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The Book of Bradford: A City in Short Fiction
The Book of Bradford ABISBOOK Comma Press.
184 pages, Paperback
Published January 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 4, 2026
“To know Bradford is to love her contradictions” says the editor, as she introduces short stories to transport the reader to this featured city.
The city often gets a bad press but it was City of Culture 2025 and it played a significant part in the Industrial Revolution, it was The Wool Capital of the World.
There are 11 stories featured in this anthology and each story offers an insight into people, time and place. It is a multicultural city, reflected in the pieces. “Smoke of the Tide” by Malachi Whitaker is the story of a man, anchored by marriage down South but deeply connected to his city. His wife is derogatory about ‘the North’, so he is alone as he reflects whilst exploring the regular fun fair. In “The Homecoming” Bolling Hall is central to the narrative as Dorothy revisits memories of her childhood, and now is there to scatter her father’s ashes in “one of his favourite places”. It is a poignant story set in a historic home with a touch of ghostly frisson.
In Madam Doctor and the Tea Lady by Sairish Hussain the pressures of working within the health sector are writ large, compounded by Iman’s personal situation in life. Every Friday at Jummah time she arrives for a quick lunch, observed by Sakina who works in the restaurant. The two bond over an incident…
The city is beautifully evoked through these collected stories and certainly if you have an interest in the city, or intend to visit, then you will be richly rewarded by picking up this short book.
The city often gets a bad press but it was City of Culture 2025 and it played a significant part in the Industrial Revolution, it was The Wool Capital of the World.
There are 11 stories featured in this anthology and each story offers an insight into people, time and place. It is a multicultural city, reflected in the pieces. “Smoke of the Tide” by Malachi Whitaker is the story of a man, anchored by marriage down South but deeply connected to his city. His wife is derogatory about ‘the North’, so he is alone as he reflects whilst exploring the regular fun fair. In “The Homecoming” Bolling Hall is central to the narrative as Dorothy revisits memories of her childhood, and now is there to scatter her father’s ashes in “one of his favourite places”. It is a poignant story set in a historic home with a touch of ghostly frisson.
In Madam Doctor and the Tea Lady by Sairish Hussain the pressures of working within the health sector are writ large, compounded by Iman’s personal situation in life. Every Friday at Jummah time she arrives for a quick lunch, observed by Sakina who works in the restaurant. The two bond over an incident…
The city is beautifully evoked through these collected stories and certainly if you have an interest in the city, or intend to visit, then you will be richly rewarded by picking up this short book.
September 28, 2026
It's good to read about so many of the places that make and made Bradford: Manningham, the Town Hall, the Midland, the Stadium, the mills, Undercliffe Cemetery, Waterstones, Bolling Hall, Foster Square, Little Germany, the defunct Museum of Photography, St George's Hall, etc etc etc. Good, too, to read about the people, that rich mix of people from different ethnicities and backgrounds, most born in Bradford, all sharing the same unique history and space.
There are a couple of standout stories from Ross Raisin and Malachi Whitaker and a couple of lovely stories about female friendship from Abda Khan and Sairish Hussain. Plus some good bits of writing (eg by Bill Broady) in between.
But, oh, Book of Bradford. So many of your greatest writers are missing. It would have been nice to see JB Priestley and Oliver Onions alongside Malachi Whitaker in the vintage selection.
And AA Dhand and Ruby Cowling alongside Ross Raisin among the contemporaries.
Maybe it was a question of rights or availability or budget. Or perhaps there is nothing in their opus that says enough about Bradford.
But I can't help feeling an opportunity has been a little bit missed.
There are a couple of standout stories from Ross Raisin and Malachi Whitaker and a couple of lovely stories about female friendship from Abda Khan and Sairish Hussain. Plus some good bits of writing (eg by Bill Broady) in between.
But, oh, Book of Bradford. So many of your greatest writers are missing. It would have been nice to see JB Priestley and Oliver Onions alongside Malachi Whitaker in the vintage selection.
And AA Dhand and Ruby Cowling alongside Ross Raisin among the contemporaries.
Maybe it was a question of rights or availability or budget. Or perhaps there is nothing in their opus that says enough about Bradford.
But I can't help feeling an opportunity has been a little bit missed.
May 15, 2026
This collection of short stories set in my home city didn't disappoint. The resilience and warmth of Bradford folk are clichés but nevertheless have a grain of truth - and shine through these stories They also reflect Bradford's rich history - recent, in its Victorian heyday, in medieval times and today.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews