Great Reading Adventure

The first Bristol Great Reading Adventure took place in 2003. This autumn, as part of the Bristol 2014 commemorative programme, we are giving away 20,000 copies of a specially-commissioned 120-page paperback called Bristol and the First World War.

The books are being distributed via partners in the Bristol 2014 programme including Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol Festival of Ideas, Bristol Libraries, Brunel Scouts, Bristol Record Office, Business West, City of Bristol College, Destination Bristol, M Shed, Rolls-Royce, and the universities of Bristol and the West of England.

Topics covered in Bristol and the First World War include: the ‘White City’ exhibition site’s conversion into a barracks and training ground for Bristol soldiers; the remount depot of Shirehampton where thousands of horses and mules were prepared for transportation to the Front; the war in the air; the war at sea;  Bristol trade unions and the war; the suffragettes and the war; ANZAC and Canadian soldiers in Bristol; Bristol military hospitals; the growth in voluntary work; war artists whose work can be seen in Bristol collections; opposition to the war; Peace Day 1919 in Bristol; the war dead of Arnos Vale and other local cemeteries; the story of the Bristol cenotaph; and post-war changes in the city.

A PDF version of the book is available as a download document from this website along with background information, including suggested further reading (see links below: more will be added in the coming weeks).  

We are unable to post books out in response to individual requests and can no longer provide bulk supplies of copies to partner organisations or venues.

Comment

The ‘Bristol & WW1’ book has been a great success – excellent reception in family and local history circles.

I thought this book an unusual choice but full of very interesting stories about real people – varied and relevant for the people of Bristol.

I thought this was a very interesting collection of articles and I used the section about volunteers in Bristol in a talk at church.

For God's sake shut up about that blasted war! It's the next war we should be concerned about - not to mention the current ones!

Brilliant but surprised no mention of Afro-Caribbean troops or the Labour Corps. Were there none in Bristol?

Excellent: well-researched, informative and well-written.

Very good. I like the way it is set out.

Keep up with the 'hoistory'. It's good to learn about that.

I have been drawing on the Great Reading Adventure 'Bristol and the First World War' book... as a model outcome, in bringing together academics and practitioners, for a new project I am involved with on food and farming in wartime Devon. 

 We are enjoying reading the Bristol and the First World War. Excellent publication.

@FestivalofIdeas I highly recommend this book! It's a brilliant guide thru the history of #Bristol & #WW1. Some fantastic research involved!

The Great Reading Adventure book was full of the kind of information it would normally be impossible to access (for most people).

I was very pleased to see the chapter on the ANZAC soldiers in Bristol. My grandfather was an ANZAC soldier from Tasmania but as my parents were brought up in London and we didn't move here til 1961 I felt no connection - but it's such a small world, the ANZAC soldiers in Bristol may have known him?

Bristol and the First World War was a very good read with a range of well-chosen topics explored in depth.

The books  are excellent and encompass my favourite fields of interest. Lots of cross-curricular literacy, non-fiction, project, research and exhibition potential here.

I've just finished reading Bristol and the First World War. Thank you for producing such an informative and compelling read.

We will use them as lesson materials, particularly Year 9 when we study local history and WW1. Also for extension tasks for G&T and Pupil Premium students and for History Club KS3 projects.

We have the book Bristol and the First World War and rate it as excellent. Who for instance, would have ever known about the Remount Depot at Shirehampton without someone putting it in print for a wider audience? Great material, many thanks.

As a keen historian and proud Bristolian, your booklet provided many new stories, especially those relating to union problems during latter stages of the War.