Bred of Heaven: One man's quest to reclaim his Welsh roots [Paperback]

'A most entertaining and inspiring handbook for anyone who would really prefer to be Welsh - and who wouldn't?' --Jan Morris

'Lyrical ... funny, hugely enjoyable, often deeply moving' --John Humphrys

'wonderfully readable, warm, funny... very uplifting and very entertaining' --Steve Dubé, Western Mail

'warm, lyrical and witty' --Mail on Sunday

"'A most entertaining and inspiring handbook for anyone who would really prefer to be Welsh - and who wouldn't?' (Jan Morris) 'A lyrical book: funny, hugely enjoyable, often deeply moving. And he's learned what makes the Welsh tick. No mean feat for a man who's English by birth.' (John Humphrys) 'An engaging, touching story told with humour and heart' (Wanderlust) 'Wonderfully readable, warm, funny and very entertaining' (Steve Dube, Western Mail)" --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

A year in pursuit of Welshness Now a Radio 4 Book of the Week

Jasper Rees has always wanted to be Welsh. But despite Welsh grandparents (and a Welsh surname) he is an Englishman: by birth, upbringing and temperament. In this singular, hilarious love letter to a glorious country so often misunderstood, Rees sets out to achieve his goal of becoming a Welshman by learning to sing, play, work, worship, think - and above all, speak - like one. On the way he meets monks, tenors and politicians, and tries his hand at rugby and lambing - all the while weaving together his personal story with Wales's rich history. Culminating in a nail-biting test of Rees's Welsh-speaking skill at the National Eisteddfod, this exuberant journey of self-discovery celebrates the importance of national identity, and the joy of belonging.

'A most entertaining and inspiring handbook for anyone who would really prefer to be Welsh - and who wouldn't?' -Jan Morris Jasper Rees always wanted to be Welsh. But despite Welsh grandparents (and a Welsh surname) he is an Englishman: by birth, upbringing and temperament. In this singular, hilarious love letter to a glorious country so often misunderstood, Jasper sets out to achieve his goal of becoming a true Welshman by learning to sing, play, work, worship, think and, above all, speak like one. On the way he encounters tenors and bards, politicians and monks, and tries his hand at rugby, mining, coracling and lambing - all the while weaving together his personal story with Wales's rich history. Bred of Heaven is an exuberant journey of self-discovery that celebrates the importance of national identity and the joy of belonging. 'A lyrical book: funny, hugely enjoyable, often deeply moving. And he's learned what makes the Welsh tick. No mean feat for a man who's English by birth.' John Humphreys

Jasper Rees is an arts journalist, and the author of Wenger and I Found My Horn.