Source: Welsh Books Council
The amount of reading materials available specifically for Welsh language learners is surprisingly varied and plentiful, though they can be difficult to obtain outside of the U.K. Fortunately, the internet makes this task much easier, and Celtic bookstores or import stores can often order specific titles for you. Sites such as the Welsh Books Council have a lot of materials, and the Welsh store Draig Goch in Sacramento, CA can obtain particular books as well. You can also order directly from the publisher, Gwasg Gomer.
This particular novel is a tragic yet uplifting tale by a novelist considered to be one of Wales' greatest. Thomas Rowland Hughes (1903-1949), originally from Llanberis in Gwynedd, attended college in Bangor and Oxford. He taught at the Boys' County School in Aberdâr and was a lecturer at Coleg Harlech before eventually starting work for the BBC in Cardiff in 1935. Despite falling ill soon afterward, he began to write novels, the first of which was O Law I Law in 1943. His other books, William Jones, Yr Ogof, Chwalfa, and Y Cychwyn were all set against a backdrop of quarry life. He also authored a book of poetry, Cân neu Ddwy (biographical information from O Law I Law, p.11).
O Law I Law tells the story of a middle-aged bachelor, John Davies, who must deal with the recent death of his mother. The story begins the night after the funeral, when John must start making plans to get rid of all the old furniture and items in his mother's house in order to move to lodgings closer to the quarry. As each item leaves the house, he is confronted with a flood of memories that are poignant, sad, and funny all at once--memories of his mother, his past relationships, and his quarryman father. Not only does the story portray John Davies' life as an individual, the reader also learns about the details and hardships of life in a small North Welsh quarry village.
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