Robert Minhinnick
Encyclopedia
Robert Minhinnick is a Welsh
poet, essayist, novelist and translator.
Minhinnick was born in Neath
, and now lives in Porthcawl
. He studied at University of Wales, Aberystwyth
, and University of Wales, Cardiff
. An environmental campaigner, he co-founded the charities Friends of the Earth (Cymru) and Sustainable Wales. His work deals with both Welsh and international themes.
He has published seven poetry collections and several volumes of essays. He edited the magazine, Poetry Wales
from 1997 until 2008. He has also translated poems from contemporary Welsh poets for an anthology, The Adulterer's Tongue. His first novel, Sea Holly, was published in autumn 2007.
(1980) and a Cholmondeley Award
(1998), both awarded by the Society of Authors
to British poets.
In 2006, Minhinnick's book To Babel and Back, describing a journey in the Middle East, won the English-language Wales Book of the Year
Award, which he had previously won in 1993 for Watching the Fire Eater.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
poet, essayist, novelist and translator.
Minhinnick was born in Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
, and now lives in Porthcawl
Porthcawl
Porthcawl is a town on the south coast of Wales in the county borough of Bridgend, 25 miles west of the capital city, Cardiff and 19 miles southeast of Swansea...
. He studied at University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
, and University of Wales, Cardiff
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. An environmental campaigner, he co-founded the charities Friends of the Earth (Cymru) and Sustainable Wales. His work deals with both Welsh and international themes.
He has published seven poetry collections and several volumes of essays. He edited the magazine, Poetry Wales
Poetry Wales
Poetry Wales is a quarterly magazine published in Bridgend, Wales in the UK. It publishes poetry, articles and reviews.Poetry Wales was founded by Meic Stephens in 1965, and has since been edited by Sam Adams, John Powell Ward , Cary Archard, Mike Jenkins , Richard Poole , Robert Minhinnick and...
from 1997 until 2008. He has also translated poems from contemporary Welsh poets for an anthology, The Adulterer's Tongue. His first novel, Sea Holly, was published in autumn 2007.
Awards
Minhinnick won the Forward Prize for Best Individual Poem in 1999 for 'Twenty-five Laments for Iraq', and again in 2003 for 'The Fox in the National Museum of Wales'. His poem ‘The Castaway’ was also shortlisted in 2004. He has also won an Eric Gregory AwardEric Gregory Award
The Eric Gregory Award is given by the Society of Authors to British poets under 30 on submission. The awards are up to a sum value of £24000 annually....
(1980) and a Cholmondeley Award
Cholmondeley Award
The Cholmondeley Award is an annual award for poetry given by the Society of Authors in the United Kingdom. Awards honour distinguished poets, from a fund endowed by the late Dowager Marchioness of Cholmondeley in 1966...
(1998), both awarded by the Society of Authors
Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
to British poets.
In 2006, Minhinnick's book To Babel and Back, describing a journey in the Middle East, won the English-language Wales Book of the Year
Wales Book of the Year
The Wales Book of the Year is a Welsh literary award given annually to the best Welsh and English language works in the fields of fiction and literary criticism by Welsh or Welsh interest authors...
Award, which he had previously won in 1993 for Watching the Fire Eater.
Poetry
- The Yellow Palm
- A Thread in the Maze (1978) C. Davies
- Native Ground (1979) Triskele
- Life Sentences (1983) Poetry Wales
- The Dinosaur Park (1985) Poetry Wales
- The Looters (1989) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
- Hey Fatman (1994) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
- Selected Poems (1999)
- After the Hurricane (2002)
- King Driftwood (2008)
Essays
- Watching the Fire Eater (1992) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
- The Green Agenda: Essays on The Environment of Wales (ed.) (1994) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
- Badlands (1996) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
- To Babel and Back (2005) Seren PressSeren PressSeren Books is a small independent publisher of English language books by authors living in Wales. Seren's aim is to bring Welsh literature to a wider audience. The press takes its name from the Welsh word for 'star'....
Translation
- The Adulterer's Tongue: Six Welsh Poets: A Facing-Text Anthology (ed., transl.) (2003)