Writer Tom at 'home' shop (From Penarth Times)

Writer Tom at 'home' shop

A PENARTH bookshop is organising a series of events celebrating the work of Penarth writers.

The Windsor Bookshop in the town centre is hosting events including book signings, readings and window displays.

The first writer the shop features is daily newspaper columnist Tom Davies, who lives in the Old Coastguard Tower in Penarth.

Mr Davies has become virtually the only professional pilgrim in Britain and over the last six years has made strange and mystical journeys through all parts of Europe in his camper van.

He has so far produced five best-selling books which have won him a national award for the best book with a religious theme.

A spokesman for the bookshop said: "His latest book, Through Fields of Gold, published by SPCK for £7.99, is out in paperback this week, having, in hardback, garnered enthusiastic reviews everywhere from The Times Literary Supplement to the Penarth Times."

The book follows Goethe's Italian Journey out of Berlin and down to Rome looking for the light of the Italian renaissance.

The spokesman said: "While this sounds a deadly serious undertaking, the strange aspect of these books is that they are not only visionary, with unexpected visits from such as Luther and Francis of Assisi, but they are also extremely funny.

"Tom often comes over as an odd mixture of Bill Bryson and St John of the Cross with a faint touch of Jack Kerouac thrown in.

"You are never quite sure when he is being serious, and when you think he is, he becomes warmly funny again."

This successful series for SPCK began with Landscapes of Glory, then The Celtic Heart followed by The Road to the Stars and Wild Skies and Celtic Paths.

l Keep an eye out for updates on events at the Windsor Bookshop.