Books / News
Gloucester Road Books hosts inaugural literary event
In the year since its opening, Gloucester Road Books has made a very welcome addition to Bristol’s buzzing indie bookshop scene, not least for being the first indie bookseller in the area for a decade.
For owner Tom Robinson, who has been selling books for 15 years, the opportunity to open his own shop represents a valuable chance to curate a unique selection of “interesting, strange and brilliant” books on his shelves, including “plenty of less obvious and challenging titles”.
Alongside the big sellers, he often features books by small presses, and encourages his readers to take their time browsing in the shop, such that they may just hit upon a new literary inspiration.
is needed now More than ever
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It all reflects the very personal nature of the shop, from hand-crafted shelving, right through to book selection and categorisation.
And now, another first for Gloucester Road Books – the store has announced its inaugural author event; to be followed by many more, Robinson hopes.
“I’m really looking forward to hosting lots of great authors in the future, both in the shop and in the great local venues we have near to us,” he says. “And it’s very exciting to be starting our events programme with two fantastic writers.”
Lily Dunn – photo: courtesy of the author
Taking place on May 17 at nearby Sidney & Eden, the event in question will feature Sunday Times bestseller Clover Stroud and acclaimed Bristol author Lily Dunn in conversation about their recent memoirs, as well as discussing the particular challenges of writing memoir, both for themselves and their loved ones.
Clover Stroud: The Red of My Blood
Stroud’s beautiful and searingly honest memoir recounts the sudden death of her sister, and her struggle to return to her life in the aftermath of personal trauma.
The Red of My Blood has been lauded as a powerful and important addition to the literature of grief and loss.
Writing about the book, globally bestselling author Marian Keyes noted: “Clover articulates how bereavement shocks and dislocates – and in all the pain, there’s SO much life”.
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Lily Dunn: Sins of My Father: A Daughter, A Cult, A Wild Unravelling
Dunn’s debut nonfiction book is a dual narrative memoir/biography that charts her enduring love for her father in the face of his multiple addictive behaviours.
“He was a philanderer, joined a sex cult, and then prematurely died of alcoholism,” she writes. “As you can imagine, he was quite impossible to love!”
Sins of My Father has been widely praised by critics; Juliet Nicholson (The Spectator) called it “an astonishing and valuable memoir”.
Sins of My Father quote from Jenn Ashworth – photo: Lily Dunn
Gloucester Road Books’ author event featuring Clover Stroud and Lily Dunn is downstairs at Sidney & Eden on May 17 at 6.30pm. Tickets can be purchased in store or via www.eventbrite.co.uk.
Main photo: Gloucester Road Books
Read more: Storysmith offers a bumper schedule of literary events
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