Nigel Jarrett

Nigel Jarrett is a Welsh writer and journalist. He is a winner of the Rhys Davies Prize for short fiction (1) and, in 2016, the inaugural Templar Shorts Prize (2). For many years he was chief music critic of the South Wales Argus newspaper (3). He is the author of ten books – a novel, five story collections, a fictional memoir, two poetry collections, and a collection of essays. With Godfrey Brangham, he co-edited The Day's Portion (4), a collection of Arthur Machen's journalism. He has also guest-edited Avallaunius, the journal of the Arthur Machen Society. Jarrett is represented in Volume 2 of the Library of Wales's two-volume anthology of 20th- and 21st-century short fiction (5) Notable works: Jarrett's first story collection, Funderland, published by Parthian, was warmly reviewed in the Guardian (6), the Independent, The Times, and several others. Lesley McDowell, writing in the Independent (7), said “Nigel Jarrett’s stories take seemingly ordinary or innocent situations and gently tease out their emotional complexity ...He’s not afraid of unusual perspectives and his bravery is well rewarded in this unusual and sensitive collection.” In the New Welsh Review (8), critic Robert Walton said: “Funderland is an excellent first offering, giving a thought-provoking series of wry, often wistful fresh angles on the fragility of relationships. Readers will want more, anticipating the emergence of a strong, telling voice in fiction from Wales.” Parthian then published Jarrett's first poetry collection, Miners At The Quarry Pool, which Patricia McCarthy, editor of Agenda, the influential poetry magazine, described (9) as “brilliant, driven testimonies to ways of life both gone and carryng on”. In the New Welsh Review, Michael Knott wrote, “It is Jarrett’s grasp of time and nostalgia that really stands out, and his ability to look back objectively and without letting the passing of time distort and over-romanticise.” Jarrett's second story collection, Who Killed Emil Kreisler?, was published by the Medway-based Cultured Llama. Reviewing it in the Wales Arts Review, Cath Barton (10) said: “What I find fascinating about (these) stories is the way in which (Jarrett) plays with the marriage of fact and fiction.” After winning the Templar Shorts Prize in 2016, Jarrett wrote A Gloucester Trilogy, a 'pamphlet' of three linked stories set in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, which Templar (11) published as part of its award. In the same year, GG Books published Jarrett's first novel, Slowly Burning. In his notice for Wales Arts Review, Chris Cornwell (12) drew attention to Jarrett’s ability to “flash-freeze and crystallise” detail which any mind “less sharp and vulpine” than his would fail even to apprehend, though he thought the story slightly “hamstrung” by its first-person narration. Jarrett's stories have been anthologised in Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: New Welsh Fiction (Parthian/Cambrensis Initiative) and Signals 2 (London Magazine Editions). In 2022, more of Jarrett's work was brought out by by independent book publishers. Notes From the Superhorse Stable, a fictional memoir, was published by Saron Publishers (13) and Five Go to Switzerland, his fourth collection of stories, by Cockatrice Books (14). Cockatrice then published his poetry collection Gwyriad, and Never Lost for Words: Selected Essays. In 2026, the Essex-based Brimstone Press, published his fifth story collection, Ways of the Flesh. Early life and career: Jarrett was born in Llanfrechfa, Gwent, and educated at Pontnewydd CV Primary School; West Mon School, Pontypool; and Cardiff University. He studied Botany and Zoology at university but left without a degree. He spent three years as a lab technician in an iron foundry at Newport, before joining the Free Press of Monmouthshire weekly newspaper (15) (known popularly as 'the Pontypool Free Press') as a trainee reporter. On successfully completing his training with distinctions in English and Law, he joined the South Wales Argus daily newspaper in Newport. He also worked intermittently as a freelance sports reporter for UK national newspapers and magazines. At the Argus he was variously news reporter, transport correspondent, sports reporter, crime reporter, sub-editor, deputy chief sub-editor, and business editor. He was spotted early on by Kenneth Loveland (16), then the paper's internationally-known music critic and its former editor. Loveland had been recruited by Frank Howes (17) of The Times to “look after” the coverage of music in Wales and, on regular occasions, European music festivals and opera seasons. Jarrett spent several years as Loveland's assistant and on the senior man's retirement took over from him as chief music critic. Jarrett now writes features, a column and reviews for Jazz Journal (18), one of Europe's oldest jazz magazines, and Acumen poetry magazine (19) and the Wales Arts Review (20), among others and including the Welsh digital newspaper Nation.Cymru. His poems, stories and essays appear widely, and he has been interviewed several times on arts websites. (21). Personal life: Jarrett is married to Ann (née Richardson), an honours History graduate and former teacher, and lives in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. Links: (1) https://www.swansea.ac.uk/cultural-institute/rhys-davies-short-story-competition/ (2) https://templarpoetry.com/products/a-gloucester-trilogy (3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Wales_Argus (4) https://fantlab.ru/edition146667 (5) https://www.parthianbooks.com/products/story-volume-ii (6) https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/01/funderland-nigel-jarrett-review (7) https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/funderland-nigel-jarrett-6268359.html (8) https://newwelshreview.com/italicfunderland (9) https://www.parthianbooks.com/products/miners-at-the-quarry-pool (10) https://www.walesartsreview.org/who-killed-emil-kreisler-nigel-jarrett/ (11) https://www.walesartsreview.org/nigel-jarrett-how-i-wrote-the-gloucester-trilogy/ (12) https://www.walesartsreview.org/slowly-burning-by-nigel-jarrett/ (13) https://saronpublishers.co.uk (14) https://www.cockatrice-books.com (15) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontypool_Free_Press (16) https://biography.wales/article/s11-LOVE-KEN-1915 (17) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Howes (18) https://jazzjournal.co.uk/author/nigel-jarrett/ (19) https://www.acumen-poetry.co.uk/ (20) https://www.walesartsreview.org/author/nigel-jarrett/ (21) https://theshortstory.co.uk/the-short-story-interview-nigel-jarrett/ https://writerchristophfischer.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/welsh-wednesdays-interview-with-nigel-jarrett/ https://americymru.net/americymru/blog/4720/an-interview-with-nigel-jarrett-who-killed-emil-kreisler https://writerscornercymru.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/interview-nigel-jarrett/ https://thegreatwordnerd.com/may-25-2016-author-interview-nigel-jarrett/ https://authorise.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/an-interview-with-nigel-jarrett/ http://morenewsfromvg.blogspot.com/2013/02/nigel-jarret-funderland-short-story-in.html

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Born: Llanfrechfa, Gwent (formerly Monmouthshire). Nationality: British Language: English. Genres: Fiction, poetry, essays, criticism. Notable works: Funderland, (stories), Who Killed Emil Kreisler? (stories), Miners At The Quarry Pool (poetry), Slowly Burning (novel), A Gloucester Trilogy (stories), Notes From the Superhorse Stable (fictional memoir), Five Go to Switzerland (stories), Gwyriad (poems), Never Lost for Words (essays), and Ways of the Flesh (stories) Website: www.NigelJarrett.wordpress.com