Editorial Review

This new edition of Paul Ferris's perceptive biography, which was originally published in 1977, is primarily notable for its frank portrait of the poet's marriage to Caitlin Macnamara Thomas, who died in 1994. "The essential truth about the Dylan-Caitlin relationship," Ferris writes, "was that his dependent nature left him vulnerable in later years when his wife withdrew her affection and became blatantly promiscuous." Yet the author is not unsympathetic to Caitlin, whose biography he wrote in 1993. The accounts of Thomas's raucous, drunken visits to America, where he died in 1953 at age 39, will certainly incline readers to forgive anything his wife did in revenge. The book's principal strengths remain what they were in 1977: a knowledgeable, in-depth account of the poet's childhood in Wales (Ferris himself was born a mile from Thomas's childhood home); a lucid disentangling of myth from fact in both interviews and contemporary sources; and a sensitive understanding that "behind the public cavortings was a private agony." This is Ferris's real subject, the agony of a boy who was "pretty ... spoiled ... the darling of the family," and who never managed to grow up enough to create a life that would support his poetic gifts. It's a sad story but a fascinating one. Read more

Reviews (1)

Preoccupied with littleness
Having read John Malcolm Brinnin's account of Dylan Thomas in America and Caitlin Thomas's autobiographical work LEFTOVER LIFE TO KILL I find this biography fair and comprehensive.It contains appropriate scholarly apparatus.Both Dylan and his sister Nancy had great imaginations.Dylan's father came from a rural family.He became a schoolmaster.He grew to be an unhappy man.Thomas poems are songs about mysteries without solution.They are melancholy, Celtic, non-English.Thomas denied the influence of Gerard Manley Hopkins.He liked technical virtuousity.In school he was protected by being his father's son.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1914-1953    2. 20th century    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - General    8. Literary    9. Poets, Welsh    10. Thomas, Dylan,    11. Thomas, Dylan, 1914-1953    12. Welsh poets    13. Thomas, Dylan   

Subjects:  1. 1851-1941    2. 19th century    3. History    4. Indian Rights Association    5. U.S. - Political And Civil Rights Of Native Americans    6. Welsh, Herbert,    7. Welsh, Herbert   

Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. 19th century    3. Art    4. Art & Art Instruction    5. Art and literature    6. Criticism    7. England    8. European    9. History    10. History - General    11. Painting, English    12. English    13. History of art & design styles: c 1600 to c 1800    14. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    15. Painting & paintings    16. Shakespeare studies & criticism   

Subjects:  1. 1284-1536    2. 1359?-1416?    3. Biography    4. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore    5. General    6. Glendower, Owen,    7. Historiography    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Nationalism    12. Princes    13. Revolutionaries    14. Wales   

Subjects:  1. 1856-1950    2. 20th century    3. Abbey Theatre    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Correspondence    7. Dramatists, Irish    8. Dublin    9. Gregory,    10. History    11. Ireland    12. Lady,    13. Literary    14. Literary Criticism    15. Shaw, Bernard,    16. Shaw, George Bernard, 1856-1950    17. Theater    18. Biography: general    19. English    20. Gregory    21. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    22. Literature/English | British Literature | 20th C    23. Shaw, Bernard   

Reviews (1)

Idiosyncratic meanderings about a long ago Welsh childhood.
Perhaps not for all tastes this autobiographical series of set pieces is wonderfully reminiscent of life in small country areas not all so long ago.There is a sense of time lost folded into the scattered vignettes.Iwould suggest that it would be particualarly appealing to those of Welshancestry and/or those who have lived in small American towns.Thephotographs are very much in synthesis with the stories and point up thesense of enjoyable loss. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Authors, Welsh    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Childhood and youth    7. Collections Of Photographs    8. Ellis, Alice Thomas    9. Ellis, Alice Thomas - Prose & Criticism    10. Historical - British    11. Literary    12. Welsh authors    13. Women   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Italy    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Industries - General    5. Architecture    6. Economic history    7. Italy    8. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    9. Social history   

Subjects:  1. Detective and mystery stories    2. Fiction    3. General    4. History and criticism    5. Literary Criticism    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Murder in literature    8. Romanticism    9. Semiotics & Theory    10. Cultural studies    11. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    12. Literary theory   

Reviews (1)

Don't be confused
This book is not about the Welsh revival you've probably heard about with Evan Roberts. This is about the revival that preceeded that one by about 40 years (about 1859) What makes it worthy of the stars is that it is a collection of first hand accounts of the glory of God. I can get so encouraged just by reading a few pages. Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - History - Protestant    2. Religion    3. Religion - Church History    4. Spirituality - General    5. Christian revivalist & charismatic worship    6. Wales   

Reviews (3)

No teamwork between Dylan & Genevieve
In a last ditch effort to escape her "fate" (an arranged marriage), Genevieve ruins herself with the unwitting help of Dylan DeLanyea, a Welshman visiting her father's keep. A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
I read the sequel to this book{A Warrior's Kiss} before I read this one and it was much better. I was really disappointed with Dylan and Genevieve's story. Ms. Moore made me hate Dylan and then had Dylan'sex-mistress{supposedly able to see the future} tell Genevieve that she wasbarren and Dylan believed her. In the end Dylan decided that he wantedGenevieve even if she was barren but by the end of the story I wondered whyGenevieve would want him! If you are looking for a happy ending with astory that makes you feel good at the end...this is not the book for you. Iended the book feeling like I wasted my money on a story that left mefeeling sad!

AREALLETDOWN.
THE CHARACTERS & PLOT LACKED DEPTH.I REALLY HATED LADY GENEVIEVE BEC. SHE IS PARTICULARLY FOOLISH, GULLIBLE AND DEPENDENT ON DYLAN FOR EVERYLITTLE DECISION!ALSO, THE DESCRIPTION OF DYLAN'S HALL DOESN'T SOUND LIKEA WELSH HOLDING.THE STORY WAS NOT COMPLETELY HOPELESS AS SOME SCENES MADEME CRY. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Romance - Historical    4. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Christian literature, Welsh    2. Christianity - History - General    3. History    4. History and criticism    5. Philosophy    6. Religion    7. Religion - Church History    8. Sacred space    9. Spirituality    10. Wales    11. Christian theology    12. Nationalism   

Subjects:  1. Chiropractic    2. Chiropratic    3. Health/Fitness    4. History    5. Medical / Nursing    6. United States    7. Chiropractic & osteopathy    8. History of medicine    9. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    10. USA   

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - History    2. Religion    3. Religion - Theology    4. Theology   

Subjects:  1. 16th century    2. Cookery    3. Cookery, British    4. Cooking    5. Cooking / Wine    6. Great Britain    7. History    8. Regional & Ethnic - English, Scottish & Welsh    9. Renaissance    10. British & Irish history: c 1500 to c 1700    11. General cookery    12. Social history    13. United Kingdom, Great Britain    14. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (3)

wonderful work on Edward I and Wales
Braveheart made Edward the Longshanks known around the world.He was one of the most ruthless kings ever to sit on the throne of England.He was vicious, almost careless in the lives he spent in his various wars, but he was also a brilliant legal mind that forged the foundations of the legal system England and US has today.Most of all he was determined to do what his grandfather, King John failed to do, win back all the lands lost of France and all powers to the barons when John signed the Magna Carta.As well, he was determined to end the abuses tolerated by his weak father concerning the Marcher Barons of Wales. Wonderful research, a lot to take in
I am very much the history buff and interested in the minutaie in the study of history.I still had to read this thoroughly researched work in stages due to the large amount of information, especially statistics, presented in such a small amount of space.Going to the original rolls from Edward's accounts, and others, Morris pieces together army size, type, function, and heirarchy of the army, barons, and king.It is a fascinating work, but expect to spend the time digesting it.Not for the beginner on the topic.

What real scholarship should be
This is a brilliant example of good scholarship. The book is impeccably researched. Of course there are conclusions that are open to debate, but it is difficult to find an area where you could fault the writer's logic. Thisis the standard work on a very complex subject, and will likely remain so.If only every historian was so objective and paid so much attention todetail, think of how much we would discover. Maybe I'm being too naive. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1063-1536    2. 1239-1307    3. Edward    4. Edward I, 1272-1307    5. Europe - Great Britain - General    6. Great Britain    7. History    8. History - Military / War    9. History: World    10. King of England,    11. Military - General    12. Relations with Welsh    13. Wales    14. United Kingdom, Great Britain    15. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. Christianity - History - General    2. Religion - Church History   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History Of Journalism    5. History: World    6. Italy    7. Journalism    8. Modern - 17th Century    9. Press And Society    10. Press and politics    11. Skepticism    12. Sociology - General    13. Communication Studies    14. Europe    15. European history: c 1500 to c 1750    16. History of ideas, intellectual history    17. History of specific subjects    18. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    19. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    20. Political science & theory    21. Press & journalism   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. General    6. History    7. Regional & Ethnic - English, Scottish & Welsh    8. Biography: general    9. COOKERY, BRITISH    10. Cooking / British    11. General cookery   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. American    3. American drama    4. Drama    5. Education    6. Examinations    7. History and criticism    8. Plays / Drama    9. Study guides    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - Arts & Humanities    11. American English    12. American drama--20th century--History and criticism    13. Literary Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    14. Literary theory    15. Plays & playwrights: from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History Of Technology    4. Inventions    5. Science    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Biography: general    8. Electronics & Communications Engineering    9. History of engineering & technology    10. Literary Criticism & Collections / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    11. USA    12. c 1800 to c 1900