Poet Barry Holland wasn’t born to riches and fancy things. He recalls his family was so poor when he was young that, in wintertime, his dad would suck an extra strong mint and the whole family would sit around his tongue to stay warm. Now, he looks back on 42 years of living in Newport and what those years have meant.

‘View from the Cheap Seats’ (published by AuthorHouse UK) is a collection of fiction and re-imaginings, as well as true stories from Holland’s tumultuous life in South Wales. He writes of his battles with mental illness as well as the challenges of being a single parent, providing the reader with insights on the stigmas single fathers and people with mental illnesses face.

Despite life’s difficulties, Holland weaves his quirky sense of humor throughout the collection. He dedicates pages to his son, Leuan, his favorite rugby player and his best friend. No matter how dark things get, how desperate the times, Holland believes in seeing the levity and finding whatever it is that keeps one laughing.

About the author

Barry Holland was born in Newport to poor, working-class parents. He qualified as an engineer in 1993 but, due to mental illness, has been unable to continue in the field. He has one brother and one son, and his ambition is to live in a shed in the back of Steven Tyler’s garden.