100 GREATEST WELSHMEN

490 pages Glyndŵr Publishing paperback illustrated 2017

Fully revised and updated from the 2001 and 2006 editions. Review from previous edition:

‘The idea of piecing together a collection of 100 short biographies depicting the men of Wales who over the years have become the country's most celebrated sons, to me seems an inordinately difficult task. However, Breverton seems to have succeeded in 100 Great Welshmen. He has managed to select men from all backgrounds, skills and eras, from Howel Davis, the notorious pirate, who plagued the West coast of Africa during the early 18th century, to David Lloyd George, who was highly instrumental in bringing the First World War to its close. From men of the church, saints and poets to architects, artists to sportsmen, they are all to be found in this volume amounting to over 400 pages. The amount of research that Breverton must have done is mind-blowing – and we, the readers, are the lucky ones, who have only to look at the list of contents to have this information at our fingertips.

Breverton is unashamedly and proudly nationalistic. In his introduction he writes, ‘This book is not meant as an academic tome, as its purpose is to show tourists the type of people the Welsh are, and also to tell the Welsh themselves what they are not taught in schools.' He then goes on to lament, ‘the utter ineptitude of Welsh political organisations, placemen quangos and a remote, uncaring London government, over the last five decades, has depressingly failed to secure a reasonable future for Wales.'

He is justly proud of his Welsh heritage and, as with many an enthusiast, he wishes to share his passion with others. He has undoubtedly succeeded with this and put patriotism back into the reader's spirit and maybe envy into the tourist's heart. It is important to keep this form of passive nationalism alive in order to keep the culture and language of Wales flourishing.’ Norma Penfold: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales’

Amazon Review: Rob Burns somehow discovered this book in 2023, like 100 Greatest Welsh Women, and wrote: 5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and informative book - Highly Recommend! ‘I bought the original of this book many years ago, and through a friend only just discovered that there was this greatly revised edition. There is obviously a problem in small publishers publicising their books. The original, over 20 years ago, was awarded the Books Council of Wales 'Book of the Month', but unfortunately this must have passed them by, as I never noticed it in any bookshops. From the list of contents Breverton includes Griffith Jones - 'The Man Who Made Wales the Most Literate European Nation'; John Dee - 'Black Jack', 'the Magus of His Age'; Saint Padrig 'The Apostle of Ireland', 'The Most Famous Welshman in the World'; Nennius 'Tne Historian of the Britons' and Robert Owen 'The Founder of Socialism', 'The Most Popular Man in Europe' and Bartholomew Roberts 'Black Bart' 'The Last and Most Lethal Pirate' among scores of fascinating men that make you proud to be Welsh. His Black Bart Roberts book is also a great introduction to piracy. Almost 500 pages, it is a reference work that is also hugely interesting, and makes me proud to be Welsh’.

However, it was almost impossible to achieve any publicity for the book and sales were very poor, whereas the 2001 and 2006 editions sold out in weeks.