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Sidney Crosby, Hat Trick Edition The Story of a Champion
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Sidney Crosby: The Story of a Champion follows the young Cole Harbour hockey phenomenon through his early years in minor hockey, his dominating run through the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, his recordbreaking play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and his spectacular contributions to Team Canada at international competitions. With colour photographs of Crosby in action and featuring interviews from coaches, teammates, and hockey insiders like Pierre McGuire, this accessible, visual book is the account of a onceinageneration hockey talent and his path to greatness.
This new edition features updates and a new chapter and photos showcasing Crosby’s recent achievements.
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A Bird on Every Tree
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Carol Bruneau, author of six acclaimed works of fiction (most recently, These Good Hands), brings her finely honed voice to 12 new stories about shifting concepts of Nova Scotian identity.
In “The Race,” a war bride’s remarkable life trajectory unfolds as she competes in an international swim marathon in the Northwest Arm. Strain erupts between a Haligonian couple in “Burning Times,” while they struggle to keep track of one another, both physically and emotionally, on an Italian vacation. In “Polio Beach,” cousins gather oceanside over the will of a recently deceased aunt who once saved one of them from drowning.
Writing with empathy, humour, and linguistic precision, Bruneau follows characters who find themselves connected to Nova Scotia by birth, through attempts at escape and new beginnings, or as a temporary resting place, always carrying with them their own idiosyncratic and complex definitions of “home.”
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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.
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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.
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Nova Scotia’s Industrial Heritage A Guidebook
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95If you drive across Nova Scotia, you will see abandoned rail lines and sleepy towns that once hummed with mills and mines. If you look closely enough, you will see the remnants of the province’s industrial revolution, which began in the 1850s and faded away a century later. In this well-researched, compact guidebook, author and historian David Rollinson identifies and explores many of the historic sites and cultural artifacts that record this era. Included are over 70 sites of interest from across the province, from the shipbuilding display at the Bear River Heritage Museum to the Digby Rail Trails on the old rail bed out of Digby which overlooks the Annapolis Basin. Organized by industry–power, natural resources, agriculture, crafts, and transportation–and by county, plus featuring 60 fascinating images, Nova Scotia’s Industrial Heritage will appeal to tourists travelling by car as well as locals interested in industry, their roots, and social change.
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Nova Scotia Place Names
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Washabuck is not a place to launder money; Ecum Secum is not a children’s game; Joggins has nothing to do with anything athletic.
They are just some of the 1,421 Nova Scotia place names whose origins, where they are known, are explained in this book. The history of each name is succinctly chronicled with an emphasis on events past and current that are historically significant, offbeat, or humorous. This quirky and informative guide also contains a treasure trove of the province’s little-known facts and occurrences and 95 mini-biographies of famous, infamous, and not-so-famous-but-still-very-interesting Nova Scotians, folks who achieved something outstandingly positive, or negative, during their lifetimes.
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Nova Scotia at War, 1914-1919
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$26.95When the First World War ended in 1918, its profound impact did not. The war continued to haunt a nation. Nova Scotia at War, 1914-1919 is an in-depth study of Nova Scotia’s role that was, at the time, the most traumatic collective experience in the history of Canadians. As Tennyson explores in nine fascinating chapters, the war effort was more than just the brave soldiers and sailors who went overseas; it was also the civilians who worked in the fishery, on the farms, and in the forests, coals mines, and steel mills.
A specialist in early twentieth-century Canadian political history, author and historian Brian Tennyson examines the economic impact of the war, which shattered Nova Scotia’s dream of becoming the Atlantic gateway and the industrial heartland of Canada. Includes 30 black and white photos.
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Short History of Fredericton
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$21.95Sitting along the scenic St. John River and tucked into the surrounding wilderness, Fredericton bristles with history as New Brunswick’s capital. With Maliseet, French, and British origins, this colonial garrison town quickly became the political centre for the area as it grew with the efforts of Loyalist settlers and others in the 1780s. In an engaging narrative style, author Dan Soucoup traces Fredericton’s development through the contributions of leading citizens and the significant events that saw commercial growth and the first Canadian literary movement.
Through the social and political tensions of the 1960s and 70s up to the present, A Short History of Fredericton records the entire history of the city in a highly accessible manner. This book is ideal for tourists seeking a concise historical overview of Fredericton, as well as for citizens wanting to know how their city came to be. Includes 30 black and white photos.
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Georges Island The Keep of Halifax Harbour
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95Georges Island has long stood guard in Halifax Harbour. Used in the seventeenth century as a place to dry fish by a nearby Acadian/Mi’kmaq village, the island came under control of the British with the founding of Halifax in 1749. The first wooden battery, established in 1750 and rebuilt as a stone fortress in the 1790s, was continuously modernized and manned by both British and Canadian soldiers right up until the Second World War.
The historical tour describes the fascinating evolution of Georges Island, from the site of the town’s first gaol and quarantine station, to a detention centre from which Acadians awaited their fate. Further chapters describe the features that bring the island to life, such as secret tunnels, ghosts, and the lighthouse that still guides ships to port. Includes over 150 photos, paintings, maps, and contemporary letters.
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A Real Newfoundland Scoff Using Traditional Ingredients in Today’s Kitchens
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Inspired by her desire to stay connected to the food of her home province, culinary writer Liz Feltham goes back to her roots to bring fresh and modern twists to favourite Newfoundland meals. A Real Newfoundland Scoff provides recipes using traditional ingredients from the sea, land, air, bakeshop, and bar to create non-traditional dishes. Above all, Liz encourages readers to use this cookbook as a guide to exploring, discovering, and creating new versions of their old Newfoundland favourites.
Packed with fifty-six new recipes, thirty colour photographs, and a guide for buying Newfoundland ingredients in Atlantic Canada, this cookbook will appeal to all Newfoundland chefs, traditional and adventurous alike.
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History of Nova Scotia in 50 Objects History of Nova Scotia Through Museum Artifacts
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$21.95Have you ever been to the LaHave Islands Marine Museum on Bell Island? How about the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre in Judique, or the Africville Museum in Halifax? Joan Dawson has. Armed with a spirit of adventure, curiosity, and the belief that “treasures can be found in unlikely places,” the author-historian has scoured Nova Scotia’s National Heritage Sites and community museums for the fifty objects that best “embody the history and culture” of the province.
Casting a wide net, from a pair of good-luck Nantucket Whaler shoes to a Mi-Carême seven-beast mask, Dawson unearths the many arcane and overlooked items whose stories collectively form Nova Scotia’s historical fabric. Entries are arranged in chronological order, from prehistory to present-day, and each one includes a photograph, description, and contextual history of the object. Written in an engaging, narrative style, A History of Nova Scotia in 50 Objects is both a fabulously unique approach to the province’s history and an interactive treasure hunt.
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Saint John Facts and Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Saint John Facts and Folklore is filled with anecdotes about the city’s history, unbelievable incidents, and local sayings that showcase the unique identity of Saint John. With a focus on the city’s long history and spirited citizens, David Goss leads readers through the rowdy port city and centre of the nineteenth century lumber trade. The book is scattered with facts and stats that surprise and teach. The latest addition to the Facts and Folklore series, this entertaining and informative book is perfect for those wanting an alternative guide to Saint John and its sights. Includes 20 black and white photos of Saint John past and present.
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Saint John
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95At the mouth of the St. John River sits New Brunswick’s largest city. Once a summer gathering place for the native Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet), this beautiful spot on the Bay of Fundy was first settled by Europeans in the seventeenth century, and today people from all corners of the globe are drawn to the city of Saint John.
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Sea Kayaking in Nova Scotia (3rd edition) A Guide to Paddling Routes Along the Coast
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95Nova Scotia has some of the most spectacular coastline on the continent. The sea kayak is ideal for exploring those isolated nooks and crannies, where few other vessels dare to venture. Each route includes departure points, trip lengths, and necessary charts and maps; of special note are the safety considerations and the detailed points of interest. With 48 routes spanning Nova Scotia from Briar Island to the Cape Breton Highlands, from Halifax to Pictou, and everywhere in between, this guide includes useful information for what gear to pack, safety concerns, and techniques to make your kayaking expedition as enjoyable as possible.
The new 3rd edition of Sea Kayaking in Nova Scotia includes new routes, new preface, updated maps and text, 3 eight-page colour inserts with photos, and many of the existing photos have been updated or replaced.
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Cumberland County Facts and Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Cumberland County is one of Nova Scotia’s oldest and largest counties and its personalities, history, geography, natural life, and legends are second to none. Its shores are touched by the majestic Bay of Fundy and the beautiful Northumberland Strait, its landscape was carved by glaciers, and its prehistoric climate created and preserved fossils that today are worthy of UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. From Amherst to Advocate, Minudie to Malagash, Port Howe to Port Greville, the beauty of its forests, crystal-clear lakes and rivers, and pastoral scenery are a delight for visitors and locals alike.
Discover this incredible part of Nova Scotia through amusing anecdotes, fun facts, and quirky trivia in Cumberland County Facts and Folklore
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Hockey’s Home (new edition)
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95Hockey’s Home includes a wealth of information about the origins of the great game of hockey in Nova Scotia with particular emphasis on the role that the community of Dartmouth has played in forming the game.
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Underground New Brunswick Stories of Archaeology
Editor: Jonathan FowlerPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95Underground New Brunswick features fifteen accessible essays from practicing archaeologists, professors, and enthusiasts detailing recent excavations and restorations from around the province. Stories range from the prolific to the downright unusual, and include the discoveries of New Brunswick’s most famous treasure-hunter, the preservation of a Golden Hawk aerobatic jet, and a Miramichi forensic investigation aided by a psychic. The collection also features recent work at some of the province’s National Historic Sites, such as Wolostoq, Augustine Mound, Forts La Tour and Jemseg, and Fredericton’s Old Government House.
Including over 100 photographs of excavation sites, historical documents, and recovered artifacts, as well as a glossary, educational sidebars, and recommended readings, Underground New Brunswick will widen the horizons of archaeology enthusiasts and history lovers.
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Lighthouses of New Brunswick Past and Present
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95The largest of the three Maritime provinces by area, New Brunswick is home to the third-largest number of lighthouses in the country. Lighthouses of New Brunswick is a guide to the province’s remaining lights as well as for those “lost lights” that are gone forever.
Photographs and descriptions of all 126 lights accompany a brief history of each light, and handy icons allow the reader a quick assessment of each existing light’s accessibility, historic significance, and scenic quality.
Accompanied by a reference map and with an index of each light profiled, Lighthouses of New Brunswick is the definitive resource for exploring the province’s iconic structures.
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Islands of New Brunswick
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95Culled from her collections Offshore Islands and Paradise or Purgatory (1984), New Brunswick Islands is part ecocritical exploration and part historical survey, as Mitcham explores the province’s not-so-far-off islands in search of their unique stories. The result is an extraordinary collection of essays that illuminates the social and cultural histories behind New Brunswick’s islands.Exposed are the complexities of island history, from the Aboriginal peoples of Indian Island to the generations of lighthouse keeping on Miscou, to the tragic quarantine history of Passamaquoddy’s Hospital Island (Partridge Island). Industrious islands, from the once-lucrative quarries of Grindstone Island, to the still-flourishing fisheries of Grand Manan are also investigated, as well as the mysterious histories behind the now-uninhabited Heron and Shediac Islands, which have largely been reclaimed by nature.This revised edition features the original illustrations by Peter Mitcham.
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Fredericton
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$27.95Fredericton, the city of stately elms, is nestled within the Saint John River Valley in the heart of New Brunswick. Founded between 1783 and 1785, mostly by Loyalists and their sympathizers, the city was to become a stronghold for the Church of England, headquarters for the British military and a centre for culture. Dominated by politics and education and rich in history and the arts, Fredericton is home to the Centennial Building, the seat of the provincial legislature, and the University of New Brunswick. As well, it boasts many elegant homes, museums, galleries, and magnificent buildings such as Christ Church Cathedral. Picturesque and tranquil, blending historic charm with the amenities of modern commerce, Fredericton remains the perfect small city, retaining its intimate charm and air of gentility.
This revised edition features several new images of the city.
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Miramichi Facts and Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95Find out how moose got to Newfoundland, the truth about the Dungarvon Whooper, and which farmers’ markets, bike trails, recipes, and heritage sites will most tickle your fancy. In Miramichi Facts and Folklore, extensive geographical, historical, and cultural lessons will have you schooled in the life of a true “Miramichier.”
This mighty book is a fact-filled journey through northern New Brunswick’s Miramichi region, from the golden age of immigration and industry through years of tragedy including illnesses, shipwrecks, and the Great Miramichi Fire–to the heritage destination it is today. The newest edition in the “Facts and Folklore” series, Miramichi Facts and Folklore is the perfect companion for anyone looking for an eccentric yet educational guide to this fascinating region.
Includes 15 photographs of important landmarks and people.
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Halifax Tastes Recipes from the Region’s Best Restaurants
Photographer: Scott MunnPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Halifax Tastes is the newest installment in the popular Tastes series. Halifax is famous for its flavourful seafood but as the largest city in the Maritimes, it should be no surprise that Halifax also boasts plenty of variety when it comes restaurants. From zesty Italian to spicy Thai, from tangy Chinese to carefully presented Japanese, from delightful Greek to classic Canadian cuisine, there is sure to be a restaurant to suit everyone’s liking. Easy access to Halifax’s much loved farmers’ market has allowed many of the area’s chefs the freedom to add local, fresh ingredients to their menus. Liz Feltham has chosen 27 restaurants from Halifax and Dartmouth so you can find a great spot to eat no matter where you are located. Featuring tried and tested recipes and approximately 60 mouth-watering photographs of the food and the scenery, Halifax Tastes will tempt your taste buds and give you some fantastic ideas for where to eat on a night on the town.
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Haunted Girl Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95In 1878 eighteen-year-old Esther Cox arrived in Amherst, Nova Scotia, to live with her sister’s family. Shortly after Esther moved in, the story goes, the house was plagued by unexplained occurrences–something (or someone) knocked on the walls, hid household items, moved furniture around, and set fires. Esther herself was subject to mysterious fevers, prodding and, on one occasion, stabbing. These occurrences followed her when she went to stay with other families in the area. Eventually she was charged with robbery and spent a month in jail, after which the haunting ceased.
Was Esther the victim of paranormal powers or the troubled mind behind a series of elaborate hoaxes? At the time of her alleged haunting, the plausibility of Esther Cox’s claims were hotly debated in newspapers and by fellow Amherst residents. In the hundred years since her death, Esther’s story has been retold numerous times and she remains to this day the town’s most famous historical figure.
Includes 30 photos of key locations in Amherst related to the story as well as Esther’s family members.
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Sable Island the Wandering Sandbar
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Though it was discovered almost 500 years ago, few people have visited Sable Island. Despite modern navigational tools, excessive fog and stormy weather still make travelling to Sable a challenge. Add government restrictions limiting visitors to the remote island and prohibitive travel costs, and Sable is virtually inaccessible.
But the island is part of Maritime lore–dubbed the “graveyard of the Atlantic” because of the number of ships wrecked on its shores. Sable Island also hosts wild horses, tens of thousands of seals, and enchanting “singing” sands and “wandering” dunes. With 18 species of sharks patrolling Sable Island’s waters and the regular fights between bands of horses, not to mention the treacherous patches of quicksand, the island is as dangerous as it is alluring.
In this colourful book, author Wendy Kitts introduces the wonders and stark realities of this wild place. Full of photographs and sidebars, Sable Island: The Wandering Sandbar is an accessible and exciting look at this unprotected, untamed ecosystem.
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Dramatic Life of a Country Doctor Fifty Years of Disasters and Diagnoses
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95Dr. Arnold Burden’s career began unintentionally when he performed his first surgery in the woods following a hunting accident at age 14. As a 20-year-old hospital clerk, he handed battle casualties after D-Day in France and Germany. His early years as a doctor began in rural Prince Edward Island, where he served in the combined role of doctor and coroner. Back home in Springhill, Nova Scotia, Dr. Burden was the first medic to enter the mines after the deadly No. 4 mine explosion in 1956 and the No. 2 mine bump, the most severe bump ever recorded in North America, in 1958. In both cases he risked his life alongside the underground rescue teams to bring the gassed and trapped miners to the surface.
In this new edition Dr. Burden gives his account of an active life and of a man dedicated to his patients; a man full of common-sense and interesting stories, who writes candidly of his dealing with patients, unusual cases, and brave efforts made under difficult conditions. As the author states: “The real satisfaction in life has come from helping people.”
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Cape Breton Facts and Folklore
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95Cape Breton is famous the world over for its senic trails, Celtic music and traditions, strong Mi’kmaq community, and unique dialects. Called Unamakikia by the Mi’kmaq, Ile Royale by the French, and Eilean Cheap Breatainn in Scottish Gaelic, the island of Cape Breton is a colourful blend of cultures and history. After the slow decline of the coal and steel industries following World War Two, Cape Breton became a major tourist locale, with such draws as Fortress Louisbourg, the largest eighteenth-century restored fortress in North America and a national historic site; the Cape Breton Highlands, with stunning views and winds that can reach up to 220 kilometres an hour; and the Cabot Trail scenic drive, which attracts thousands of people every autumn to take in the stunning views and foliage.
Cape Breton Facts and Folklore is full of fun and interesting facts about the people, places, and events that shaped this fascnating island. Includes photos of some of the island’s prominent places and personalities.
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Big Town A Novel of Africville
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$18.95Seventeen-year-old Early Okander lives with his father in a shack, a white family on the outskirts of the Halifax community of Africville. It is the early 1960s, and Early and his young friends, Toby and Chub, start to hear whispers that the city wants to move the residents of Africville out of their homes. As the three try to sort out what relocation might mean for the community, they also struggle to come to terms with their own problems: Early’s abuse at the hands of his father, Toby’s illness, Chub’s family breakdown.
Written from Early’s unique perspetive, Big Town is an unforgettable account of a community in crisis and the remarkable spirit that persists in the face of adversity.
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Louisbourg: From its Foundation to its Fall
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95The only complete history of Louisbourg.
“J.S. McLennan’s Louisbourg From Its Foundation To Its Fall is in several ways a remarkable book. To begin with, it is because of its continuing popularity. Though it was first published many decades ago, it remains the standard work on the 45 year history of the French settlement at Louisbourg. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of detailed studies have been done on Louisbourg since McLennan’s appeared, each one illuminating some theme or aspect of life there, but none has replaced it as the authoritative chronicle of the town’s history.” –A. J. B. Johnston, Historian and Author
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Elizabeth Bishop Nova Scotia’s “Home-made” Poet
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979) is best known as an American author, but she spent formative years in Great Village, Nova Scotia, and in fact called herself “3/4ths Canadian.” In recent decades there has been a growing movement in Nova Scotia to reconnect appreciation of Bishop with the landscape of her childood. This pictorial biography highlights the early influence of Bishop’s maternal family and the cultural community of Great Village, and the poet’s lifelong ties to Nova Scotia.
Author Sandra Barry takes readers through the significant chapters in Bishop’s life, from her ancestry and early years in Great Village to her first publications, her extended stays in Florida and Brazil, and her final years teaching at Harvard University. The book concludes with an overview of some of the Bishop-inspired work made since her death, and the commemorative efforts undertaken in Nova Scotia and around the world.
With photos throughout, sidebar features on historic events, Bishop’s publications and travels, and background on her awards and other achievements, the book provides a fascinating introduction and important new angle on one of the best-loved poets of the twentieth century.
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Molly Kool First Female Captain of the Atlantic
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$15.95Born and raised in Alma, New Brunswick, Molly Kool started her life at sea helping her father sail the lumber scow the Jean K through some of the most challenging waters in the world, including the changing tides of the Bay of Fundy and the Reversing Falls in Saint John. When it came time for Molly to choose her own career, her first instinct was to get her captain’s licence, but doing so would involve more than just hard work—it would also mean changing some of Canada’s oldest laws. But thanks to her inspiring example and the tireless efforts of contemporaries in the 1930s and ’40s, the Shipping Act of Canada was changed and Molly became the first female sea captain in North America. With interviews, colour photos, and background on other women pioneers and shipping practices in the early twentieth century, Molly Kool: Captain of the Atlantic also includes an interview with the first woman to command a Canadian warship, Commander Josee Kurtz.
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Nova Scotia’s Curious Connections
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$17.95Previously published as 59 Stories, this new edition brings back into print Bruce Nunn’s collection of quirky stories. With his entertaining style and penchant for library and word-of-mouth research alike, Nunn introduces readers to the province’s claim on some world-famous stuff, including Moby Dick, mutton-chop sideburns, and the very first Donald Duck comic. The collection includes chapters on the interesting origins of words like “Bluenose” and “Acadian” and strange homegrown inventions like the telephone-flashlight. Nunn’s passion for history and the unusual make Nova Scotia’s Curious Connections a must-read for anyone looking to add a little quirk to their knowledge of Nova Scotia’s past.
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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.
