'The Wilder Shores of Dylan Thomas': Jeff Towns in conversation with Elaine Canning

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Register at: https://bit.ly/dtwild

Dyniaethau a'r Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol - Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences


This event is part of the Sefydliad Diwylliannol - Cultural Institute series

Speaker

Jeff Towns

Speaker's Biography

Jeff Towns is one of the world’s leading Dylan Thomas experts, an antiquarian bookseller based in Swansea, specialising in books about Dylan Thomas and all aspects of Welsh culture. He opened Dylans Bookstore in 1970, firstly in the High Street, and after a few moves settling in Salubrious Passage. He has pursued Dylan Thomas’s life, friends and works around the globe, actively collecting books, papers, photographs, ephemera and art relating to Dylan Thomas. These collections know sit in museums and institutions from Kyoto in Japan, to Texas, via San Francisco and all the way from Abertawe to Aberystwyth & the National Library of Wales. He has sold Dylan Thomas to Politicians, Presidents, Poets, Rock Stars and musicians.

Jeff has acquired a substantial body of knowledge about the poet over the years, arranging exhibitions, among them the 'Word & Image' exhibition at the Dylan Thomas Centre, which has been in place for 30 years and contributing to various TV documentaries and feature films. Jeff has also assisted a number of writers in their studies of Dylan Thomas, and is the editor of Dylan Thomas’ Letter to Loren (Swansea, 1993), and author of Dylan Thomas: The Pubs (Y Lolfa, 2013). Vernon Watkins on Dylan Thomas and other poets (with Gwen Watkins Parthian, 2013), A Pearl of Great Price; Dylan Thomas Letters to Pearl Kazin (Parthian, 2014), Dylan Thomas and the Bohemians, The Photographs of Nora Summers (with Gabriel and Leonie Summers) (Parthian, 2014), The Two Dylans: Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas (with K G Miles. (McNidder & Grace, 2022) and The Wilder Shores of Dylan Thomas (Hmm Foundation, 2025)

From: 16 Oct 2025, 6 p.m.
To: 16 Oct 2025, 7 p.m.
Location: Waterstones, 17 Oxford Street, Swansea SA1 3AG, Other

'The Wilder Shores of Dylan Thomas' focuses on lesser-known aspects and connections of the poet's life and work. The book, published by The Hmm Foundation, features 18 essays, numerous photos, illustrations, and memorabilia, exploring both familiar and less-explored territories of Thomas's world. It delves into his international travels, rare book dealings, and relationships with other cultural figures.


Contact: Cultural Institute - Swansea University (Email: cultural-institute@swansea.ac.uk)

Website: https://bit.ly/dtwild


Event created by: m.t.hughes