Soul of the city

People interested in the ‘hidden history’ of Bristol can now pre-order the first volume of an indispensable treasure trove of fascinating discoveries from the city’s rich and diverse past.

Manson’s Bristol Miscellany is being published by Bristol Books on March 22 and anyone who pre-orders it will be invited to a virtual launch on March 24 with author Michael Manson.

The book began simply as a compilation of things that piqued his own curiosity as he wandered around the streets he has called home for 45 years in a quest to find the ‘soul of the city’.

He said: “I’m still finding new corners, new streets, new communities even. I’d be delighted if the Miscellany helps readers to see their environment just that little bit more clearly, and maybe embark on their own voyage of discovery.

“The toppling of Edward Colston’s statue in the city centre last June prompted an increased interest in Bristol’s history. It made me think that it was time for a revaluation, and I’ve very much tried to look at Bristol from ‘below’, hence the items included in the book. From hidden rivers, medieval walls and public protests to links with slavery, prisons and the treatment of mental illness, Michael’s search for the soul of the city has resulted in a ‘curiosity shop’ compendium of interesting snapshots of the city.

He added: ““It was thanks to being in lockdown that I gained the motivation to pull all the loose ends of my compilation together and finish the Miscellany.”

Sometimes informative, frequently fascinating, occasionally shocking, the book is extensively illustrated with some striking images to help recount the city’s power and politics, business and trade, markets and fairs, law and order, mines, plague and much more.

From Britain’s first female doctor to Bristol Cars, even people who think they know Bristol well are likely to discover something new to them in this book’s clearly-written, bitesize sections.

Did Bristol once have its own time zone? Why is the city’s High Cross 40 miles away? Did a Bristol citizen really invent the blanket? It’s all here, and plenty more besides.

Eugene Byrne, Editor of the Bristol Times, said the new publication was: “The result of a long love-affair with the city, and a splendid introduction to all the important milestones in Bristol’s history, with plenty of oddities and surprises for those who think they know it already.”

Steve Poole, Professor of History and Heritage at the University of the West of England, and Director of the Regional History Centre, described the book as: “An indispensable compendium of Bristol ephemera for streetwalking and armchair explorers alike…dig in and enjoy!”

Michael has written four history books on Bristol as well as three novels. His debut work of fiction, the Bristol-based Where’s My Money?, which was published in 2015, was selected by BBC TV as one of their ‘Books That Made Britain’.

He is also co-founder of the Bristol Short Story Prize and is an organiser of the Bristol Festival of Literature. Manson’s Bristol Miscellany is available to pre-order now from the Bristol Books website, www.bristolbooks.org priced £18.

Anyone who pre-orders will receive a signed copy of the book, which will be posted on or before 22 March.

Purchasers will also be emailed a link to the virtual book launch which will take place on Wednesday 24 March at 12.30pm

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