaining and wide-ranging visit that touches on everything from her 8,000-volume library to the mementos and reminiscences of a wanderer's rich life - and the familiar yet intriguing pleasures of a Welsh fireside.