Welsh Academic Press – serie

The first comprehensive account of the 'Fire' at Penyberth in English.

Essential reading for all those with an interest in contemporary Scotland, this is the first study of Hugh MacDiarmid (1892-1978) by a political historian and provides a unique contribution to the understanding of MacDiarmid's politics. With the Scottish Independence referendum due in 2014, this very timely study outlines why MacDiarmid, the most important literary figure of twentieth century Scotland, believed that the Scottish culture of his day was making the nation satisfied with its subordinate status within the UK, and why he strove for a self-reliant and independent European nation. In this book Bob Purdie explains why MacDiarmid was a man in constant revolt, against what he viewed as a stiflingly narrow Scottish culture, against all that was provincial and philistine in Scottish society and against Scotland's dependency on England.

Regarded as a classic text amongst teachers of adults and those working with adult groups in a variety of professional and adult community settings, "Adult Learning, Adult Teaching" has now been enlarged, updated and thoroughly revised for this fourth edition. This new fourth edition retains the direct and practical approach that has proved so successful with thousands of practitioners and contains additional chapters on: learning styles; equal opportunities; self-presentation; difficult students and 'reluctant attenders'; practical planning; attendance and drop-out; the observation of teaching and learning; guidance, progression and 'what next'; a real student's experiences of adult education with a matched critique addressed to her tutor.

Written between 1300 and 1350, The Saga of Hávarður of Ísafjörður is ninth-century Icelandic tale of conflict over sheep and stranded whales, magic and ghosts, seduction, murder, torture and revenge.Hávarður is an old man, a great Viking in his time but now past his prime, whose son Ólafur is killed by Þormóður, a local chieftain. The death of Hávarður’s son sets the scene for a  compelling narrative of revenge killings, lawsuits and settlements, which - through the saga’s structure and its picturesque details - provides a fascinating insight to the political  economy and social order of medieval Iceland.The first English translation of the saga since 1906, and the  only one to remain faithful to the original text, Paul and Dorothy Durrenburger’s masterful study not only preserves the integrity of the saga as a cultural artifact, but their definitive  introduction  and notes provide the scholarly context and anthropological perspective that are essential to acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the saga and medieval Icelandic society.