An Ode to Harlech
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SPINETINGLERS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2007
NO CHILLS BUT PLENTY OF THRILLS CATEGORY
Have you ever asked your grandmother or your great-grandmother what things were like in the good old days, and then she told you stories that filled your mind with images of a world far removed from your own ... a world where children became excited by getting an apple and an orange at Christmas, a world where ladies never went without a hat, a world where it seemed that Every Day Was Summer. This is the world that Oliver Wynne Hughes brings alive and captures in his book.
Based on the memories of his mother, Laura, and her two sisters, Elsie and Beatrice, the reader is transported back to a place and time filled with happy memories and presented through a picture of the Welsh town of Harlech, prior to World War One. Every Day Was Summer is steeped in history and nostalgia, making the reader yearn for a bygone time. The book takes the reader on a journey through Harlech: we visit the townspeople through various good humoured anecdotes - and for a town with a population of just over 1000 people, it certainly had its fair share of famous people visiting or choosing to live in the picturesque seaside town. The Queen visited and was said to be mesmerised by the view; another visitor was Denys Finch Hatton, an adventurer made famous by the book `Out of Africa', who also spent many a summer in the town. Everything from shops and schooldays to childhood games and chapel are all lovingly remembered and explored throughout the pages of this book.
Although Hughes conjures up wonderful images of Harlech in the reader's mind, he does not shy away from the tragedy that sadly touched the town. Hughes peppers his book with the hardships that the townspeople of Harlech faced, from families touched by poverty to the tragedy that hit many families with the start of the World War One. That said, at no time does the book become morose or bitter; it keeps its whimsical style throughout and is an absolute pleasure to read.
I think every family should have an Oliver Wynne Hughes to capture its history through photograph, poem and anecdote so we do not let our children forget the places and people who have touched our hearts and our memories.
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Rachel Davies Yorkshire
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A nostalgic look at a much loved Welsh town through the eyes of three sisters who lived and worked in Harlech at the turn of the 19th century.A very enjoyable read for those interested in social history.
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Mair Lloyd Davies Beverley East Yorkshire
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An interesting commentary on the interpersonal relatioships between Social classes and different cultures just prior to the first world war in the charming small town of Harlech North Wales. A most enjoyable book.
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An Ode to Harlech
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Have you ever asked your grandmother or your great grandmother what things were like in the good ole days, and then she goes on to tell you stories that fill your mind with images of a world far removed from our own. A world where children became excited by getting given an apple and orange at Christmas, a world where ladies never went without a hat, a world where it seemed that every day was Summer. This is the world that Oliver Wynne Hughes brings alive and captures in his book.
Based on the memories of his mother, Laura, and her two sisters, Elsie and Beatrice, the reader is transported back to a place filled with happy memories and you are presented with a picture of the welsh town, Harlech, prior to World War One. Every day was summer is steeped in history and nostalgia, making the reader yearn for a time gone by. The book takes the reader on a journey through Harlech; we visit the town folk through various good humoured anecdotes and for a town that only had a population of just over 1000 people, it has certainly had its fair share of famous people visiting or choosing to live in the picturesque seaside town. The Queen visited and was said to be mesmerised by the view, also Denys Finch Hatton, an adventurer, made famous by the book `Out of Africa' also spent many a summer in the town. Everything from shops and schooldays to childhood games and chapel are all lovingly remembered and explored throughout the pages of this book.
Although Hughes does conjure up wonderful images in the reader's mind of Harlech, he does not shy away from the tragedy that sadly touched the town. Hughes peppers his book with the hardships that faced the townspeople of Harlech, from families touched by poverty to the tragedy that hit many families with the start of the First World War. With saying this at no time does the book get morose or bitter, it keeps its whimsical style throughout and is an absolute pleasure to read.
I think that every family should have an Oliver Wynne Hughes to capture their history through photograph, poem and anecdote so that we do not let our children forget these places and people that have touched our hearts and our memory.
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One for the library
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A really lovely read and wonderful insight into the fascinating lives of our parent's parent's generation. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in 19th century history,family history,aristocracy, Wales and the Great War. Wonderful detail and movingly written.
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