Bred of Heaven: One man's quest to reclaim his Welsh roots

by Jasper Rees

Jasper Rees has always wanted to be Welsh. But despite Welsh grandparents (and a Welsh surname) he is an Englishman: by birth, upbringing and temperament.

In this singular, hilarious love letter to a glorious country so often misunderstood, Rees sets out to achieve his goal of becoming a Welshman by learning to sing, play, work, worship, think - and above all, speak - like one. On the way he meets monks, tenors and politicians, and tries his hand at rugby and lambing - all the while weaving together his personal story with Wales's rich history. Culminating in a nail-biting test of Rees' Welsh-speaking skill at the National Eisteddfod, this exuberant journey of self-discovery celebrates the importance of national identity, and the joy of belonging.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

294 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2011

Reviews

[Anwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Being Welsh - and first-language Welsh at that - the tussles described with the vagaries of learning the language, including the dreaded mutations (no, I don't always get it right all the time, either) were a delight. The author has indeed captured the spirit of The Welsh and has done so in an infinitely good-humoured, nuanced way. Many of the characters mentioned within the pages were familiar to me, which gave an added frisson to the read. Funny, learned (successfully completing an englyn after only two years of learning Welsh? Wow!) and incredibly engaging, I would definitely urge you to read this book. And for producing an erudite, moving argument as to why the language is important, I salute the author wholeheartedly - a rhoddaf ddiolch o waelod fy nghalon hefyd!

[Encarni Reading The World Forever · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different way of learning about Welsh culture, history, feelings....
Una forma diferente de aprender cultura, historia, sentimientos galeses.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story of Jasper Rees claiming his Welsh Heritage. Although his grandparents are Welsh he was raised in England but embarks on a project to become Welsh. This book follows Jasper as he learns the language, goes to the rugby, delivers a lamb and all sorts of other Welsh things!

This book is good fun and anyone who has an affinity to Wales will surely love it!

[Andrew Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and entertaining. He goes to quite a lot of effort given that he’s only first generation born in England. Some of us are holding on a lot longer! Having similarly learnt Welsh in London, had singing lessons and make multiple trips to Wales I could identify with much of his journey. Towards the end the book seems to flip from one scene to the next in a slightly confusing way but keeps its momentum. Da iawn Jasper!

[Armelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still not entirely sure exactly how I feel about Jasper Rees's story of his search for his Welsh roots. Born and raised in England, the author spent many childhood holidays visiting his Welsh grandparents. When he reaches his 40's, he decides to go in search of all things Welsh, in a quest to find a sense of belonging.

It's well-written. It's funny. It speaks to my feelings as I also have Welsh roots (although they're a good bit more distant). It also, at times, seems just a little too forced - perhaps a little too cutesy. There seems to be a sense that he needed a book idea, so he decided to look for it in Wales.

Still, it's a fun - and funny - read. I liked the walk on Offa's Dyke the best, and found the part about learning Welsh to be very interesting.

[Jess Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely did enjoy parts of this book and it opened up alot of self reflection about my half welshness... but my reading time speaks for itself. The book didn't grip me, and I found it a bit difficult to read.

[Phaedra Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book, and the idea behind it. Not sure I'd like Jasper in real life though, I have a feeling his Harrovian over-confidence would grate somewhat.

[Rebecca Duell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply inspirational. I love how he examines many different aspects of being welsh, and he has inspired me that it's not too late to learn the language of my motherland. Diolch, Jasper.

[Bettie · Rating 3 out of 5]

blurbs - "You have to pay to get in. The current cost, if you're in a car, is £5.30. Pressing a note into a fleshy female palm, I deploy the lone word of conversational Welsh in my locker. 'Diolch'. Thanks. Then I push my right foot down and accelerate into the land of my fathers. I'm not really sure where I'm going."

Author and journalist Jasper Rees rises to the challenge of embracing his 'inner Welshness'. His grandparents on his father's side were Welsh. So it's partly in recollection of times spent at their house on a hill in Carmarthen that he opts for full 'immersion'. This means learning the language and putting to paper to some of his grandparents vivid stories about Wales. It also means travelling around, setting himself various tasks - singing in choirs, sheep-shearing, coracling, coal-mining. Some tasks are accomplished with deftness, some not, in his wry travelogue, which is abridged for radio in five parts by Katrin Williams.

Reader Ben Miles.

I love the way he describes South Wales as the up-turned hand wherein Cardiff is the palm and the valleys the gaps between the fingers. Spot On.

The theme tune seems to be Cerys Mathews (Cataonia) signing the titular song and would of loved to have linked to it here, however I couldn't find it on YouTube.

My favourite chapter is the Offa Dyke walk which I have done myself in younger years, although the other way around i.e. Hay on Wye (capel y finn) down to Llanthony Priory. Pictorially:



TO



Overall, this is probably only a 2* read for most; the extra dong is in recognition of my own sentimentality and what could be wrong with that.

[Martin Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My own recent effort Illumination was, in a small way, an attempt to reconnect with my Welsh roots too, but Jasper really goes for it - walking the length of Offa's Dyke, learning to play rugby, singing at the National Eisteddfod, to name but a few. But it is learning Welsh that forms the 'red thread' (edau goch?) that runs through this book. It's something that's on my bucket list, so following Jasper's journey was particularly inspiring.

John Humphrys calls the book "lyrical", and it is certainly that. Jasper's elegant, creative prose makes you feel you're right there in the experiences with him. But a sure sign that he's now properly marinated in Welshness is the combination of wit with the air of melancholia throughout. Reflections on his family history, and the bittersweet moments of his own journey give it a wistful feel, but it's never depressing, just thoughtful and resonant. It's in its inspiration, its awen, that it succeeds most, and it's certainly spurred me to connect with my roots on a deeper level. So da iawn, Jasper, a diolch yn fawr.

[Rupert Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite a good read - on the whole Jasper Rees is a pleasant writer. The quest itself is close to my heart, as my Welsh lineage has always had a strong emphasis within my own inner connections. I thought Rees's recount was a little too lengthy for some of the subject matter, I found the initial rites of passage being language very good - however some of the "Welshness" Rees was searching for came across as stereotypical, and I kept on reading hoping that through-out the football, song, sheep and walking, there might be a chapter devoted more to the idiosyncratic nature of the Welsh temperament, perhaps abutting to the brythonic nature of the peoples of Wales. But this is Jasper's journey, and I can't argue with his perspective because it was through it that he was searching for his own association with what Welshness meant. It's a fair journey in any case, borderline novelisation of a Lonely Planet guide in parts but on the whole a welcome read.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

The heaven in the title is an allusion to the fact that a lot of missionaries and monks made their base in Wales, but in typical posh English fashion he goes to Church and roundly ignores God. I can't help thinking the early Church's being in with Welshness had something to do with it being passed over, with the rise of materialism. Just like the Welsh themselves, so that all the rich say, "Oh, you're a Christian, how droll." I've fallen for another Englishman's cock-sureness. I say Englishman, because he has about as much chance of becoming a Welshman as Piers Morgan. You can't really connect with your earthly family without your heavenly family. Unless he decides he will, he won't. Stop being afraid of what people think of you. It made me very sad, but he was so enthusiastic--and shallow. I don't know what to rate it.

[Russell Haywood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purchased on a whim while visiting the land of my fathers for a 50th wedding anniversary, this book has made a real impact on me - no doubt due a large extent to its relevance to my own situation and time of life, but also because of the quality and warmth of expression throughout.

While walking the length of Offa's Dyke: "As we gain height, clouds close in, rain spits, sheep scatter. Heather smothers the tops and the mountain falls away on both sides. Nowhere can there be a clearer sense of walking along a frontier than on the Hatterall Ridge. Hang-gliders or suicides have a clear choice up here: to hurl themselves into England or into Wales. National temperament seems written into the landscape. To the right, England exudes a rolling, self-satisfied contentment while Wales retreats towards the horizon in a series of wild convulsions".

A modest, but surprisingly moving book.

[Ceri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found a lot to cherish in this tale of a cultural mid-life crisis expressed through the author's desire to find his lost Welshness. Brightly written and nostalgic (as much for a distant childhood and late family members as for a celtic heritage), it's a warm and bittersweet read. Even if I can't quite agree with the idea that to be properly Welsh one must speak Welsh. But then, as a non-welshspeaking Welshman, I would say that...

[Choi Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much enjoyed reading the journey Rees undertook to discover his "Welshness", not a path any normal person could travel however unless they have the right contacts though. Written with a nice combination of Welsh passion and English reserve, I was extremely impressed with his dedication and rather pleased with his success!

[Susanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

How do you connect with hidden or lost parts of your cultural identity? Jasper Rees does it by learning Welsh and digging into family history. Would have liked a bit more connection in the parts of his story, as the past and present are swirled together but excellent writing and honest.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone with an enduring love of Wales, this book obviously spoke to me. It was a personal journey of discovery that was filled with historical tide bits, entertaining tales, laughs, heart felt moments and more.

[Shelly Dennison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining look at what it means to be Welsh when you come from Welsh stock but have never lived there, a mix of memoir, travelogue and look at all things Welsh. The key thread is Rees' attempts to learn the Welsh language and the impact that has on him.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book.

[Edwinnaarden · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it but it wasn't the easiest read, I'm not exactly sure why.