Books / News
Compendium of Bristol’s curiosities to be released
Michael Manson had been compiling a collection of Bristol’s curiosities for 45 years.
It wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic hit that the author had the chance to pen a compendium of the city’s most interesting stories, places and items.
From hidden rivers to medieval walls, public protests to the UK’s first female doctor, Manson’s Bristol Miscellany is the result of an almost half a century long quest to find the “soul of the city”.
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“The toppling of Edward Colston’s statue in the city centre last June prompted an increased interest in Bristol’s history,” says Michael, who is also co-founder of the Bristol Short Story Prize and is an organiser of the Bristol Festival of Literature.
“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.”
Anyone who pre-orders will receive a signed copy of the book, which will be posted on or before 22 March. Image: Bristol Books
Michael has written four history books about Bristol. He has also written three novels, with his debut work of fiction Where’s My Money? selected by the BBC as one of their ‘Books That Made Britain’.
“I’m still finding new corners, new streets, new communities even,” Michael adds. “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 compendium is released on Monday, March 22 and the author will be hosting a virtual launch on Wednesday, March 24, which anyone who pre-orders Manson’s Bristol Miscellany will be invited to.
The book will also look into whether the city did ever have its own time zone, whether a Bristolian invented the blanket and the treatment of mental illness.
Described as “sometimes informative, frequently fascinating, occasionally shocking” Manson’s Bristol Miscellany is not only a recount of the city’s interesting past and present, but a bite size look at politics, business, plague and more.
Main photo of Michael Manson: Paul Bullivant
Read more: New book reveals 111 places not to be missed in Bristol
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