Lecturer wins Creative Non-fiction Book of the Year
A huge congratulations to Dr Gareth Evans-Jones who lectures in Philosophy and Religion at the School of History, Law and Social Sciences, for winning the Creative Non-fiction category of the Welsh Literature Book of the Year 2023 with his book, Cylchu Cymru: Llun a Llên wrth Gerdded (Y Lolfa).
Dr Gareth Evans-Jones travelled around Wales, along the coastal path and Offa's Dyke, over a period of four years and responded to 60 different locations in the form of concise creative literature, both prose and poetry. In these pieces, there is a response to the history, landscape, mythology, society, literature, politics, and the beauty and complexities of different locations in Wales. Among the pieces, there is one about Bangor during Christmas time, and the charming mood of wandering the High Street.
This is what Gareth said after receiving the award at the ceremony held in the Tramshed in Cardiff, Thursday 13th of July: 'I'm still in a bit of a shock. Being shortlisted was completely unexpected and a huge privilege, but to be awarded for the category, especially with two books so fascinating and very different from each other alongside Cylchu Cymru, is incredible. My thanks is enormous to Y Lolfa for publishing the work and to Meinir Wyn Edwards for her patient and insightful editing, in addition to Olwen Fowler for the wonderful design.'
Among Gareth's latest work is the publication of an adaptation of his doctoral thesis which he wrote under the joint-supervision of Professor Emeritus Eryl Wynn Davies and Professor Jerry Hunter, ‘Mae’r Beibl o’n tu’: ymatebion crefyddol y Cymry yn America i gaethwasiaeth (1838-1868) ['The Bible is on our side': the religious responses of the Welsh in America for slavery (1838-1868)] (University of Wales Press, 2012); editing the first anthology of LGBTQ+ Welsh literature to be published at the end of July 2023, Curiadau [Beats] (Barddas); mentoring a new and exciting author as he compiles his first volume which will be published in September 2023, Malachy Edwards, Y Delyn Aur [The Golden Harp] (Gwasg y Bwthyn 2023); collaborating with two other poets, Tatev Chakhian and Zofia Bałdyga as part of the 'Counterpoint' project of the Literature Across Frontiers organization to give attention, through poetry, to experiences of migrants; and in October 2023, Gareth's second novel will be published, which is located in an imaginary Bangor and is entitled Y Cylch [The Circle] (Gwasg y Bwthyn).
Congratulations, Dr Gareth Evans-Jones!