Product Description

Bristol is a port that set out, a long while ago, to forget the sea. It has a harbour with miles of picturesque quaysides. Half the city's streets have glimpses of water yet it lies comfortably inland, protected by wooded hills, sprawling in linear charm along five miles of dramatic valley topography.

While neighbouring Bath sets its classical terraces primly on a slope, Bristol's Clifton throws its adventurously styled terraces around the neck of precipices and wild woodlands to achieve that ultimate paradox of Classicism fusing into Romanticism. Add to that two cathedral-sized churches of outstanding beauty. While the vile profits of Bristol's infamous 18th-century slave trade resulted in enchantingly figurative Rococo interiors, a surge of 19th-century wealth endowed the city with a financial quarter of an eclectic brilliance.

The second mystery might explain the first. For a thousand years Bristol has been badly governed. In every age, out of greed or plain stupidity, Bristolians have made the wrong decisions in developing their city, yet art and architecture have rioted in the resultant thousand errors. The aim of this book is to illustrate those errors and attempt to account for the paradox.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #112602 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-27
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Review
A beautiful coffee table book perfect for anyone who loves Bristol... Stunning photography... Fascinating commentary... this book offers a fascinating insight into our vibrant city. (Bristol Magazine )

Bristol Evening Post, 12th December 2006
The photos in this book are exceptional. They have a sense of
drama that really brings the city to life.

The Bristol Magazine, November 2006
A new book about Bristol in all its glory . . . the city is
beautifully captured in glorious images . . . accompanied by the
fascinating story of Bristol.

Customer Reviews

What a package...
Nice book, excellent pictures. It arrived
after 2-3 days as promised.

Still I cannot understand the point
to wrap it in such a awkwardly big
cardboard pack. It was something like 35x50 cm,
and it revealed to be absolutely
useless, since once opened it
I discovered the first 3-4 pages of
the book were bent...

Annoying isn't it?

Superb Book
This is a lovely book & has some excellent photographs of Bristol. Printed on good quality paper it is a worthy addition to my bookshelf.