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Wild Wales

Gelesen von Steve Gough

(4,786 Sterne; 28 Bewertungen)

Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow (1803–1881), first published in 1862 and now a classic travel text on Wales and the Welsh. The book recounts Borrow's experiences, insights and personal encounters whilst touring Wales alone on foot after a family holiday in Llangollen in 1854. Although contemporary critics dismissed its whimsical tone, it quickly became popular with readers as a travel book and more importantly as a very lively account of the literary, social and geographical history of Wales. Borrow’s engaging character comes across especially in his meetings with various itinerants – mostly native and peasant – along the muddy Welsh path. Borrow’s keen ear for dialogue may remind us of a Dickens or Trollope, and like the latter his wit and wisdom are rarely absent. Indeed the author has been described as an "eccentric, larger-than-life, jovial man whose laughter rings all through the book". Borrow makes much of his self-taught Welsh and how surprised the natives are by his linguistic abilities – and also by his idiosyncratic pronunciation of their language. He loves to air his knowledge of Welsh culture, especially the Bardic tradition. And like his contemporary, William Wordsworth, he has a habit of quoting verses to the heavens as he walks. As the author finally reaches South Wales towards the end of his account, we meet for the first time evidences of modern industrialism, introduced to the reader in the form of a Dante’s Inferno of coal mines and iron foundries. Today, most will remember and value the book for these and other vivid nineteenth-century landscapes – along with Borrow’s gallery of fascinating, human characters. (SUMMARY BY STEVE GOUGH BASED ON WIKIPEDIA) (22 hr 55 min)

Chapters

Introductory

13:49

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 1: Proposed Excursion

11:40

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 2: The Start, Peterborough, Birmingham

10:27

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 3: Chester

10:25

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 4: Chester, Camp-meeting

12:12

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 5: Chester, Book-Stall, Wrexham

14:10

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 6: Llangollen, the Dee

9:40

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 7: Llangollen, Lodgings

7:00

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 8: The Robber’s Leap

13:40

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 9: Llangollen, Pengwern

12:38

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 10: The Berwyn

4:28

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 11: Pont Fadog

16:29

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 12: Pont y Cysswllt

11:55

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 13: Llangollen, the Abbey of the Vale of the Cross

12:27

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 14: Expedition to Ruthyn, the Column

10:07

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 15: The Turf Tavern, Ruthyn

14:21

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 16: Return from Ruthyn, Agricola’s Hill

7:10

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 17: Llangollen, Plas Newydd, Llyn Ceiriog

17:32

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 18: Llangollen, the Parish Clerk

17:15

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 19: Llangollen, the Vicar, the Pool of Catherine Lingo, Robber’s Leap

16:13

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 20: The Valley of Ceiriog, Huw Morris’s Chair, Pont y Meibion

19:38

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 21: Pandy Teirw

15:41

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 22: Llangollen Fair

3:54

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 23: Pont y Pandy, Glendower’s Mount, Corwen

17:27

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 24: The Rock of Heroes, the Italian at the Inn

16:50

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 25: On the way to Bangor, the Irishman

13:28

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 26: Pentre Voelas, the Conway, Swallow Falls, Capel Curig

20:06

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 27: Bangor

12:09

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 28: Menai bridges

16:14

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 29: Snowdon, the Wyddfa

15:24

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 30: Gronwy Owen

5:49

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 31: Anglesea, Pentraeth Coch

11:18

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 32: Llanfair Mathafarn Eithaf, the Birthplace of Gronwy Owen

27:41

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 33: The Inn at Pentraeth Coch

9:52

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 34: Conversation at the Inn

7:22

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 35: A Brilliant Morning

7:19

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 36: Leaving Pentraeth Coch, Penmynnydd, Tomb of Owen Tudor

8:47

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 37: Dyffryn Gaint

25:34

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 38: The Inn at L--

12:54

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 39: Bound for Holy Head

14:42

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 40: Caer Gybi

6:39

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 41: The Pier

9:08

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 42: Town of Holy Head, Pen Caer Gybi

16:02

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 43: Bangor, Port Dyn Norwig, Caernarvon

9:38

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 44: Pont Bettws, Llyn Cwellyn

21:14

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 45: Inn at Bethgelert

4:03

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 46: The Valley of Gelert

14:43

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 47: Tan y Bwlch, Festiniog

14:22

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 48: Mynydd Mawr and Mynydd Bach, Tref y Talcot

20:33

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 49: Bala

19:44

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 50: The Tomen Bala

5:59

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 51: Back at Llangollen

8:10

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 52: Llangollen, Attempted Murder

8:57

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 53: Pen y Coed

6:10

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 54: Chirk

22:15

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 55: Llangollen, Some of the Inhabitants

9:41

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 56: Llangollen, News of the Fall of Sebastopol

10:41

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 57: Pentré y Dwr

11:38

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 58: Sunday at Llangollen

9:32

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 59: Llangollen, History of Twm O’r Nant

25:11

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 60: Twm O’r Nant, his Interludes

15:05

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 61: Walk to Wrexham, Methodistical Volume

13:24

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 62: Rhiwabon Road

8:43

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 63: Last Night at Llangollen

8:28

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 64: Departure for South Wales

13:23

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 65: Inn at Llan Rhyadr

9:06

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 66: Sycharth

14:48

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 67: Llan Silin

8:54

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 68: Llan Silin Church, Tomb of Huw Morris

10:46

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 69: Church of Llan Rhyadr

5:17

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 70: Rhyadr, Mountain Scenery

7:50

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 71: Wild Moors, Arrival at Bala

10:33

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 72: Bala, The White Lion

12:37

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 73: Llyn Tegid

11:30

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 74: Bala to Dinas Mawddwy

19:09

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 75: Inn at Mallwydd

3:33

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 76: Mallwydd and its Church, Cemmaes

9:55

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 77: The Vale of Dyfi

8:11

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 78: Machynlleth

11:47

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 79: Machynlleth, Historic Events

9:13

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 80: Machynlleth to Esgyrn Hirion

18:14

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 81: The Mining Compting Room

13:48

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 82: Inn at Pont Erwyd

18:54

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 83: Conversation at the inn and on the way to the Devil’s Bridge

17:24

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 84: The Devil’s Bridge

7:38

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 85: Dinner at the Hospice

9:42

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 86: Dafydd Ab Gwilym

17:02

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 87: Start for Plynlimmon

4:58

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 88: Plynlimmon, and back to the Devil’s Bridge

17:42

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 89: Hafod

9:51

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 90: Spytty Ystwyth

7:26

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 91: Strata Florida, burial-place of Dafydd Ab Gwilym

11:11

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 92: Rhyd Fendigaid to Tregaron

24:14

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 93: Tregaron Church

8:55

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 94: Llan Ddewi Brefi

11:17

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 95: Lampeter to the Bridge of Twrch

14:28

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 96: Llandovery

10:47

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 97: Llandovery Church

18:55

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 98: Llandovery to Gutter Vawr

18:27

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 99: Inn at Gutter Vawr

15:39

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 100: Gutter Vawr to Swansea

22:03

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 101: Swansea

4:40

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 102: Swansea to Neath

6:24

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 103: Town of Neath, the Glowing Mountain

6:56

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 104: Merthyr Tydvil

6:25

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 105: Start for Caerfili

21:58

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 106: Pen y Glas to Caerfili

7:28

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 107: Caerfili

7:48

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 108: Town of Newport

19:57

Read by Steve Gough

Chapter 109: Arrival at Chepstow

3:28

Read by Steve Gough

Bewertungen

Wild Wales by George Borrow

(5 Sterne)

This recording is a 'tour de force' and a prime example of where Librivox comes into its own. Wild Wales is a classic of its genre, both as enjoyment and as a cultural and historical record of mid-nineteenth century Britain. But with 109 chapters, replete with Welsh place names, dialog and poetry, an excellent oral rendering such as this, makes Borrow's account more accessible than the book itself. George Borrow was a consummate scholar; historian, linguist and poet. His observation of Wales and the Welsh in the 1850s, meticulous in its detail, illustrates the immense differences (and also some remarkable similarities) between modern day Britain and the remoter parts of our island only one hundred and sixty years ago (a time when my own great-grandfather was alive). Religious observance, occupations, social cohesion and literacy were dramatically different prior to the introduction of universal education and modern road transport and Borrow's narratives are both entertaining and enlightening. In many cases, such a lengthy and detailed journal could become indigestible, but Gough's rendering avoids all the pitfalls. His voice allows for gentle modulations between English gentleman and native Welsh speakers. His handling of Borrow's conversations with Irish tinkers, Spaniards and Romany gypsies omits any hint of 'acting' or 'technique' whilst making the dialogues colourful. I listened to these recordings, in my car, on journeys throughout England and through France, with great enjoyment and no awareness of anything other than the great Scholar's trek and adventures through an ancient Celtic land.

Wild Wales

(5 Sterne)

A tour de force indeed! What a chatty, opinionated, and erudite companion George Borrow would have made. His chauvinistic attachment to the Church of England vis a vis the Welsh Baptists gets a little old... but considering when he was writing we should be able to overlook that. I'm always amazed at the friendliness of the population as portrayed in 19th century travelogs. Smeaton Chase's ride up the California coast is another example (https://archive.org/details/californiacoasttrails_1504_librivox ). What kind of a reception would a disheveled traveler get if he were to knock on your door (or mine)? Steve Gough does a truly excellent job of narration. Presumably Steve's a Welsh speaker himself. I'm no judge. "Bore da" is as far I get. TheBookworm, Manchester, UK

2 stars

(2 Sterne)

This is a Librivox recording of a travelogue made by an English admirer of the Welsh culture and language in 1854. I enjoyed the work most when it discussed places where I’d been, or knew some other, associated story. The work is admired by some as a snapshot of Welsh society at the time, but I found the author a bit too overbearing in his conversations with the Welsh.

Highly informative and well narrated

(4,5 Sterne)

More than anything this account transports the listener to a Wales full of charm and character. Although Mr Borrow recounts his adventures in a serious fashion there is (dry) humour in abundance.

(4,5 Sterne)

Interesting author and time/setting. The reader is remarkably skilled in using his voice in dialogues between mr. borrow and the people he meets. Clearly familiar with Welsh language too. A favorite librivox.

Good show all around!

(5 Sterne)

Engaging account of Mr. Borrow's travels and excellent reading by Mr. Gough. Highly recommended.

ww South Wales rather rushed through. excellent reading and an

(4 Sterne)

(5 Sterne)

I love this book and the narration is excellent.