Michael is the author of four history books on Bristol including: Bristol Beyond the Bridge (Redcliffe), Riot! The Bristol Bridge Massacre of 1793 (Tangent Books), The Hidden History of St Andrews (Past & Present Press), and Vice and Virtue. Discovering the Story of Old Market, Bristol (with Dr Edson Burton) (Bristol Books).Michael is co-founder of the Bristol Short Story Prize (2008) and is an organiser of the Bristol Festival of Literature (2010 to present). He currently edits Bristol Civic Society’s magazine Better Bristol. He was also co-editor of the Bristol Review of Books (2006-13).Mike has also written three novels. In 2015 his Bristol-based novel Where’s My Money? was selected by BBC TV as one of their Books that Made Britain. The Jamaica Gleaner described Mike’s recent novel, Down in Demerara, as ‘story telling at its best’.

"An indispensable compendium of Bristol ephemera for streetwalking and armchair explorers alike! Whether it’s the Picton Street lock-up you’re looking for, or the Turkish Baths on College Green; Charles Heal’s celebrated Moon Rocket or where to find a scarlet lychnis, Manson’s Miscellany will take you there. Dig in and enjoy!"Professor Steve Poole, UWE"A wonderful read and a beautifully illustrated book. Michael’s many stories about Bristol help us learn about the past to understand the present and build new futures."Andrew Kelly, Director of Bristol Festival of Ideas"An excellent, accessible guide to Bristol’s past. A perfect point of reference for newcomers, for those long-settled and for lay or professional historians. Michael’s curiosities are so close to my own I wondered if he had read my mind."Dr Edson Burton, Writer & Historian"The result of a long love-affair with the city, and a splendid introduction to all the important milestones in Bristol’s history, with plenty of oddities and surprises for those who think they know it already."Eugene Byrne, Editor of Bristol Times

• In the beginningPower and PoliticsLaw and OrderPrisonsA fractious cityFire ServiceMaking MoneyBurden of shameBristol’s swansongJolly ColliersSeized by a sudden deathPublic HealthHospitalsWhat to do with the dead?

Michael is the author of four history books on Bristol including: Bristol Beyond the Bridge (Redcliffe), Riot! The Bristol Bridge Massacre of 1793 (Tangent Books), The Hidden History of St Andrews (Past & Present Press), and Vice and Virtue. Discovering the Story of Old Market, Bristol (with Dr Edson Burton) (Bristol Books).Michael is co-founder of the Bristol Short Story Prize (2008) and is an organiser of the Bristol Festival of Literature (2010 to present). He currently edits Bristol Civic Society’s magazine Better Bristol. He was also co-editor of the Bristol Review of Books (2006-13).Mike has also written three novels. In 2015 his Bristol-based novel Where’s My Money? was selected by BBC TV as one of their Books that Made Britain. The Jamaica Gleaner described Mike’s recent novel, Down in Demerara, as ‘story telling at its best’.

"An indispensable compendium of Bristol ephemera for streetwalking and armchair explorers alike! Whether it’s the Picton Street lock-up you’re looking for, or the Turkish Baths on College Green; Charles Heal’s celebrated Moon Rocket or where to find a scarlet lychnis, Manson’s Miscellany will take you there. Dig in and enjoy!"Professor Steve Poole, UWE"A wonderful read and a beautifully illustrated book. Michael’s many stories about Bristol help us learn about the past to understand the present and build new futures."Andrew Kelly, Director of Bristol Festival of Ideas"An excellent, accessible guide to Bristol’s past. A perfect point of reference for newcomers, for those long-settled and for lay or professional historians. Michael’s curiosities are so close to my own I wondered if he had read my mind."Dr Edson Burton, Writer & Historian"The result of a long love-affair with the city, and a splendid introduction to all the important milestones in Bristol’s history, with plenty of oddities and surprises for those who think they know it already."Eugene Byrne, Editor of Bristol Times

• In the beginningPower and PoliticsLaw and OrderPrisonsA fractious cityFire ServiceMaking MoneyBurden of shameBristol’s swansongJolly ColliersSeized by a sudden deathPublic HealthHospitalsWhat to do with the dead?