Fiction brings halifax explosion to heart atlantic books today. Nearly 2000 people died from the halifax explosion, many killed instantly from the blast. The most destructive moment of world war i occurred far from the. Why alison watt wrote a novel inspired by the halifax. Nov 07, 2017 a tsunami, created by the air waves, quickly followed. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism kindle edition by bacon, john u download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The accidental collision of a munitions ship with another vessel in halifax harbour in 1917 was the largest manmade explosion prior to hiroshima. This has been a longstanding reference work for folks interested in the immediate and longterm aftermath of the explosion. The halifax explosion has frequently been the subject of works of popular culture the canonical novel barometer rising 1941 by the canadian writer hugh maclennan is set in halifax at the time of the explosion and includes a carefully researched description of its impact on the city. Nimbus publishing the south end of halifax is well known as the wealthy part of the peninsula. Plot is straightforward, not pedantical which ruins so much historical fiction. Mac donald but it is often through historical fiction that writers and readers are able to experience both the facts.
The explosion, bacon writes, destroyed 6,000 buildings, rendering 25,000 peoplealmost half the population of halifaxhomeless in oneearsplitting whoosh and killed 1,600 instantly. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, and its effects. In 2011, halifax writer jennie marsland published her historical romance. Browse and buy a vast selection of historylocal books and collectibles on.
Nearly 2,000 people died and some 9,000 were injured in the disaster. Historic north end halifax nimbus publishing and vagrant press. There are numerous factual accounts of the halifax explosion including shattered city. Burden of desire centres on the love triangle between bohemian halifax. Halifax historical fiction easy read winnipeg free press.
Atlantic books today winter 20172018 by atlantic books. The halifax explosion and the persecution of pilot. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. The massive explosion killed more than 1,800 people, injured another 9,000including blinding 200and destroyed almost the entire north end of the city of halifax, including more than 1,600 homes. The thomas head raddall award is a literary award administered for the best work of adult fiction published in the previous year by a writer from canadas atlantic provinces. This handsome book helps us see this centuryold catastrophe as never before. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. The halifax explosion still reverberates the globe and mail. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism by john u.
He is the author of three other novels, including the recently released portrait of julia. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet kitz, and the recent curse of the narrows. Why alison watt wrote a novel inspired by the halifax explosion. Learn more about what caused it, how the city responded, and get your dose of historical fiction in these books about this singular. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship laden with high explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. A goodreads search for halifax explosion returns more than 40 titles. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising.
More nova scotians were killed in the explosion than were killed in wwi. Halifax explosion project gutenberg selfpublishing. The event has fascinated everyone, from scholars to history buffs. While it does hold private schools, country clubs, and some milliondollar houses, the area is much more diverse than its reputation. Alison watt has a personal connection to that history, and it inspired her debut novel.
No safe harbour is set in the months before and after the december 6, 1917 halifax explosion, which was the largest manmade blast in history. Fiction brings halifax explosion to heart atlantic books. Dec 06, 2009 there are numerous factual accounts of the halifax explosion including shattered city. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet kitz. The disastrous 1917 explosion of a munitions ship in halifax harbor, nova scotia, forms the backdrop to this rich, abundantly humane love story chicago tribunea powerful piece of work washington post book world that marks an auspicious fiction debut for an already accomplished author and awardwinning journalist chicago suntimes. The story and scope of the disaster and its aftermath is revealed in fiction and non fiction narratives for both adults and children in these selections from the collection of the cape breton regional library. His grandparents, mother and uncle lived in halifax during wwi. Halifax explosion books tagged halifax explosion librarything. A books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the norwegian warrelief vessel imo collided in the harbour at halifax, nova scotia. Such a disaster today would generate a worldwide storm of video coverage, but the actual photographic record is sparse. Robert macneil, author of the novel burden of desire.
The canonical novel barometer rising 1941 by the canadian writer hugh. Dec 05, 2017 december 6, 2017, marks the 100 anniversary of the halifax explosion. Even after a century, with most of its survivors deceased, the 1917 halifax explosion continues to grip writers imaginations. Charlotte struggles to find her twin brother after the rest of her family is killed in the tragic halifax explosion. Historical fiction of the halifax explosion haligonia. Mac donald but it is often through historical fiction that writers and readers are able to experience both the facts of an event and the emotions of the people involved. Both in war and in peace the north end has played a vigorous and vital part in the history of atlantic canadas warden of the north. Many who survived the conflagration were caught in the undertow and drowned. The astonishing true story of historys largest manmade explosion before the atomic bomb, and its worldchanging aftermath.
He is the author of several nonfiction books but burden of desire is his first novel. Nov 30, 2017 a centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism bacon, john u. Historical fiction of the halifax explosion the reader. Nov 21, 2017 this is the unforgettable story told in john u. The author remains one of the most knowledgeable people on the event and her multiple books attest to this fact. Explore free books, like the victory garden, and more browse now. Lessons learned 100 years after halifax explosion the star. The halifax explosion of 1917 was the largest manmade explosion before hiroshima. Books on the disaster proliferate, and while non fiction resurrects and reexamines its facts from various angles, it cant go where fiction does, reenvisioning the event and exploring its impact on the human heart. Ss montblanc, a french cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the norwegian vessel ss imo in the narrows, a strait connecting the upper halifax harbour to bedford basin. Halifaxs north end is an historical and photographic sketch of a major section of atlantic canadas largest city. Halifax explosion, new books, books to read, history books, historical fiction, world war i, nova scotia, nonfiction books, thought provoking. The thomas raddall provincial park is a park in nova scotia named for raddall.
His story brings its hospitals, waterfront and old downtown herald building to life as its events unfold during the weeks after the disaster. The halifax explosion in nonfiction the great halifax explosion. Jul 04, 2011 the spectators had no idea that 20 minutes later, the fire would trigger the largest manmade explosion to that date. Bacon is the author of the national bestseller the great halifax explosion and four bestselling books about college football, including three and out, fourth and long, endzone, and bos lasting lessons, coauthored with michigan coach bo schembechler. Mac donald but it is often through historical fiction that writers and readers are able to experience both the.
If you want more about the halifax explosion just check out the. Historic south end halifax nimbus publishing and vagrant press. Both historical fiction and historical romance, the story is set against the backdrop of actual events that took place during the first world war and 1917s devastating halifax explosion. The halifax explosion diary of charlotte blackburn by julie lawson, whos a scaredy cat by.
Jul 14, 2017 a newly discovered diary tells the harrowing story of the deadly halifax explosion on the eve of the disasters centennial, a sailors 1917 journal details a rare eyewitness account of the. The halifax explosion of 1917 in many ways december 6th, 1917 was a typical early winter day in halifax. The halifax explosion remembrance book was originally developed in 2002 as a commemorative project sponsored by the halifax foundation and its chair, the late edmund morris, a former city mayor, to mark the 85th anniversary of the halifax explosion. The halifax explosion of 1917 canada history and mysteries. See more ideas about halifax explosion, nova scotia and canadian history. The sun was bright in a clear sky and the ground was clear of snow.
In 1917, two ships collided in halifax harbor, resulting in the largest explosion in history up to that time. The halifax explosion has frequently been the subject of works of popular culture. Dec 05, 2017 many safetyrelated changes were made after the halifax explosion, including new rules for storage of hazardous materials and harbour navigation. Macneil is the cofounder of the pbs macneil leher report. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on hiroshima. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Mustread books about the halifax explosion halifax magazine.
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