Parthian Books
Parthian Books is an independent Welsh publisher known for contemporary fiction, poetry, drama, translation, literary non-fiction and books about Welsh culture.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Parthian Books is an independent publishing house based in Cardigan, Wales. Founded in 1993 by Richard Lewis Davies, artist Gillian Griffiths and teacher Ravi Pawar, it developed from a commitment to discovering and promoting distinctive Welsh writing while also building connections with writers, translators and literary institutions beyond Wales. Its motto, “A Carnival of Voices in Independent Publishing,” reflects an editorial identity centred on variety, experimentation and the circulation of underrepresented perspectives. The company’s first publication was Lewis Davies’s novel Work, Sex and Rugby, launched in Cardiff during the 1993 Cardiff Literary Festival. The book established a relationship between Parthian and contemporary Welsh literary culture that continued through fiction, short-story anthologies, poetry, drama and literary criticism. Early projects included Tilting at Windmills: New Welsh Short Fiction and later anthologies associated with the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition. Through these publications, Parthian provided an outlet for both established authors and emerging writers, including Rachel Trezise, John Sam Jones, Deborah Kay Davies, Niall Griffiths and others. Parthian’s catalogue expanded substantially during the 2000s. It published Rachel Trezise’s In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl, issued the Parthian Shots short-fiction series, and developed a sustained interest in LGBTQ+ writing, Welsh-language and Wales-related literature, and new poetry. In 2005, the publisher won the contract to publish the Library of Wales, a major project supported by the Welsh Government and the Books Council of Wales to return important works of Welsh writing in English to print. This association became one of the defining elements of Parthian’s public and cultural role. The publisher has also operated as a bridge between Wales and international literary cultures. Its translation programme has included fiction and poetry translated from Basque, Catalan, German, Spanish, Turkish, Slovak, Romanian and other languages. The Parthian Europa Carnivale series focuses on contemporary European women writers, while Parthian Baltics presents English translations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Parthian has developed rights and literary relationships in Europe and elsewhere, and its books have appeared in multiple foreign-language editions. Other important programmes include Bright Young Things, which introduced debut writers; Cheval, the annual anthology associated with the Terry Hetherington Award; Modern Wales, created with the Rhys Davies Trust; and Parthian Modern, which reissues notable works from the backlist with newly commissioned introductions. The catalogue ranges from literary fiction and poetry to drama, memoir, cultural history, art books, celebrity autobiography and non-fiction. Notable authors and titles associated with the house include Cynan Jones, Alys Conran, Jemma L. King, Rebecca F. John, Caryl Lewis, Richard Gwyn, Richard Owain Roberts, Griff Rhys Jones, Boyd Clack and Professor Dai Smith. Parthian has received recognition for both its authors and its publishing programme. Its books and writers have been associated with the Wales Book of the Year, the Dylan Thomas Prize, the Betty Trask Award, the Orange Futures List, the Stonewall Honor designation and other literary distinctions. In 2019, Parthian was named Small Press of the Year for Wales at the British Book Awards. The company marked its twenty-fifth anniversary with a London Book Fair showcase in 2018, launched a podcast focused on Welsh queer writing in 2021, and held a thirtieth-anniversary exhibition at St Dogmael’s Abbey in Pembrokeshire in 2023. Parthian remains an active independent publisher with a strong Welsh base, an international translation outlook and an editorial emphasis on literary diversity.
History
Parthian Books began in Cardiff in 1993 when Richard Lewis Davies, Gillian Griffiths and Ravi Pawar established a publishing venture focused on new Welsh writing. Davies was working on building sites at the time, Griffiths was an artist and Pawar was a teacher. Early business support came through the Prince’s Youth Business Trust and the Enterprise Allowance. The first book was Davies’s Work, Sex and Rugby, launched at Chapter and Verse Bookshop during the 1993 Cardiff Literary Festival. Its critical reception and later recognition gave the new publisher an immediate literary profile. Parthian’s second publication, Tilting at Windmills: New Welsh Short Fiction, appeared in 1995. Edited by Pawar, it gathered twelve stories linked to the Rhys Davies Short Story Competition. The relationship with the Rhys Davies Trust became an enduring part of Parthian’s publishing activity. In 1996 the company was incorporated, allowing it to establish a more regular publishing schedule. That year’s books included Davies’s Tree of Crows, Robin Llywelyn’s From Empty Harbour to White Ocean in translation from Welsh, and Karl Francis’s Streetlife. In 1998 Parthian created the Cambrensis Initiative with support from the Arts Council of Wales. The initiative sought new Welsh talent and led to the 2000 anthology Mama’s Baby (Papa’s Maybe) and Other Stories: New Welsh Short Fiction. The collection combined established writers with early or first-published work by authors who would later become important figures in Welsh literature. In 2000 Parthian also published Rachel Trezise’s debut novel In and Out of the Goldfish Bowl and launched the Parthian Shots short-fiction series. Its early volumes included collections by Gail Hughes, George Brinley Evans and John Sam Jones. Welsh Boys Too by Jones demonstrated the publisher’s continuing interest in LGBTQ+ literature, an interest already visible in the publication of Roger Williams’s play Gulp in a 1998 new-drama collection. The publisher marked its tenth anniversary in 2003 through a Western Mail competition offering readers a collection of Parthian books. A major institutional development followed in 2005, when Parthian won the contract to publish the Library of Wales. Sponsored by the Welsh Government and the Books Council of Wales and initially edited by Dai Smith, the series returned important but difficult-to-find Welsh works in English to circulation. Its first group included books by Ron Berry, Raymond Williams, Gwyn Thomas, Lewis Jones and Margiad Evans. Parthian promoted the project internationally, including through Welsh Writing for the World Week in New York in 2006. The Library of Wales became a central part of the publisher’s cultural mission. During the late 2000s and 2010s, Parthian broadened its discovery and development programmes. Bright Young Things, launched in 2010, introduced debut writers including Jemma L. King, Tyler Keevil, Susie Wild, JP Smythe and Wil Gritten. Poetry publishing expanded through Ten of the Best and subsequent individual collections. In 2012 Parthian began publishing Cheval, an annual anthology connected with the Terry Hetherington Award for short stories. Several award recipients later published debut books with the press. By its twentieth anniversary in 2013, Parthian had issued more than two hundred books. International publishing became increasingly prominent. The Europa Carnivale series, launched in 2015, brought contemporary fiction and poetry by European women writers into English. Parthian later established Parthian Baltics around the 2018 London Book Fair focus on the Baltic region, publishing translations from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The publisher has also collaborated with international literary organisations and publishers, including a Wales–India writing project supported by the India Wales Fund and undertaken with Bee Books in Kolkata. Its translation activity has covered languages and traditions including Basque, Catalan, German, Spanish, Turkish, Slovak and Romanian. Parthian created Modern Wales in 2016 with the Rhys Davies Trust and launched Parthian Modern in 2020 to revisit significant contemporary titles from its backlist. The latter series adds new introductions to republished works, presenting earlier books to new readers. The Library of Wales entered a further phase in 2022 with new titles and a revised visual identity. Parthian celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary with a London Book Fair showcase in 2018, was recognised as Welsh Small Press of the Year at the 2019 British Book Awards, launched a Welsh queer-writing podcast in 2021 and marked its thirtieth anniversary with a 2023 exhibition in Pembrokeshire. Its continuing profile rests on the combination of independent editorial practice, Welsh literary stewardship, translation and support for emerging authors.
- 2023
Thirtieth anniversary exhibition
[1]An exhibition commemorates three decades of Parthian publishing at St Dogmael’s Abbey.
- 2022
New Library of Wales phase
[1]The series adopts a new phase and cover design, beginning with Sugar and Slate.
- 2021
Welsh queer-writing podcast launched
[1]Parthian expands into podcast publishing with episodes about Welsh queer literature.
- 2020
Parthian Modern launched
[1]The imprint begins reissuing notable backlist works with new introductions.
- 2019
Welsh Small Press of the Year
[1]Parthian receives the Welsh small-press award at the British Book Awards.
- 2018
Parthian Baltics launched
[1]The publisher introduces a series of English translations from Baltic literature.
- 2018
Twenty-fifth anniversary showcase
[1]Parthian presents a showcase at the London Book Fair.
- 2016
Modern Wales created
[1]Parthian and the Rhys Davies Trust establish a series edited by Dai Smith.
- 2015
Europa Carnivale launched
[1]The translation series begins with contemporary European women’s writing.
- 2012
Cheval begins
[1]Parthian starts publishing the annual Terry Hetherington Award short-story anthology.
Products and positioning
An editorially led independent publisher combining Welsh literary identity with international translation, new-author discovery and culturally diverse contemporary writing.
Literary classics and cultural heritage · 2005
Library of Wales
A major series devoted to restoring significant Welsh writing in English to print. Established with Welsh Government and Books Council of Wales support and initially edited by Dai Smith, it has included fiction, memoir and other literary works that were influential but difficult to obtain. The series combines preservation with contemporary presentation and remains one of Parthian’s most prominent cultural publishing programmes.
Literature in translation · 2015
Parthian Europa Carnivale
A translation series centred on contemporary European women writers. Its list has included books translated from Swiss German, Turkish, Slovak, Basque and Romanian, among other literary traditions. The series gives English-language readers access to fiction and poetry that might otherwise have limited circulation in the United Kingdom, while reinforcing Parthian’s international editorial identity.
Literature in translation · 2018
Parthian Baltics
A series devoted to English translations of writing from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. It was launched in connection with the Baltic market focus at the 2018 London Book Fair and presents works reflecting the distinct literary identities of the Baltic states.
Contemporary fiction reissues · 2020
Parthian Modern
A backlist programme that revisits prize-winning or otherwise important contemporary titles originally published by Parthian. Reissued works are accompanied by newly commissioned introductions, helping place earlier books in context for new readers. The list has included works by Lewis Davies, John Sam Jones, George Brinley Evans, Lloyd Robson, Rachel Trezise, Caryl Lewis and Deborah Kay Davies.
Debut literature · 2010
Bright Young Things
A talent-discovery series launched to present debut books by emerging writers. Its early authors included Jemma L. King, Tyler Keevil, Susie Wild, JP Smythe and Wil Gritten. The series reflects Parthian’s long-running role in identifying new Welsh and Wales-connected literary voices.
Short fiction · 2000
Parthian Shots
A short-story publishing series launched in 2000. Early volumes included Flamingos by Gail Hughes, Boys of Gold by George Brinley Evans and Welsh Boys Too by John Sam Jones. The series complements Parthian’s anthology work and its wider commitment to short fiction as a form for emerging and established writers.
Short-story anthology · 2012
Cheval
An annual anthology associated with the Terry Hetherington Award. Beginning in 2012, it has provided a platform for award-winning short stories and has helped introduce writers who later published debut books with Parthian.
Welsh literature and culture · 2016
Modern Wales
A series created with the Rhys Davies Trust and edited by Dai Smith. It forms part of Parthian’s effort to make modern Welsh literary and cultural writing available through a focused programme of contemporary and historical perspectives.
Novel · 1993
Work, Sex and Rugby
Lewis Davies’s debut novel and Parthian’s first publication. Set largely in the Neath Valley, it established the press’s interest in contemporary Welsh experience and became an early critical success. The title was later included in the Parthian Modern backlist programme.
Novel · 2017
Pigeon
Alys Conran’s novel, published by Parthian and later translated into Welsh as Pijin. The book received major Welsh literary recognition and was nominated for the Dylan Thomas Prize, illustrating the publisher’s ability to bring Welsh writing to wider attention.
Marketing campaigns
- 2016The Valley, The City, The Village
Wales · India
A Wales–India collaborative literature project supported by the India Wales Fund and conducted with Bee Books in Kolkata. Welsh and Indian writers exchanged visits and developed material for a joint anthology.
Outcome. The collaboration resulted in an anthology published in 2018 and created literary links between Wales and India.
- 2006Welsh Writing for the World Week
United States · Wales
Parthian organised a New York showcase featuring ten Welsh writers and used the event to present the Library of Wales project to an international library audience.
Outcome. The programme strengthened the international profile of Welsh literature and the Library of Wales series.
- 2003Parthian 10
Wales · United Kingdom
To mark its tenth anniversary, Parthian worked with the Western Mail on a reader competition offering a collection of books by writers published by the press.
Outcome. The initiative promoted the backlist and public profile of the independent publisher.
Brand decisions
2020
Launches Parthian ModernGeneration changeBackground
The publisher sought to renew attention to notable works from its contemporary backlist.
Action taken
Parthian Modern began reissuing selected titles with newly commissioned introductions.
Aftermath
The imprint connected earlier Parthian books with new readers and gave the backlist a distinct contemporary presentation.
2015
Expands into European translation with Europa CarnivaleStrategyBackground
Parthian sought to extend its editorial programme beyond Wales and English-language originals.
Action taken
It launched Parthian Europa Carnivale, focusing on contemporary European women writers in translation.
Aftermath
The series broadened the publisher’s international profile and added translated fiction and poetry to its signature programmes.
2005
Takes on the Library of Wales publishing contractStrategyBackground
Parthian was selected to publish a publicly supported programme intended to restore important Welsh writing in English to print.
Action taken
The publisher established the Library of Wales as a major series within its catalogue and began issuing restored editions.
Aftermath
The project became a defining part of Parthian’s cultural role and expanded its relationship with Welsh literary institutions.
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