Heron Books

As the hailstones hammer on the glass roof of the Arcade, sounding not unlike applause as another customer makes the great decision to buy the new Max Porter, as the sun pours through the window a moment later setting Atalanta alight, as the winds batter our A-boards and sweep magnolia leaves across Clifton and clouds gather over Birnam Wood, the weather appears to be in the sort of frenzy worthy of National Poetry Month.

Today marks six months since we opened Heron Books. Six months since a heron flew over us as we made our way to Clifton to open to the public for the first time. Six months since that first adrenaline-fuelled day of rushing around, greeting old and new friends and gushing about Elizabeth Strout.

On Wednesday I attended a superb evening of poetry, “Under the Red Guitar” held at a bar in Bedminster. I sat amazed by the skill and courage on show as people set their poems loose on the world. A spell was cast over the room on this remarkable night. There was good wine too.

I am diving straight into the piles of books with which the shop is happily overflowing... Meanwhile publishers set about proving that World Book Day is not just for children. And not just for the day.

My cycle ride to the shop is regularly brightened by the sight of a green woodpecker, the squirrels are scarpering around on the Downs and there are no Six Nations matches this weekend. As such, 5pm on Saturday 18th is the perfect time for our event, Treated Like Animals, with Alick Simmons.

I write with book and event news and a general warm feeling at the arrival of February. If you can tear yourself away from the Six Nations, and I appreciate that’s a difficult thing to do for some of us, there are some rather wonderful things to enjoy.

Our last newsletter was full of excitement about new books due in early 2023. None of them have disappointed. Whilst there are many new books to look forward to, January has also brought with it customers turning to classics and to the books they “feel they should have read” or have always pretended to have read.

A very happy new year to you all; I hope that the festive period brought you many books and some time to sit down and read them.

Heron Books would like to thank all our customers for a fantastic first three months: they have flown by. We hope you’ve all enjoyed reading your purchases and are looking forward to coming back for more.

Waking up to snow this morning, my love for the classic picture book “Little Robin Red Vest” by Jan Fearnley felt all the more appropriate – the robin gives away all of his warm vests to the rather chilly animals he encounters in the snow.