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Insufficiently Welsh
In this informal guide to Wales, Griff Rhys Jones rediscovers “the land of his aunties.” Born in Cardiff but raised in Essex, Griff is returning home on a mission to explore the real the one beyond the tourist trail that exists in the deep beautiful countryside, full of hidden treasures and eccentric characters that make this country so unique. With help from a hidden hand, Griff is set a number of quests in eight distinct regions that not only test his knowledge of his homeland but his body too, as he climbs, abseils, rides, and canoes his way through some truly breathtaking scenery. Join Griff on his journey through Snowdonia, Anglesey, the Gower, mid Wales, Brecon, Pembrokeshire, north Wales, and Monmouthshire. Packed with all manners of weird, wonderful and enlightening facts, you’ll learn as much about Wales as you do Griff
- GenresTravelNonfiction
200 pages, Hardcover
First published January 10, 2014
9 people are currently reading
46 people want to read
About the author
Griff Rhys Jones
37 books4 followersGriffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith. With Smith, he founded television production company Talkback Productions, now part of RTL Group. He went on to develop a career as a television presenter and writer, as well as continuing with acting work.
While at Brentwood School he met Douglas Adams (who would later write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Rhys Jones followed Adams to Cambridge, reading history and English at Emmanuel College. While at university, Jones joined Cambridge Footlights Club (of which he became Vice-President in 1976). He was also president of the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) during his time at Cambridge.
He then joined BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, with his output including the satirical show Week Ending and Brain of Britain. An evening planned to spend watching his hero Frankie Howerd at the invitation of friends Clive Anderson and Rory McGrath, who were writing the show at the time, resulted in Rhys Jones replacing the show's producer, who had suffered from a stress-related illness from dealing with the comedian. He later produced Rowan Atkinson's show The Atkinson People for the BBC and has appeared twice on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Rhys Jones filled in several minor roles in the first series of Not the Nine O'Clock News, and was brought in as a regular cast member from the second series onwards, replacing Chris Langham, alongside Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith and Pamela Stephenson.
In 1981, Smith and Rhys Jones founded TalkBack Productions, a company which has produced many of the most popular British comedy series of the past two decades, including Smack the Pony, Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Big Train. From 1984, Smith and Rhys Jones appeared in the comedy sketch series Alas Smith and Jones (the show's title being a pun on the American TV series Alias Smith and Jones). After the first series, the pair appeared on the big screen in Mike Hodges' sci-fi comedy movie Morons from Outer Space and then in 1989, the LWT production Wilt.
Rhys Jones has developed a career as a television presenter, beginning as the co-host on several Comic Relief programmes. He presented Bookworm from 1994 to 2000 and is the presenter of the BBC's Restoration programme (he began filming its third series at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 June 2006), and has done a considerable amount of fundraising work for the Hackney Empire theatre conservation project. In 2004, he led a demonstration at the Senate House in Cambridge University for the purpose of saving architecture as a degree in Cambridge.
Rhys Jones has written or co-written many of the programmes he has appeared in, and a number of spin-off books. In 2002, he started writing a book called To the Baltic with Bob, describing his adventures on the high seas with his sailing friend Bob, as they make their way to Saint Petersburg, port by port. Rhys Jones released the book in 2003. His early life has been captured in his autobiography, Semi-Detached, published in 2006 by Penguin Books. His book to accompany the BBC1 series Mountain was published in July 2007.
While at Brentwood School he met Douglas Adams (who would later write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Rhys Jones followed Adams to Cambridge, reading history and English at Emmanuel College. While at university, Jones joined Cambridge Footlights Club (of which he became Vice-President in 1976). He was also president of the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) during his time at Cambridge.
He then joined BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, with his output including the satirical show Week Ending and Brain of Britain. An evening planned to spend watching his hero Frankie Howerd at the invitation of friends Clive Anderson and Rory McGrath, who were writing the show at the time, resulted in Rhys Jones replacing the show's producer, who had suffered from a stress-related illness from dealing with the comedian. He later produced Rowan Atkinson's show The Atkinson People for the BBC and has appeared twice on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Rhys Jones filled in several minor roles in the first series of Not the Nine O'Clock News, and was brought in as a regular cast member from the second series onwards, replacing Chris Langham, alongside Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith and Pamela Stephenson.
In 1981, Smith and Rhys Jones founded TalkBack Productions, a company which has produced many of the most popular British comedy series of the past two decades, including Smack the Pony, Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Big Train. From 1984, Smith and Rhys Jones appeared in the comedy sketch series Alas Smith and Jones (the show's title being a pun on the American TV series Alias Smith and Jones). After the first series, the pair appeared on the big screen in Mike Hodges' sci-fi comedy movie Morons from Outer Space and then in 1989, the LWT production Wilt.
Rhys Jones has developed a career as a television presenter, beginning as the co-host on several Comic Relief programmes. He presented Bookworm from 1994 to 2000 and is the presenter of the BBC's Restoration programme (he began filming its third series at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 June 2006), and has done a considerable amount of fundraising work for the Hackney Empire theatre conservation project. In 2004, he led a demonstration at the Senate House in Cambridge University for the purpose of saving architecture as a degree in Cambridge.
Rhys Jones has written or co-written many of the programmes he has appeared in, and a number of spin-off books. In 2002, he started writing a book called To the Baltic with Bob, describing his adventures on the high seas with his sailing friend Bob, as they make their way to Saint Petersburg, port by port. Rhys Jones released the book in 2003. His early life has been captured in his autobiography, Semi-Detached, published in 2006 by Penguin Books. His book to accompany the BBC1 series Mountain was published in July 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 2, 2024
Informative journey of Wales as the author searches for his welshness
October 10, 2017
This book is an eccentric look at Wales through somewhat unusual events. Griff, whilst clearly Welsh, was brought up in Southeast England and feels unclear about his roots because of that. He determines that he might feel better if he travels around Wales off the beaten track, but confusingly doing somewhat exhibitionistic tasks. As I have experience of most of the areas he visits I think the scenery is the making of Wales and not trivialities like abseiling. There is a lot of detail in the book and some bits add to an understanding of the Welsh but other bits, like his obsession with Welsh dressers, contribute only irritation. A light read about the land of my fathers I think.
October 15, 2017
Engaging if insubstantial accompaniment to a TV series I would have watched if I'd known about it at the time. Brief vignettes that sometimes feel too brief, but most are evocative enough to leave you wanting to find out more in a positive sense rather than feeling short-changed. Wanderlust firmly activated.
November 18, 2019
The author fails (sorry, spoiler) in proving himself sufficiently Welsh. I haven't a chance. It is a good overview of the regions of Wales and their highlights.
April 26, 2016
Wales is my absolute favorite place on earth, and I thought I had seen quite a large amount of it, but Griff Rhys Jones has proven me wrong. Insufficiently Welsh, the book companion to his BBC television show, explores depths of Wales that even I missed in all my explorations. He has me so curious to see all the teeny, tiny hidden sites that I’ve missed in my travels to Cymru. An example? How did I go to Aberystwyth yet somehow miss a library that holds 6,000,000 books? Yes, you read that correctly. Six million books! I am salivating just thinking of the 118 miles of bookshelves that are needed to accommodate that many tomes. And I how did I, a foodie and lover of just about anything edible that comes out of the sea, miss out on fried cockles? Oh sure, I tried them cold and a wee bit slimy from the market in Swansea, but, as with any food, I am sure adding a crispy fry batter is a 100% improvement. (Dear readers, consider this a public service announcement: If you have not yet tried Welsh laverbread, just skip it. Trust me on this one).
Now since this book is a companion to a show, we readers get to see just how silly and false television is. Rhys Jones is tasked with some absurd challenges, such as finding the Holy Grail in Mid-Wales or having to rappel down a cliff and then do it again so that the camera crew can get shots from all angles. But in between these oddball television requirements, Rhys Jones visits some of Wales’s best gems: the fortified town walls of Conwy, the gorgeous coast and sea life of Angelsey, Hay-on-Wye also known as the town of books (and like Rhys Jones, I also didn’t buy a single book in the entire town, but not for lack of trying!), and many other uniquely Welsh places. Rhys Jones is funny and engaging, and his book is perfect for anyone who loves Wales or traveling or stories about finding one’s heritage.
Now since this book is a companion to a show, we readers get to see just how silly and false television is. Rhys Jones is tasked with some absurd challenges, such as finding the Holy Grail in Mid-Wales or having to rappel down a cliff and then do it again so that the camera crew can get shots from all angles. But in between these oddball television requirements, Rhys Jones visits some of Wales’s best gems: the fortified town walls of Conwy, the gorgeous coast and sea life of Angelsey, Hay-on-Wye also known as the town of books (and like Rhys Jones, I also didn’t buy a single book in the entire town, but not for lack of trying!), and many other uniquely Welsh places. Rhys Jones is funny and engaging, and his book is perfect for anyone who loves Wales or traveling or stories about finding one’s heritage.
July 15, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a fascinating journey through modern Wales and I can't help but sympathise with Griff Rhys Jones. Both my parents were Welsh as well as an inordinate number of relatives, but I've spent all my life in England. For anyone with even a tenuous link to Wales, give this book a try.
December 20, 2016
I didn't realise this was a tv tie until I'd got started but it didn't matter too much. Mixture of facts about Wales and GRJ exploring what it means to be Welsh and getting to know more of the country.
Shame the pictures were all in black and white - doesn't do justice to a beautiful part of the world.
Shame the pictures were all in black and white - doesn't do justice to a beautiful part of the world.
February 19, 2021
Amusing and full of interesting facts
January 12, 2016
A pleasant enough romp through Wales, but far too short. And some of the furniture stuff was a bit dull.
June 4, 2016
very funny
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews