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Reviews
- A new and valuable layer of information based on the author's personal insights and well-chosen anecdotesReview by Colwyn Bay Heritage Group
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There is always a buzz of excitement around Colwyn Bay on news that another book is due from the pen of Graham Roberts, his reputation as a local historian and purveyor of good humoured local gossip means there is always a scramble for first copies.Rating
Over the years Graham Roberts has established himself as a leading authority on the development of the town. His detailed knowledge of the area is matched by a firm grasp of who lived where and what happened to them and he is not afraid to share these personal details and anecdotes in his publications. This makes Graham Roberts' books very different from the dry and dusty histories we have come to expect, which is why they are so popular.
The A-Z of Colwyn Bay is written with this same mixture of historical fact and personal detail as his previous writings, and in his familiar energetic and humorous style. Like many of his publications this book is ideal for occasional reading. It is a 'coffee table book' which can be picked up and put down without the content losing any of its intensity. Many of Graham Roberts' books are written in bite-size chunks with an interesting biography, new insight or pithy phrase making even the shortest read worthwhile, and 'A-Z' is no exception.
In his latest book Graham takes this bite-size approach to the extreme. The paragraphs are arranged in alphabetical order. It's a device which works well but it can lead you to look at the end well before you ought to do! The last entry is pretty obvious as Colwyn Bay has a zoo, which is convenient, but what might be the entries for Y or X?
The 'A-Z of Colwyn Bay’ is not an authoritative timeline of the town neither does it provide a chronological analysis of its history, other publications, including Graham Roberts' previous books, supply these things. This book provides a new and valuable layer of information based on the author's personal insights and well-chosen anecdotes and as such it puts flesh on the bones of the history the town; it enlightens and enriches our knowledge and as such is enormously valuable. It will no doubt become a much-treasured contribution to the literature of The Bay, and rightly so.
Arthur F. Creber
Chair, Colwyn Bay Heritage Group
June 2018
(Posted on 21/06/2018) - An enjoyable read...Review by EMR
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New books about the history of Colwyn Bay and the local area are always welcome and this latest volume from Graham Roberts is no different. Graham's books will have some content that local people are likely to be familiar with but there's always that something extra that adds to our knowledge of the history of our town. This is an enjoyable and interesting read that can be browsed, put down and gone back to time and again. This is a welcome addition to the collection of books available about Colwyn Bay.Rating
(Posted on 21/06/2018)
