Discover Bristol’s culture, history and people, through inspiring books and untold stories
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
Of Earth and Sky describes 30 projects created by international artist Luke Jerram from 2019 to 2025. As well as providing updates on the staggeringly popular Museum of the Moon and Gaia, it also features the very latest artworks including Helios, charitable creative projects from the new Jerram Foundation, and many more, most recently relating to planetary health.
A specialist in creating visual artwork which often attracts large audiences and publicity, Jerram gives an insight into how he works in collaboration with other artists, performers, scientists, anthropologists and members of the public, right around the world, to create these astonishing projects.
Explore how the artist expertly creates opportunities to bring people together.
By Robin Askew, Eugene Byrne, Melanie Kelly and Amy O’Beirne
Edited by Andrew Kelly
Follow in the footsteps of the Romantic poets and Brunel. Learn about Bristol’s council housing, commerce and public life. Discover the myths people tell about the city. Experience arts, music history and nature. And see how different the city might have looked if some projects had gone ahead. This book brings together a series of walks created and commissioned by Bristol Ideas to help you explore this unique city.
How much do you know about Bristol? Why does it look the way it looks? What secrets do its streets hide? What stories could its buildings tell if they had a voice?
Michael Manson takes you on a search to find the soul of the city where he has lived for more than 45 years.
Pre-order now: Stock due 13th March, 2026
Each one of Bristol’s bridges has a fascinating story which is woven intimately into the 1,000-year history of the city. Why was it built? What was involved in its design, engineering and construction? What dramatic events sometimes swirled around and perhaps on it? In this book Jeff Lucas tells the story of each of the 45 bridges which span the main waterways of Bristol between Avonmouth and St Anne’s, and which can be crossed on foot.
Robin Prytherch was a man with a passion for birds and one in particular – the common buzzard. For over 40 years, rain or shine, armed with a cheese sandwich, a flask of coffee, a pair of binoculars and a telescope, he headed out to watch them. During his studies he sketched and observed generations of buzzards and got to know their behaviour, individual characters and family relationships intimately. He delighted in finding new and interesting things to say about what one might think is already a very well-known species, and was eager to share his discoveries with others. So, starting in 1995, he decided to do just that by designing and sending out his own buzzard- themed Christmas cards. Sadly, Robin passed away in 2021 but, partially as a tribute to his memory, in this book they are all collected together in one place for others to enjoy.
BRISTOL’S BEST PLACES FOR PLANT BASED FOOD
Ben McCabe & Helena Murphy
Vegan Bristol is a guide to the most tantalising spots to discover amazing vegan food in Bristol. Featuring a curated selection of the best vegan and vegan-friendly establishments across a range of cuisines and cultures – from restaurants and cafés to pubs and pop-ups – this guide is the sure-fire way to find your next delicious plant-based meal in the South West’s cultural capital, regardless of your budget and desires.
In Vegan Bristol, you’ll find:
An introduction to Bristol’s extensive vegan food scene
More than 40 locations carefully researched and chosen for their quality and atmosphere
Detailed information about each location, as well as useful insights such as takeaway options
Provision listings and ‘Best places for...’ guide
Peter and Sue Cullimore’s Georgian home in Bristol was shortlisted for the TV history programme A House Through Time. In the end, theirs wasn’t the one chosen. But it inspired them to become house history detectives themselves, and to offer us tips on researching the past of our own homes.
Lost, forgotten and previously untold eye-opening tales from the gigs you’ll wish you’d seen.
The West Country might not have a place in rock history to match that of London or Liverpool, but some incredible shows took place here, including the UK’s first outdoor pop riots and key performances by many of the greats.
This anecdote-rich book whisks you through 15 eventful years of rock, with walk-on parts for such unlikely figures as Michael Palin and Terry Pratchett.
LATEST NEWS
We speak to Lizzie Moss, owner of Heron Books in Clifton, to find out more about what it’s like to run an independent bookshop and discover her inspiration for starting the business.
Where are the best vegan and vegan-friendly places in Bristol? We’ve shared our list of the top 10 vegan spots, chosen by the experts behind the Vegan Bristol book, to showcase the best places the city has to offer.
Including South Wales & South Cotswolds
Where shall we go today? Crook Peak, the Avalon Marshes, the Wye Valley? Or perhaps Bruton, Glastonbury or Clevedon? This book is packed with ideas for great days out within around an hour or so’s drive, with suggestions to suit your mood, schedule and starting point. From the Mendip Hills and Somerset Levels, to South Wales, the southern Cotswolds, the Coast and its resorts. Quirky facts and background information provide context, while divided into micro-regions, maps provide orientation. This guide will help you explore what is on the doorstep or to venture further afield along paths less travelled.