Rhys Davies 1903–1978

Anglo-Welsh novelist and short story writer.

With his first novel, The Withered Root, Davies set the pattern for most of the works to follow. His settings and characters are Welsh, yet Davies evokes the universal in his themes. His writing is characterized by precise, elegant prose and keen observations of humanity.

Many of his novels explore the dark side of the Welsh temperament, as in The Dark Daughters, and their plots unfold through macabre situations and happenings. His short stories are considered his best work. The sardonic humor which occasionally shows through in his novels is more apparent and polished here. The publication of The Best of Rhys Davies is bringing new attention to all his writings.

(See also Contemporary Authors, Vols. 9-12, rev. ed., Vols. 81-84 [obituary] and Contemporary Authors New Revision Series, Vol. 4.)