Dylan Thomas:Dispelling the Myths

Tired of the lazy clichéd description of Dylan as a Bohemian drunken poet, scrounger and womaniser, Jeff Towns and artist Wyn Thomas decided to investigate exactly what role pubs and alcohol had played in his remarkable life.

One of the main experts on the life of Dylan Thomas, Jeff Towns, is launching a brand new and revealing book, Dylan Thomas: The Pubs. Tired of the lazy clichéd description of Dylan as a Bohemian drunken poet, scrounger and womaniser, Jeff Towns and artist Wyn Thomas decided to investigate exactly what role pubs and alcohol had played in his remarkable life. Described by Cerys Matthews as a literary lock-in , the brand new book Dylan Thomas: The Pubs challenges the myths and legends that surround Dylan and drink, and offers a new and revealing insight into his life and work. Although it is impossible to take drink out of Dylan s life story, it is possible to reposition it to see it as nothing so extraordinary or shameful, and to prevent it from being a barrier between readers and Dylan s real importance as a fine poet, story writer, broadcaster, reader and dramatist. Believe it or not, Dylan Thomas didn’t delight in pubs for the booze, explains Jeff Towns, who is one of the world's leading Dylan Thomas experts. In the book, he reveals the real reason behind Dylan s love of pubs. After over forty years of research, he concludes that Dylan saw the pub as a place of refuge; as a place of conviviality, warmth and shelter; as a theatre in which he could always be counted on to perform, and always be guaranteed an audience! Much of his writing reflects the words, expressions and sayings he heard around him every day, especially so in pubs. Dylan was not only a good story teller, he was also a good listener. It was in these very pubs that Dylan would meet the people who would inspire so much of his work.

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