Something that we love here at Bookinfluencers.com is our global community. We adore learning about everyone’s different cultures and literary traditions. That’s where our Read The World series comes in! This month, we’re celebrating books from Wales.

We love picking up books from places we’ve never explored before. Diving into stories that give you totally new vibes, settings, and perspectives you wouldn’t normally come across. It’s like travelling, but cheaper and with more emotional damage (in a good way).

Let’s talk about Wales.

Wales is not just a part of the UK. It is a unique and beautiful country, full of its own myths, legends, culture and history. Welsh authors tend to bring a strong sense of place, and rich folklore into their books.

Let’s get into the books! Some of these books from Wales have been suggested by @keri.books, a Welsh book dragon! If you want to recommend any books for the next Read the World post, email jenny@bookinfluencers.com.

A Room Above a Shop – A Queer Story from Wales

A Room Above A Shop is a beautiful novella telling the story of two men living in a small village in South Wales in the 1980s. Set in the midst of the HIV crisis, Section 28 and debates on the age of consent, this is a tender and resonant love story. If you enjoy queer novels such as Maurice or Giovanni’s Room, then this is a book you need to add to your TBR.

Drift by Caryl Lewis – A Welsh Tale Across Continents

The winner of the Welsh Book of the Year in 2022, Drift is a stunning love story with a difference. Set between the wild, Welsh coast, and war torn Syria, this book brings together two souls with dreamlike prose. If you love magical realism, then this is the book for you.

Clear by Carys Davies – Themes Common in Books from Wales

Clear is a stunning novel set on a remote Scottish island. Carys Davies is an amazing author who brings the themes of books from Wales into her books, even when they are set elsewhere. The isolation, mythology and community are strong throughout the book. This is a beautiful little book.

Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden – A Surreal Welsh-Jamaican Story

Mrs Death Misses Death is a stunning blend of poetry and prose in a surreal story about Death taking a break. Salena Godden is a Welsh-Jamaican author, and while this book isn’t set in Wales, you can feel the beauty of the Welsh countryside echoed through the text.

This House by Sian Northey – One of the Books from Wales Translated to English

I had to include This House on this list, as it was written in Welsh and translated to English. The book follows Anna who lives alone, and Siôn, who seems to know a lot about Anna’s house and life. This quiet lit fic is a great addition if you want to read books from Wales.

The Mabinogion Tetralogy by Evangeline Walton – Iconic Arthurian Legends from Wales

You can’t talk about books from Wales, without mentioning the Arthurian Legends. King Arthur, Merlin, the Round Table….all rooted in Welsh legend. This book is a re-telling of the original of the same name written in the medieval times (circa 1200). Evangeline Walton’s stories have inspired some of todays fantasy authors, not to mention the original helped to inspire Tolkien. It is said that The Mabinogion is like Game of Thrones, except Wales did it first.

Why read books from Wales?

At the end of the day, reading books from other countries just hits differently. It pushes you out of your comfort zone, introduces you to voices you might never have found otherwise, and reminds you that stories aren’t one-size-fits-all. The more widely you read, the more your perspective grows, and honestly, your TBR gets way more interesting.

Keep following along for more Read the World lists, or go back and check out previous countries we;ve covered. Build a global bookshelf. Romanticise being the kind of reader who’s always discovering something new ✨

Because the world is full of incredible stories—you just have to decide to read them.