Non Fiction

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Santa Baby, Slip a Story Under the Tree

Christmas is on its way, and we have some recommendations for you whether you’re looking for a present for someone else, or you’re looking for something to ask Santa for this Christmas!

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For Thriller Lovers:

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If you or someone you know loves a good crime story, why not try Jo Mazelis’ Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Prize-winning Significance, or Anne Lauppe-Dunbar’s debut Dark Mermaids?

For Historical Fiction Lovers:

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Francesca Rhydderch’s debut, The Rice Paper Diaries, which won the 2014 Wales Book of the Year Award and Tiffany Murray’s chilling Sugar Hall are perfect for readers who like their stories old school. So old school they’re practically history.

For Sci-Fi/Fantasy Lovers:

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If you’re after something weird and wonderful for you or a friend this festive season, then you can’t go wrong with one of our New Stories from The Mabinogion; The Meat Tree is a brilliantly bizarre sci-fi retelling of the Blodeuwedd myth, perfect for readers who love stories that are literally out of this world. But if you’re after something a little closer to home, why not pick up a copy of Mary-Ann Constantine’s fable-esque debut, Star-Shot? This novel is a real treat for readers who are familiar with Cardiff.

For Short Story Lovers:

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For lovers of the oft forgotten art form that is the short story, why not pick up New Welsh Short Stories, an anthology featuring a wide range of Welsh authors from Carys Davies to Jo Mazelis, or Graham Mort’s latest collection, Terroir. These two look quite charming together, so if I were you I’d get both.

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For Non-Fiction Lovers:

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Jasmine Donahaye’s memoir, Losing Israel, has been stunning readers since its publication earlier this year; part memoir, part travel writing, part nature writing, it’s the perfect gift for any non-fiction connoisseur. Mike Rees’ Men Who Played the Game is the ideal book for any sports fan, and as we commemorate one hundred years since the First World War there’s no better time to read it than right now.

For Poetry Lovers:

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Here at Seren we’d be nothing without our poetry, so why not pick up a copy of Kim Moore’s hugely popular debut collection, The Art of Falling, or Jonathan Edwards’ Costa Award-winning debut collection, My Family and Other Superheroes – we promise they won’t disappoint you! Or if someone you know likes to keep on top of the latest poetry, a subscription to Poetry Wales magazine would make for a fine Christmas present, if you ask me. And I suppose you must be asking me if you’re reading this…

You can find all these books and more on our website, so treat the readers you know to some well-chosen words this Christmas!

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The Ones That Got Away

2015 is a year of important anniversaries at Seren. Not only does this year bring with it the celebrations for the centenary of WW2 writer Alun Lewis, but it also marks 70 years since the biggest mass-breakout of WW2, which happened right here in Bridgend.

Island Farm Camp was originally built to house the workers at the munitions factory in Bridgend when it was thought they’d much rather live close to their workplace than travel to and fro each day. Not surprisingly the women preferred to travel than to stay in the gloomy rooms provided, but when Europe found itself in need of places to keep POWs Island Farm, with its concrete huts and open fields, proved to be ideal.

70 years ago today, at around 10pm on the 10th March 1945, 70 POWs escaped from Camp 198 – better known as Island Farm – after digging a 70ft tunnel beneath the wire. Evidently, 70 was their lucky number.

Each of the escapees were divided into groups and were given maps, food and even a homemade compass, as well as identity papers which had been produced inside the camp. Some of them made it to Birmingham while others got as far as Southampton, and though all but one were eventually recaptured, it was an astounding feat. Yet it is still unknown as to who actually organised the escape.

70 years on Peter Phillips has taken it upon himself to explore the story of Island Farm in The German Great Escape. Phillips’ expert narrative sets the events at Island Farm against the broad sweep of history, from appeasement and re-armament, to the Blitz, the battles of the GIs who passed through, and the campaigns of the German top brass who were later camp inmates. Taking in tensions between the Wehrmacht and SS, a suspicious death and the British de-Nazification programme, Phillips also explores the regime under which the POWs were kept and their reception by the public in south Wales.

Order The German Great Escape from our website.