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A blue and yellow book cover - the images depicting recognisable Bradford landmarks. The title reads: the Book of Bradford

Collection of stories from Bradfordians past and present to go on sale as part of UK City of Culture

Published September 18, 2025

Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture (Bradford 2025) and Comma Press present ‘The Book of Bradford’. Dubbed a city in short fiction, this powerful collection of short stories is a collage of the city’s vitality, complexity, and beauty. It is a homage to the district’s literary heritage and celebrates local voices , during its UK City of Culture year.

Edited by Saima Mir, ‘The Book of Bradford’ features stories based in Bradford from a range of writers including: Malachai Whittaker, M.Y. Alam, Abda Khan, Ross Raisin, Sairish Hussain, Lesley McEvoy, David Barnett, Nick Ahad, Marcia Hutchinson, Bill Broady and Becky Cherriman.

Together, they build a portrait of Bradford and weave a rich image of the district both past and present. The anthology explores themes of identity, belonging, migration and connection, showcasing Bradford as a place where unlikely bonds are forged.

The Book of Bradford will launch on the 20 September at Loading Bay, where audiences will be invited to hear from editor Saima Mir and contributors Ross Raisin, Sairish Hussain and Nick Ahad on their work, inspiration and relationships to Bradford, and hear an extract from each of their stories.

Exclusive pre-publication copies of The Book of Bradford will be available for sale at the launch, and afterwards from the 2 October via local vendors such as Waterstones and Grove Bookshop in Ilkley, as well as direct from the publisher’s website.

For more information on The Book of Bradford, please visit the publisher’s webpage at https://commapress.co.uk/books/the-book-of-bradford

We’re proud to draw on Bradford’s rich literary history and showcase that it is, and always has been, a place of stories. From the Brontës to the brilliant authors featured in this collection, words are woven into the very fabric of our communities.

“The stories in The Book of Bradford form a literary portrait of our eclectic city and district- shaped by the people and places that define us. I’m proud to see this powerful collection launch as part of our UK City of Culture year, shining a light on the voices that make Bradford bold, creative and unique.”
Shanaz Gulzar Creative Director of Bradford 2025
Bradford is one of the most beautiful and misunderstood places in the world. Home to artists and entrepreneurs, its faded industrial glamour favoured by filmmakers and nestled amongst rolling green hills, it has made me the woman I am today. Steeped in culture, resilient to its core, and a beacon of what is to come, she belongs to me, and 2025 will be the year the world gets to meet her.’
Saima Mir Editor of the collection
When we first commissioned these Bradford stories, Comma Press didn’t give any specific directives to the authors about what type of stories they should write. And yet, remarkably, almost every writer came back with stories on a similar theme: uplifting, powerful stories about ordinary Bradfordians seeking connection, building bridges, looking for reconciliation in the face of rancour. As a result, The Book of Bradford is one of the most unified city anthologies Comma Press has ever published - a real tribute to the resilience and community spirit that informs this proud Yorkshire city.’
David Sue Reading the City series editor