Dr Grahame Davies

Areas of Interest

Alumni, Literature

Honorary Award

Honorary Doctor of Letters, 2010

Biography

Grahame Davies is a poet, novelist, editor and literary critic who has won numerous prizes - including the Wales Book of the Year Award.

He has a degree in English Literature from Anglia Ruskin University, and a PhD from Cardiff University. He is author of 17 books in Welsh and English, including: The Chosen People, a study of the relationship of the Welsh and Jewish peoples; a novel, Everything Must Change, about the French philosopher Simone Weil; the popular work of psychogeography, Real Wrexham, and The Dragon and the Crescent, a study of portrayals of Islam.

Grahame Davies was born in 1964 and brought up in the former coal mining village of Coedpoeth, near Wrexham in north east Wales. After graduating from Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, a forerunner of Anglia Ruskin University, he qualified as a journalist and his subsequent work in the media in Wales, mainly for the BBC, was recognised in numerous Welsh and UK industry awards. He was later awarded a PhD from Cardiff University, for research into the anti-modern movement in European literature, and was appointed an Honorary Research Fellow of the University.

As a writer, Grahame has toured and lectured worldwide, has had his work translated into many languages, has fulfilled many high profile commissions and has taken part in numerous collaborations with visual and musical artists, including as a lyricist for the composers Karl Jenkins and Paul Mealor.

In early 2012, Grahame was appointed Assistant Private Secretary to the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall and now divides his time between London and Cardiff.

Citation

"Vice Chancellor, it is my pleasure to read the citation for Grahame Davies for the award of Honorary Doctor of Letters.

Grahame Davies is a Welsh poet, novelist, editor and literary critic who has won numerous prizes - including the Wales Book of the Year Award - for his inspirational writing.

He has been described as one of the 'clearest public poetic voices of his generation' with a talent for 'bringing a new world-view on Welsh life'.

Based in Cardiff, he has a degree in English Literature from Anglia Ruskin University, and a PhD from Cardiff University. He is author of 12 books in Welsh and English, including The Chosen People, a study of the relationship of the Welsh and Jewish peoples, a novel, Everything Must Change, about the French philosopher Simone Weil, and the popular work of psychogeography, Real Wrexham.

Grahame Davies was born in 1964 and brought up in a former coal mining village, near Wrexham in north east Wales.

After graduating from Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (a forerunner of Anglia Ruskin University), he qualified as a journalist and his subsequent work in the media in Wales, mainly for the BBC, has been recognised in numerous Welsh and UK industry awards. He was later awarded a PhD from Cardiff University, for research into the anti-modern movement in European literature, and he is now an Honorary Fellow of the University.

It is for both his broadcast and literary career that he has found international recognition.

The highlights of his literary career are many. It was in the 1990s, he published his first volume of poetry arising from the 10 years he spent in Merthyr Tydfil in the south Wales Valleys, and he has since produced two subsequent volumes of hard-edged poetry.

Grahame is now a columnist for a range of titles and regularly reads and lectures worldwide, most recently on a North American tour featuring readings and artistic collaborations in Pennsylvania, Vermont and New York.

He frequently appears on television and radio, has completed numerous high-profile poetry commissions, including for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, and he collaborates extensively with musical and visual artists. He has provided words for numerous works by the classical composer Karl Jenkins, which have been performed by artists such as Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel and the pop star Rhydian. Most recently, he has produced the words for a performance by a thousand-voice international choir as part of the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.

In recent years, he has been giving something back through his contribution to higher education. He is much admired by creative writing and publishing students and staff at Anglia Ruskin University for living out his dream within the world of arts and literature, and encouraging others to do the same.

Vice Chancellor it is my pleasure to present Grahame Davies for the award of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa."