•Tom Bullough/BBC
Tom Bullough’s “Sarn Helen” has been honoured as Wales Book of the Year, taking readers on a journey along an ancient Roman road while delving into the climate crisis. The book, celebrated for its evocative portrayal of Wales’ landscape and its exploration of past, present and future environmental challenges, also received the 2023 Waterstones Welsh Book of the Year award. Bullough’s narrative is enriched with insights from climate and ecology experts, highlighting the urgent effects of the climate emergency.
In the Welsh-language category, Mari George’s Sut i Ddofi Corryn (How to Tame a Spider) won the top prize. Her story follows a woman’s quest to find a cancer cure for her husband, capturing the imagination of readers and judges alike.
The Wales Book of the Year Award, managed by Literature Wales since 2004, features four categories in both Welsh and English: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction and Children and Young People. Each category winner receives £1,000, with an additional £3,000 awarded to the overall winner in each language. Dylan Moore, a judge at the award ceremony, praised Bullough for portraying Wales as a microcosm of earth, addressing the climate crisis with stark realism and historical depth. (BBC)