Heron Books

Upcoming events at Heron Books

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Philosophy Salon: History as a weapon

In George Orwell’s 1984, a totalitarian party slogan is “Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” Is this true today, in Russia and in the Middle East? Are historical narratives being manipulated to justify war? In this salon, we’ll dig into the deep histories behind the war in Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We look forward to supporting this event at St George’s with Julian Baggini, James Rodgers and Michael Scott-Baumann. Full details available here: https://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/whats-on/philosophy-salon-history-as-a-weapon/ Your host, philosopher Julian Baggini is joined by journalist and writer James Rodgers, author of The Return of Russia, and Michael Scott-Baumann, author of Palestinians and Israelis: A Short History of Conflict. They’ll be looking at how historical narratives, mixing truth and fiction, shape foreign policy and even lead to war. They will also be looking at whether the laws-based international order is dead, if it was ever alive, what the morally right thing for countries such as our own is, and whether the idea of an ethical foreign policy has any reality. After a break for you to get a drink and gather your thoughts, the second half will be led by your questions and contributions.

Thu 4 Jun20:30Heron Books

via Heron Books

Community

Tom Cox: Everything Will Swallow You

Independent Bookshop Week is of course the best week (so good it lasts nine days, 13-21 June) of the year. In 2026 we are delighted to spend it celebrating all things Tom Cox. We can’t wait to press his books into your hands and to be joined by the man himself for an event in the shop on Tuesday 16th June. Please join us for a drink and discussion of Everything Will Swallow You, Tom’s latest novel, which will be freshly out in paperback just in time for IBW. After the discussion there will be a chance to get your stacks of Tom Cox books signed. Something to swallow, in the form of a drink, will also be on offer. Herons and swallows both welcome. Please RSVP to About the book Have you ever been curious about how people live when nobody is watching? Have you wondered whether there’s more going on than meets the eye? Eric and Carl live in Dorset in a small white cottage under the shadow of a big cliff. Eric sells old records and antiques. Carl cooks, cleans and crochets. Nearing seventy, Eric is a lifelong accumulator of obscure objects whose easygoing, chaotic approach to life masks some of the unaddressed sadness of his past. The significantly younger Carl is an old soul who has a sophisticated emotional intelligence and likes swimming, mid-century female novelists, fibre arts and Dolly Parton. If you passed them on a walk, you may not pay them much attention. Most likely you would see Carl’s long floppy ears, tail and fur and mistake him for a dog.

Tue 16 Jun19:00Heron Books

via Heron Books

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Children & FamilyFestivals & EventsWorkshops & Classes

Children's Literature Festival: Picture Book Workshop with Yasmeen Ismail

As part of the Clifton Children’s Literature Festival, join author-illustrator Yasmeen Ismail for a fun afternoon at Heron Books. Yasmeen will read from her most recent book, The Family Quiz written by Robert Tregoning, and guide you through a crafting activity. There will also be an opportunity to get your books signed! Suitable for ages 3+ The event is free but space is limited. Please RSVP to to reserve a place. Irish-born, Bristol-based Yasmeen Ismail is an award-winning author, illustrator and animator. Yasmeen studied at art school in her hometown, Dublin. After graduating, Yasmeen moved to London where she worked on many different projects ranging from advertising and short films to children’s publishing. After a few years of working hard in London Yasmeen changed career and began writing and illustrating picture books. Her illustrations are bright, fluid and full of energy and movement. She loves to work with anything that will give her bright colours and good marks on the page. Yasmeen loves to experiment and expand in all areas of her work and is constantly trying new ways to improve her writing and drawing. Yasmeen has now illustrated over 15 books and has written 12 of them. She continues to make books everyday. When she’s not painting or writing you can find her doing the laundry. On occasion you may see Yasmeen out and about. Perhaps doing a show or visiting a school.

Sat 11 Jul15:00Heron Books

via Heron Books

Community

Brian Bilston: How To Lay An Egg with a Horse Inside

We are very much looking forward to hosting a book stall and signing at St George’s for an evening with Brian Bilston. Full details and tickets on their website. With over 500,000 followers on social media and a host of sell-out shows across the country, Brian Bilston is one of the UK’s most popular poets. He has published several bestselling collections of poetry, including You Took the Last Bus Home, Alexa, what is there to know about love? and Days Like These. His novel Diary of a Somebody was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award, and he has also written collections of poetry for younger readers. In 2025 he released an album of his poetry set to music, Sounds Made by Humans, in collaboration with The Catenary Wires. This autumn sees Brian return to the stage with his latest book, How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside. Get ready for an evening of comedy and laughter, as he takes us through the hows, whys and whats of reading, writing and enjoying poetry every day.

Mon 30 Nov19:30Heron Books

via Heron Books

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