Welsh

by Christine Jones

"Teach Yourself World Wales" is a concise and lively overview of the country, its language and its people. If you are learning the language, in, for example, an evening class and want to know more about the country and how it works, this is the book for you. Or, if you simply have an interest in Wales for whatever reason, it will broaden your knowledge about the country and its inhabitants. The book is divided into three sections. Chapters One and Two deal with the forces - historical, geographical, geological, demographical and linguistic - that have brought about the formation of the country we know as Wales and the language we know as Welsh. Chapters Three to Seven deal with the wealth of creative aspects of Welsh culture from the beginnings to the present day. These chapters take a look at the main areas or works of literature, art and architecture, music, traditions and festivals, science and technology, fashion, and food and drink, together with the people who have created and are still creating them. Chapters Eight to Eleven deal with aspects of contemporary Welsh society and the practicalities of living in present-day the way the political structure of the country is organized, education, the environment, the workplace and how people spend their leisure time. The final chapter looks at the country's political, economic and social relations with the wider world, and takes a glance at the future. Each chapter ends with a section entitled 'Taking it Further', where you will find useful addresses, websites, suggested places to visit and things to see and do in order to develop your interest further and increase your knowledge. Each chapter also contains a list of useful words and phrases which will help you to talk or write about the subject in question. "Teach Yourself World Wales" is your key to understanding Wales' past, present and future and contains all the information you need to participate in Welsh life and culture.

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 27, 2004

About the author

From illiterate to author, a thirty year journey. Australian author, Christine Jones writes for the love of storytelling and self-growth. I grew up with a creative father, who amazed, amused and intrigued me with stories from his past. My love of writing came from wanting to escape my problems and silently express my feelings and thoughts in what I thought a less painful way. Through family and many other writers helping and encouraging me, I finally was able to move from illiterate to author and get my works published. Gone are the 500 word sentences and I can now tell the difference between their and there, I owe that one and many other similar words to my daughter, who persisted. Considering what I have experienced during my life, either personally or through others, I found myself going on a journey of enlightenment with the characters in the books. Seeing different perspectives also enabled me to grow as a person with each volume being more challenging to my own self-worth issues. I have written 9 of the 10 volumes and plan in the future to write the Mariard diaries, personal accounts from the characters, revealing times not mentioned in the volumes. Readers and writers ask me how I come up with such unique stories and realistic characters when I don't plan anything, I tell them divine intervention and I'm sticking with it.