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Wales: The First Place
On the western fringe of Europe lies Wales -- surrounded by water on three sides, mountainous, and dramatically beautifully. Geologically, it is one of the oldest parts of the world. Of all the territories of the western Roman empire, only Wales was never conquered by the barbarians, and this distinction instilled in its people a particular sense of trusteeship and unshakable pride in their heritage. It was from the Celtic legends of Wales that the figure of King Arthur emerged as a symbol of a vanished golden age, and this yearning for something old and magical and irrevocably lost has inspired the Welsh people ever since. This same yearning is embodied in a mystical way in the very landscape of Wales, whose bare rocky highlands and brooding moors have inspired poets and storytellers since the beginning of history. "Wales: The First Place" is a personal celebration of fiercely individual and ancient land, brilliantly described by Jan Morris, illustrated with Paul Wakefield's magnificent photographs, and enriched with a selection of Welsh poetry. This book is a glorious evocation of the mystery, the enchantment, and the lyricism of a unique corner of the earth.
- GenresTravel
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
About the author
Jan Morris
171 books507 followersJan Morris was a British historian, author and travel writer. Morris was educated at Lancing College, West Sussex, and Christ Church, Oxford, but is Welsh by heritage and adoption. Before 1970 Morris published under her assigned birth name, "James ", and is known particularly for the Pax Britannica trilogy, a history of the British Empire, and for portraits of cities, notably Oxford, Venice, Trieste, Hong Kong, and New York City, and also wrote about Wales, Spanish history, and culture.
In 1949 Jan Morris married Elizabeth Tuckniss, the daughter of a tea planter. Morris and Tuckniss had five children together, including the poet and musician Twm Morys. One of their children died in infancy. As Morris documented in her memoir Conundrum, she began taking oestrogens to feminise her body in 1964. In 1972, she had sex reassignment surgery in Morocco. Sex reassignment surgeon Georges Burou did the surgery, since doctors in Britain refused to allow the procedure unless Morris and Tuckniss divorced, something Morris was not prepared to do at the time. They divorced later, but remained together and later got a civil union. On May, 14th, 2008, Morris and Tuckniss remarried each other. Morris lived mostly in Wales, where her parents were from.
In 1949 Jan Morris married Elizabeth Tuckniss, the daughter of a tea planter. Morris and Tuckniss had five children together, including the poet and musician Twm Morys. One of their children died in infancy. As Morris documented in her memoir Conundrum, she began taking oestrogens to feminise her body in 1964. In 1972, she had sex reassignment surgery in Morocco. Sex reassignment surgeon Georges Burou did the surgery, since doctors in Britain refused to allow the procedure unless Morris and Tuckniss divorced, something Morris was not prepared to do at the time. They divorced later, but remained together and later got a civil union. On May, 14th, 2008, Morris and Tuckniss remarried each other. Morris lived mostly in Wales, where her parents were from.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 5, 2010
Spent many a day and night dreaming of the beauty and dark places of Wales after reading this book and looking through the many gorgeous photos. To visit Wales, the land of my great-grandfather, has always been an intention of mine. After finding this book, among others on the subject, it has become a determination. It is really a lovely book and quite special for it's translated poems from the Welsh.
July 29, 2021
mind tõesõna huvitas rohkem Jan Morris autorina kui just see konkreetne raamat, aga samas Wales ühe pärisuelslase silme läbi tundus ka huvitav teema.
julgelt pool raamatust on pildid. kaane peal olev tõotab kauneid vaateid, aga tegelikult on tihtipeale lihtsalt... võsa või lomp või paremal juhul pika säriga, aga see-eest hästi lähedalt pildistatud voolav vesi. eks mõned avaramad vaated on ikka ka, aga siis tunduvad jälle värvid tuhmid ja kärss kärnas ja maa külmand. ma olen Walesis käinud ja seal on tegelikult ilus, aga võibolla seekord kunstnik ei püüdnudki ilu, vaid midagi muud. ah, ma kurdan vist liiga palju. väga kauneid pilte on siiski ka hulgas, maastikuvaadetele lisaks on ka portreesid, põhiliselt taluinimesed ja -loomad, ja kokku sobib see kõik õhkkonnalt ja tonaalsuselt tekstiga väga hästi.
jutt sinna juurde on selline lüüriline ja üleüldine. pole mingi turismiinfo, vaid vaikne mõtisklus, et mis sorti koht see Wales üldse on ja kuidas muust maailmast erinev. kuna kirja on see pandud kaheksakümnendate alguses, siis leidub siin ka ootamatut infot, nt selgub, et sel ajal veel vabalt juhtus, et walesi separatistid panid inglaste suvekodusid põlema. aga rohkem on ikka püütud keskenduda sellele, et kuidas tundub õhk ja kuidas näeb välja vesi ja kuidas kõlab keel. ja väidetavalt on Walesi kivid maailma kõige vanemad.
lõpus on ports mingeid eriti vanaaegseid kõmrikeelseid luuletusi inglise keelde tõlgitud, seda on teinud Jan Morrise poeg Twm Morys. seda asja uurisin kohe lähemalt, sest Jan Morris oli üks esimesi tuntud inimesi Suurbritannias, kes läbis soovahetusoperatsiooni (aastal 1972), ja kui juba lapsed mängus, siis muutub see küsimus huvitavaks, et mida ja mis järjekorras. olgu siis ära mainitud, et sündis ta mehena, 1949. aastal abiellus Elizabethiga ja neil sündis viis last, siis, endiselt abielus olles, sai Jamesist Jan, siis millalgi lahutati abielu, aga paar jäi endiselt kokku, ja 2008. aastal sõlmisid nad tsiviilpartnerluse.
julgelt pool raamatust on pildid. kaane peal olev tõotab kauneid vaateid, aga tegelikult on tihtipeale lihtsalt... võsa või lomp või paremal juhul pika säriga, aga see-eest hästi lähedalt pildistatud voolav vesi. eks mõned avaramad vaated on ikka ka, aga siis tunduvad jälle värvid tuhmid ja kärss kärnas ja maa külmand. ma olen Walesis käinud ja seal on tegelikult ilus, aga võibolla seekord kunstnik ei püüdnudki ilu, vaid midagi muud. ah, ma kurdan vist liiga palju. väga kauneid pilte on siiski ka hulgas, maastikuvaadetele lisaks on ka portreesid, põhiliselt taluinimesed ja -loomad, ja kokku sobib see kõik õhkkonnalt ja tonaalsuselt tekstiga väga hästi.
jutt sinna juurde on selline lüüriline ja üleüldine. pole mingi turismiinfo, vaid vaikne mõtisklus, et mis sorti koht see Wales üldse on ja kuidas muust maailmast erinev. kuna kirja on see pandud kaheksakümnendate alguses, siis leidub siin ka ootamatut infot, nt selgub, et sel ajal veel vabalt juhtus, et walesi separatistid panid inglaste suvekodusid põlema. aga rohkem on ikka püütud keskenduda sellele, et kuidas tundub õhk ja kuidas näeb välja vesi ja kuidas kõlab keel. ja väidetavalt on Walesi kivid maailma kõige vanemad.
lõpus on ports mingeid eriti vanaaegseid kõmrikeelseid luuletusi inglise keelde tõlgitud, seda on teinud Jan Morrise poeg Twm Morys. seda asja uurisin kohe lähemalt, sest Jan Morris oli üks esimesi tuntud inimesi Suurbritannias, kes läbis soovahetusoperatsiooni (aastal 1972), ja kui juba lapsed mängus, siis muutub see küsimus huvitavaks, et mida ja mis järjekorras. olgu siis ära mainitud, et sündis ta mehena, 1949. aastal abiellus Elizabethiga ja neil sündis viis last, siis, endiselt abielus olles, sai Jamesist Jan, siis millalgi lahutati abielu, aga paar jäi endiselt kokku, ja 2008. aastal sõlmisid nad tsiviilpartnerluse.
January 26, 2025
Stunning photographs and particularly enjoyed the translations of mediaeval Welsh poems by Twm Morys.
A choice quote from Jan Morris:
'... The very concept of a Welsh Way raises horse-laughs among Englishmen, to whom Welsh living habits often look like poor parodies of their own, but behind the superficial appearances there really is something distinctive, and powerful, to the Welsh social system. Its origins are clear enough: they lie in the general poverty of the country, in the deep traditional influence of religion, in the old love of music and poetry, in long centuries of conflict with the English, in the power of the Welsh language, in the ancient Celtic style of things, tribal in its loyalties, scattered in its locations. The general Anglicization of the gentry, starting in the fifteenth century, meant that the mass of the Welsh people, the 'gwerin' or common folk, were not bound by the same ties of common interest that bound the English peasant to his squire: they found leaders of their own, mostly men of God or men of letters, and they were united in strong radical convictions that have made Wales into our own time a stronghold of the political Left.'
This book was published 43 years ago. Wales today, like too much of the rest of the world, is being groomed by the right-wing for their own purposes, sadly. Let's hope and pray the Welsh will resist their grubby overtures.
A choice quote from Jan Morris:
'... The very concept of a Welsh Way raises horse-laughs among Englishmen, to whom Welsh living habits often look like poor parodies of their own, but behind the superficial appearances there really is something distinctive, and powerful, to the Welsh social system. Its origins are clear enough: they lie in the general poverty of the country, in the deep traditional influence of religion, in the old love of music and poetry, in long centuries of conflict with the English, in the power of the Welsh language, in the ancient Celtic style of things, tribal in its loyalties, scattered in its locations. The general Anglicization of the gentry, starting in the fifteenth century, meant that the mass of the Welsh people, the 'gwerin' or common folk, were not bound by the same ties of common interest that bound the English peasant to his squire: they found leaders of their own, mostly men of God or men of letters, and they were united in strong radical convictions that have made Wales into our own time a stronghold of the political Left.'
This book was published 43 years ago. Wales today, like too much of the rest of the world, is being groomed by the right-wing for their own purposes, sadly. Let's hope and pray the Welsh will resist their grubby overtures.
June 10, 2023
Beautiful pictures, wonderful prose and an added bonus of several Welsh poems at the end. A unique look at Wales and it's uniqueness.
November 15, 2024
Lovely book giving me a real feel for my Welsh ancestry. Gorgeous photos and Welsh poetry added to authors words.
March 2, 2010
This book is beautiful to look at. It felt like home. Hiraeth. Their words remind me of ideas that other people sometimes do not get, and that I sometimes cannot explain at all to others.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews