Hay International Fellow Jon Gower has set himself a New Year challenge to read all of the titles currently published by the Library of Wales.  With a total of 33 books, from the best-selling novels such as Raymond Williams' Border Country to newly-discovered literary gems such as Margiad Evans' Turf or Stone, this series has something for everyone. Gower will begin his challenge, symbolically, on 1st of March 2012 - both World Book Day and St David's Day. 

Congratulations to Parthian authors Nigel Jarrett and Stevie Davies (pictured, left) who are among the ten equal runners-up in the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition. The much awaited results were announced on Wednesday 22 February at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay as part of an evening celebrating Welsh fiction.

First Prize of £1000 was awarded to Kate Hamer from Cardiff for her story One Summer. Kate, who was born in the West Country and raised in Pembrokeshire, is currently working on completing her first novel, the opening of which recently won the Luigi Bonomi/Aberystwyth University prize for best beginning of a novel.

Parthian would like to congratulate Dannie Abse on being awarded a CBE in recognition of his outstanding services to poetry and literature in this year's New Year Honours list.

Hear Dannie speak about receiving the award on the BBC Wales website.

We recently launched the poet and playwright's superb updated autobiography Goodbye Twentieth Century as part of our Library of Wales series. Buy it from us for £9.99.

A number of Parthian titles have been reviewed in the new issue of Planet (205).

First up Matthew Jarvis reviews The Meaning of Apricot Sponge: Selected Writings of John Tripp (ed. Tony Curtis):

The second session of the Cardiff Literary Salon will run in association with Parthian Books and features good literary conversation and readings from acclaimed short story writer Nigel Jarrett and hostess Susie Wild.