Breaking Disaster Newspaper Stories of the Halifax Explosion
Publisher: Pottersfield Press$19.95On December 6, 1917, the face of Halifax changed forever when the Imo, a Belgian Relief ship, collided with the French ship, the Mont Blanc. Shortly after 9:00 a.m., the Mont Blanc, which was carrying a large cargo of explosives, blew up. It destroyed much of the city’s north end and neighbouring communities like Tuft’s Cove and Dartmouth. The effect was catastrophic.
In Breaking Disaster, Ingram traces these details and stories as she pieces together the different narratives from the week that followed December 6, 1917, many of which have long faded into the larger story of the Halifax Explosion.
The Blind Mechanic The Amazing Story of Eric Davidson, Survivor of the 1917 Halifax Explosion
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Eric Davidson was a beautiful, fair-haired toddler when the Halifax Explosion struck, killing almost 2,000 people and seriously injuring thousands of others. Eric lost both eyes—a tragedy that his mother never fully recovered from. Eric, however, was positive and energetic. He also developed a fascination with cars and how they worked, and he later decided, against all likelihood, to become a mechanic. Assisted by his brothers who read to him from manuals, he worked hard, passed examinations, and carved out a decades-long career. Once the subject of a National Film Board documentary, Eric Davidson was, until his death, a much-admired figure in Halifax.
This book does not gloss over the challenges faced by Eric and by his parents. Written by his daughter Marilyn, it gives new insights into the story of the 1917 Halifax Explosion and contains never-before-seen documents and photographs.
A Blinding Light
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95It’s 1917 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The First World War is raging, and despite its distance from the conflict, the Halifax Harbour is bustling with activity. Anti-German prejudice is rampant, and though 12-year-old Livy Schroeder and her 15-year-old brother Will are still mourning the loss of their father, who died in a mysterious boating accident just six months before, his German heritage doesn’t merit them much sympathy. The rumours he’d been a German spy are only flamed by his disappearance.
On the morning of December 6, while Livy is in Richmond begging forgiveness from the Schroeders’ former housekeeper, Will is atop Citadel Hill reporting for the school paper, when he sees two ships collide. A flash of light, then thunder from underground: the Halifax Explosion hits. Instantly, the city is unrecognizable. Lost and separated in the dark, destroyed city, will the siblings find each other again? Where is their mother? And who is to blame for the catastrophe?
In A Blinding Light, award-winning author Julie Lawson (No Safe Harbour) tells a riveting story of the Halifax Explosion and its aftermath, exploring the concepts of guilt, blame, and taking ownership, the divide between the rich and poor, locals and immigrants, as well as the human bonds that arise in times of tragedy. Young readers will be spellbound, and teachers and librarians will find plenty of topics for discussion in the book’s historical and cultural lessons.
Broken Pieces An Orphan of the Halifax Explosion
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95One hundred years ago, on December 6, 1917, the French munitions ship Mont Blanc collided with the Belgian relief vessel Imo in the Halifax Harbour. At first, a small fire broke out aboard the Mont Blanc, which grew bigger crowds of people and emergency responders linded the shores of Halifax and Dartmouth to get a better look. Suddenly, the Mont Blanc‘s explosive cargo blew up, flattening homes and businesses, and triggering a tsunami.
Amid the confusion and devastation that followed the blast was fourteen-year-old Barbara Orr, who had been walking from her neighbourhood in Richmond to a friend’s house. Follow Barbara as she navigates post-explosion Halifax, learning about rescue efforts, the kindness of strangers, and the bravery of heroes like Vincent Coleman along the way.
Part of the popular Compass series, this full-colour non-fiction book includes highlighted glossary terms, informative sidebars, over 50 illustrations and historical photographs, a detailed index, and recommended further reading. In commemoration of the tragic event’s 100th anniversary, Broken Pieces is a great resource for young readers and educators.
December 1917 (new edition) Re-visiting the Halifax Explosion
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95December 1917 is a photographic guide to the Halifax Explosion by noted local historians Janet Kitz and Joan Payzant. The authors profile locations in both Halifax and Dartmouth that were affected by the explosion, looking at the role of the explosion in the transformation of the two cities. Stories and anecdotes reveal the ways in which the explosion touched the lives of citizens, and original research brings to light new aspects of the explosion. The book is richly illustrated with more than 100 historic and contemporary photographs.
Aftershock The Halifax Explosion and the Persecution of Pilot Francis Mackey
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95On December 6, 1917, harbour pilot Francis Mackey was guiding Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, into Bedford Basin to join a convoy across the Atlantic when it was rammed by Belgian Relief vessel Imo. The resulting massive explosion destroyed Halifax’s north end and left at least two thousand people dead, including pilot William Hayes aboard Imo.
Who was to blame? Federal government and naval officials found in Pilot Mackey a convenient target for public anger. Charged with manslaughter, he was imprisoned, villainized in the press, and denied his pilot’s license even after the charges were dropped. A century later he is still unfairly linked to the tragedy.
Through interviews with Mackey’s relatives, transcripts, letters, and newly exposed government documents, author Janet Maybee explores the circumstances leading up to the Halifax Explosion, the question of fault, and the impact on the pilot and his family of the unjust, deliberate persecution that followed.
Miracles and Mysteries The Halifax Explosion December 6, 1917
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Mary Anna Monnon’s father was one of the lucky survivors of the Halifax Explosion, the great World War One disaster that devastated Halifax and killed over two thousand people. His personal story, along with the stories of other survivors, are woven into this captivating account of the events leading up to and following the explosion of the munitions ship Mont Blanc in Halifax Harbour. Monnon begins the story in the days just prior to the explosion, providing news items, ads, and public notices that give readers fresh insight into life in the city at that time. Monnon’s interviewees provide candid recollections of where they were and their initial responses to the disaster. What emerge are unusually personal stories of confusion, injury, loss, and the eventual resurgence of hope-raw remembrances that bring back into sharp focus those first days on the ground.
Miracles and Mysteries is a reminder of the tragedy of war, and how ordinary people respond to overwhelming and inexplicable events.
1917 Halifax Explosion and American Response
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.951917 Halifax Explosion and American Response, is the captivating story of Canada’sworst disaster and American relief efforts. Survivor’s accounts, newspaperarticles, and official reports reveal the heartwarming stories of the doctors,nurses, relief workers, and ordinary citizens who came to the aid of thedevastated city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Shattered City 3rd Edition
$24.95This book, the most comprehensive ever written on the Explosion, details the terrific devastation, the aftermath and the restoration. It encompasses dozens of previously unpublished stories, photographs, and documents, along with some thought-provoking coverage of the inquiry into the disaster. A best-selling book from its first printing in 1989, this new edition has an updated cover and is sure to be a must-have for readers.
Survivors Children of the Halifax Explosion
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Over five hundred children from Halifax and Dartmouth were killed when the munitions ship Mont Blanc, blew up in the city’s harbour on December 6, 1917. Hundreds more were injured, and many lost their families and homes. Survivors tells the story of seven children who survived the Halifax Explosion. All seven lived in Richmond, the northern part of Halifax close to the spot where Imo collided with Mont Blanc, causing the fore that ignited the tons of explosives in its hold. The book describes the children’s family, school, and social life before the explosion: their activities on that day; their experiences of the explosion itself; and the difference it has made to their lives.
6/12/17
Publisher: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.$22.95On December 6, 1917, two tramp steamers, the Mont-Blanc and the Imo, collided in wartime Halifax Harbour, creating what became the largest man-made explosion of its time. More than 2,000 people died, 9,000 were injured, 6,000 people were left homeless and an additional 19,000 were left without adequate shelter. In a combination of words and images (many never seen before), John Boileau delivers a breathtaking account of the magnitude of this event.
Who’s a Scaredy Cat ? (revised edition) A Story of the Halifax Explosion
Artist: Marijke SimonsPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95This is the story of two families in Dartmouth at the time of the Halifax Explosion, December 1917. Flossie Wright is a prankster, taking pleasure in practical jokes. Isobel Morton, whose father is listed as missing in the war, dislikes Flossie’s jokes, and is ridiculed by the other girl. Although Isobel knows she is a not a “scaredycat,” Flossie’s jibes still hurt. Can Isobel prove her bravery and win Flossie’s friendship in the terrible days that follow the Halifax explosion? Who’s a Scaredy-Cat? is an enjoyable, historically detailed novel now back in print. Includes black and white illustrations by Marijke Simons.
The Town That Died
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95The Town That Died is a moving and detailed account of the greatest human-made explosion before Hiroshima, the terrible disaster known as the Halifax Explosion. It is the first documentary account, told from the personal experiences of survivors, to accurately chronicle the tragic events that led to the ill-fated collision between the Imo and the munitions-laden Mont Blanc in the harbour narrows and the dreadful consequences. Michael J. Bird’s passion for truth, supported by his engaging literary style, makes The Town That Died a classic in the annals of human courage and suffering.
Too Many to Mourn
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95At nine o’clock on the morning of December 6, 1917, the close-knit family of James Jackson and Elizabeth (Halloran) Jackson-five sons, four daughters, their spouses, forty-eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren were happily engaged in their everday lives in Richmond, Halifax’s North End. The women had sent their children off to school; their husbands had gone off to work at Richmond’s dockyard, railyard or sugar refinery. Another day of activity and promise had begun. Within five minutes, forty-six members of the Jackson family were dead, and nineteen were badly injured. Within five minutes their homes, schools, and places of work were completely demolished. Within five minutes the hopes and dreams of a family and community were destroyed forever.
Too Many To Mourn tells the tragic story of the Halifax Explosion through the lives and deaths of the Jackson family. It is a meticulous reconstruction of the personal events of their lives in the face of this disaster, and an affecting account of a community’s endeavours to abide an unfathomable loss.
Now this winner of the Dartmouth Book Award in 1999 has been updated with a new cover.
The Little Tree by the Sea From Halifax to Boston With Love
Artist: Belle DeMontPublisher: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.$17.95On December 6, 1917, two ships collided in wartime Halifax Harbour, creating what became the largest man-made explosion of its time. More than 2000 people died (500 of those children) and 9,000 were injured. A single little tree whispered from its branches the word “Help” that was carried by the wind to the people of Boston. Within 48 hours Boston and Massachusetts organized trains to carry 33 doctors and 79 nurses. To repay the City of Boston for its generosity, the little tree (which now had become huge and majestic tree) was given to the city of Boston as a way to say thank you, a tradition that continues to this day.
Shattered City 3rd Edition
$24.95This book, the most comprehensive ever written on the Explosion, details the terrific devastation, the aftermath and the restoration. It encompasses dozens of previously unpublished stories, photographs, and documents, along with some thought-provoking coverage of the inquiry into the disaster. A best-selling book from its first printing in 1989, this new edition has an updated cover and is sure to be a must-have for readers.
Black Snow
$19.95Black Snow is a love story set during the Halifax Explosion. The 1917 disaster was the largest man-made blast the world had ever known, and it cut Halifax off from the rest of the world for the darkest thirty-six hours in its history. Rich in fact and shocking images, the story sets a blistering pace following one man’s search through a ruined city for the love of his life as he confronts the wreckage of his past.