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  • A Round-up of All the Festive Tomfoolery

    Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United Kingdom

    From parties to games to subscriptions, come and join us for all the general silliness this festive season. Wednesday 12th November – open late (until 6.30ish) in case you need a book before you head to The Mall for the Christmas lights switch-on. Thursday 27th November – party, 18.30-late at The Lansdown. Blind Justice Page playing songs inspired by books. Dressing as your favourite book cover or character encouraged. Advent calendar – first person to buy a book each day gets a free mystery proof. See you in the queue… Sunday silliness, 7th, 14th and 21st December – guess the weight of your shopping. If you’re within a gnat’s crotchet (or 50g) of the correct answer, you get a treat. Dark chocolate buttons supplied by our excellent neighbours, Smaller Footprints. Saturday 13th and 20th December – late night shopping. We’ll be open until 7pm-ish… maybe later, mulled wine depending. Book subscriptions – for those panicked by buying a present for that difficult relative/friend/special pigeon in your life, let us choose. We’ll send a book each month to the recipient. Pick from, ‘The weird and the eerie,’ ‘Nature matters,’ ‘Warm hugs in book form’ or ‘Picture books are for “grown-ups” too.’ Opening hours – Monday-Saturday, 9.30-5.30; Sunday 11-4 as always. Plus the late nights above. We close Christmas and Boxing Day. Back as normal (within the realms of ‘normal’) on 27th.

  • Julian Baggini: How the World Eats with Bristol Humanists

    Bristol Grain Store Bristol YHA, 14 Narrow Quay, Bristol

    We welcome back Bristol’s philosopher, Julian Baggini to explore the timely issue of How the World Eats.

    How we live is shaped by how we eat. You can see this in the vastly different approaches to growing, preparing and eating food around the world: the hunter-gatherer Hadza in Tanzania whose sustainable lifestyle is under threat in our crowded planet is in stark contrast to “developed” societies whose food is produced in vast intensive enterprises. Most of us now rely on a complex global food web of production, distribution, consumption and disposal, which is now facing unprecedented challenges.

    The need for a better understanding of how we feed ourselves has never been more urgent. Julian Baggini’s exploration takes him from cutting-edge technologies, such as new farming methods, cultured meat, GM and astronaut food, to the ethics and health of ultra processed food and aquaculture, as he takes a forensic look at the effectiveness of our food governance, the problem of food wastage and the effects of commodification.

    This event is at YHA Bristol in the Conference Room. The venue is fully accessible - please check at reception for use of the lift.

    Everyone is welcome. The event is FREE to members of Bristol Humanists. Others are asked for a contribution of £5/£2 (concessions)

  • Poetry in Herons: Erica Hesketh

    Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United Kingdom

    For our January monthly poetry reading, we are delighted to Erica Hesketh.

    Erica Hesketh is a poet and editor, originally from Japan and Denmark, now based in London. From 2016 to 2024 she was Director of the Poetry Translation Centre. Her debut collection In the Lily Room is published by Nine Arches Press and explores early motherhood.Free entry. Come for the poetry. Stay for the poetry.

    Arrive at 5pm. We’ll offer you something fizzy. Usually a drink but perhaps one day it will be a sherbet fountain.

    5.10-5.40ish, we’ll enjoy some poetry.

    5.40-6pm, finish the sparkling fizzy things and perhaps buy the poet’s books.

    Some seating. Some standing. Get in touch with us about any requirements you may have.

    It is free and unticketed but it would help if you let us know that you are coming. RSVP to read@heronbooks.co.uk

  • Poetry in Herons: Kate Noakes

    Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United Kingdom

    We are delighted to launch Kate Noakes' latest collection, Sublime Lungs

    Please join us for a drink, a poetry reading and book signing.

    In Sublime Lungs Kate Noakes turns her attention to the breath. For the first time, she explores her lifelong asthma and explains the impact of this chronic and disabling condition. The breath and breathing are subjects for poems from many chronologies and geographies in this her ninth collection.

    Kate Noakes is the author of nine collections of poetry, one pamphlet and one book of non-fiction. She has a PhD in Critical and Creative Writing from the University of Reading. She recently moved from London home to Bristol, where she co-founded the poetry performance group, Braid. She was elected to the Welsh Academy of Letters in 2011 and her website (www.boomslangpoetry.blogspot.com) is archived by the National Library of Wales. 

    The event is free but please let us know that you are coming so that we can provide a seat and a drink. RSVP to read@heronbooks.co.uk.