What happens when an Englishman from the Welsh Marches decides to read a book from or about Wales every week for a year? This is your chance to find out.

Join Alex Johnson as he takes us through the eclectic collection of novels, poetry and non-fiction from the last century – written in English or translated from Welsh – that he chose to help him understand Welsh literature and culture.

From classics such as Under Milk Wood and Ivor the Engine, through to Manon Steffan Ros’s The Blue Book of Nebo, explore how Alex found both a distinctive Welsh voice and so many universal themes.

In conversation with Festival favourite, Mike Parker, it’s your chance to see if he chose your favourite – and maybe take the Reading Welshly Challenge yourself.

 Alex Johnson is a writer, journalist, half-decent snooker player and amateurish letterpress printer. After 15 years as part of The Independent newspaper’s online team he is now the Online Editor of Fine Books & Collections magazine, and contributes a regular column to the Idler magazine. Alex is the author of various books about books including Book Towns, Improbable Libraries, A Book of Book Lists, Rooms of Their Own, Shelf Life and 2025’s My Year of Reading Welshly. He lives in St Albans.

Mike Parker is the bestselling author of On the Red Hill and All the Wide Border as well other books including Map Addict and The Wild Rover. He was also the co-author of the first five editions of the Rough Guide to Wales.  He has written and presented several series of travelogues for ITV Wales, has worked on numerous other TV and radio programmes, and occasionally performs as a stand-up comedian and actor.  Born and bred in the Midlands, Mike now lives near Machynlleth, identifying as Cymro o ddewis – a Welshman by choice.