Events
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Poetry in Herons: Esme Allman
Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United KingdomFor our October monthly poetry reading, we are delighted to Esme Allman, author of Sweet Bone Girl.
Esme Allman is a poet, writer and theatre director from South London. Her work explores history, imagined worlds, and desire within the context of black femininity. She has been commissioned to write poems for the Barbican Centre, English Heritage, the Institute of Contemporary Art with BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 6, NHS Arts and Heritage, Pace Gallery, and Poetry Vs Colonialism in conjunction with the London Metropolitan Archives. Sweet Bone Girl is her debut collection of poetry.
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 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
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Jay Griffiths and Gareth Howell-Jones: How Animals (Including Hedgehogs) Heal Us
Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United KingdomPlease note a change to this event: Jay Griffiths is unwell and unable to attend. The event will go ahead with Gareth Howell-Jones and we are so looking forward to hearing about his writing as well as to hear his kind reading of Jay's talk on her behalf.
Jay Griffiths explores how animals can have a role in every level of healing, from the individual to the collective, guiding us in how we might create societies that are healthier, fairer and kinder. How Animals Heal Us puts animals at the heart of a restorative vision of health.In Your Lowly Hedgehog Knows, Gareth Howell-Jones looks at the simple, everyday things around us – trees, woodlice, cats, people and, of course, hedgehogs – to develop a radical and heartening world-view based on nature rather than cultural traditions.
Together, they reimagine our place in nature with wonder, hope and a lot of humour.
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A Round-up of All the Festive Tomfoolery
Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United KingdomFrom 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.
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Searching for My Slave Roots: From Guyana’s Sugar Plantations to Cambridge
Arts Complex, University of Bristol Arts Complex Woodland Road, Bristol, United KingdomDr Malik Al Nasir will talk about his new book 'Searching for My Slave Roots: From Guyana's Sugar Plantations to Cambridge'
We are delighted to provide a book stall at this event, organised by the University of Bristol.
Author and award-winning researcher, Malik Al Nasir will be discussing, Searching for my Slave Roots: From Guyana’s Sugar Plantations to Cambridge, a powerful exploration of ancestry, enslavement, and legacy.
Set across Liverpool, Glasgow, Demerara and Berbice, the book traces Malik’s family history, revealing ancestors who were both enslaved and slaveholders, and uncovering the complex interconnections between trauma, privilege, and the institutions shaped by slavery.
The author will be in conversation with Dr Richard Stone.
Arts Complex, Lecture Theatre 2, 11 Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1TB
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Herons Go Partying with Blind Justice Page
The Lansdown 8 Clifton Road, Bristol, United KingdomJoin us for our annual party at The Lansdown
Come for the literarily-inspired music. Stay for the musically-inspired book chat.
Steve, aka Blind Justice Page, will be playing songs inspired by his favourite authors.
Lizzie will be dressing as her favourite book cover.
Harry will be there.
You can dress up too.
You don't have to.An initial drink or two will be provided by us. Lots more available from the good folks on the bar. This should be one to remember. If through a fuzzy haze of festive bubbles.
18.30ish start. Music from 19.00. Stay as long as you like. (Within reason.) -
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Celsius – a life and death by degrees with Ian Hembrow with Bristol Humanists
Bristol Grain Store Bristol YHA, 14 Narrow Quay, BristolBest-known for the 100-point ‘centi-grade’ temperature scale that bears his name, Anders Celsius was a scientist of astonishing breadth. From the Northern Lights to air pressure and sea levels, he unravelled the mysteries of many of nature’s greatest phenomena during his short life. His mind, methods and manners contain powerful lessons for how humans live in the 21st century and beyond – if we’re inclined and willing to listen.
Ian Hembrow's book, Celsius: a life and death by degrees, is the first full-length English language biography of this world-changing Swedish scientist. Longlisted for the 2025 Wolfson History Prize, it tracks not just Celsius’ life and times, but also the author’s journey to uncover his story.
Ian Hembrow is a Bristol-based author and Humanist celebrant, who has written widely including for The Guardian, New Statesman and the Oldie. His previous books, Making Medicines Safe & Rare Events are on global medicines safety.
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Rosa Vasquez Espinoza: The Spirit of the Rainforest
Life Sciences Building Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, United KingdomWe will be providing a book stall at Rosa's event with the University of Bristol. Anyone who came to her talk in the shop earlier this year will know what a fascinating book The Spirit of the Rainforest is and what brilliant research and work Rosa carries out. We can't wait to hear more.
Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a Peruvian Amazonian-Andean scientist, conservationist, National Geographic Explorer, and award-winning artist. She blends science with indigenous knowledge to protect biodiversity and culture.
4pm in the Life Sciences building, BS8 1TQ. More details and link to follow.
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Julian Baggini: How the World Eats with Bristol Humanists
Bristol Grain Store Bristol YHA, 14 Narrow Quay, BristolWe 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)
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Poetry in Herons: Erica Hesketh
Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United KingdomFor our January monthly poetry reading, we are delighted to welcome 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
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Meera Sodha: Dinner
Bristol Lido Oakfield Place, BristolBristol Lido are running a supper club with the great Meera Sodha. Details of what is set to be a glorious feast are on their website and we are delighted to support the event by bringing copies of Meera Sodha's Dinner. https://www.lidobristol.com/supper-clubs/dinner-with-meera-sodha/
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Thomas Halliday: Otherlands with Bristol Humanists
Bristol Folk House 40a Park St, BristolOtherlands is an epic, exhilarating journey into deep time, showing us the Earth as it used to exist, and the worlds that were here before ours. Travelling back in time to the dawn of complex life, and across all seven continents, award-winning palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday gives us a mesmerising up-close encounter with eras that are normally unimaginably distant.
Dr Thomas Halliday is a paleobiologist, specialising in mammal evolution and phylogenetics (the science of working out how organisms are related). He has been a researcher and a graduate student at the University of Bristol and at University College London, and as a postdoctoral researcher at University College London and the University of Birmingham. He was an Honorary Fellow at the University of Birmingham and is an Associate with the Natural History Museum. He is also an international croquet player.
Darwin Day has been celebrated since the 1930's, marking the birthday (Feb 12th) of arguably the world's greatest ever scientist, Charles Darwin, the father of evolution by natural selection. Bristol Humanists has held a Darwin Day annual lecture by a noted scientist for the last 10 years. Significant previous Darwin Day lecturers have included Adam Rutherford, Angel Saini, Nichola Raihani & Anil Seth
Tickets can be booked at: https://wegottickets.com/event/685110/
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Music in the Heronry: Keith Warmington and Graham Nicholls
Heron Books 7a Regent Street, Bristol, United KingdomJoin us for a gig in the shop.
Keith Warmington and Graham Nicholls together for the first time in a laid-back acoustic show for Heron Books. Keith is a former broadcaster who’s been gigging with harmonicas and guitars ever since he pitched up in Bristol 55 years ago. Graham is a guitarist with a staggering ability to play in any number of genres and is to be found playing in many different bands.
The event is free and unticketed. Please let us know if you plan to come so that we can ensure you have a seat and a drink by emailing: read@heronbooks.co.uk.
