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Toward the Country of Light New and Selected Poems 1978-2018
Publisher: Pottersfield Press$19.95This collection brings together Allan Cooper’s best poems over the last forty years. He weaves visions of nature with insight into the workings of the human heart. Read them individually or read them as a single long, flowing and eloquent narrative. The meditative and compassionate observations will transport the reader from the chaos of everyday life into a healing realm of possibility.
In Toward the Country of Light, the author offers open sonnets, prose poems, ghazals, small poems inspired by the Chinese and Japanese, and poems influenced by Robert Bly and Francis Ponge. As Cooper observes, “Over the years I’ve come to understand that the poem itself usually demands the form it takes and that language uses us for its own secret purposes.”
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Waiting for the Small Ship of Desire
Publisher: Pottersfield Press$19.95This latest collection of Cooper’s poetry includes some of his most personal poems, including revelations to him after the death of his mother and sharply etched emotional memories of childhood and grandparents. It includes other verse as well inspired by Robert Bly, John Keats, and the Urdu poet Ghalib, among others.
Readers return to Allan Cooper’s poems to be reminded of the quiet power of nature and how it can shape our lives and provide sustenance, vision, and even salvation when necessary. Here are poems to be read slowly and cherished.
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Wrecked and Ruined
Publisher: Pottersfield Press$19.95Robert C. Parsons was born in Grand Bank, one of the great Newfoundland seaports for sailing schooners in the salt fish, hook and line era. He attended an all-grade school in his community and later graduated from Memorial University with a master’s degree in Language. Wrecked and Ruined is Robert’s twenty-third book. He frequently contributes sea stories to magazines, journals and newspapers and has appeared on the TV series Disasters of the Century.
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Monster in the Mountains
$12.95After Dylan Maples’s terrifying adventure in Alberta, the holiday his “parental units” plan in British Columbia’s Rocky Mountains seems like a dream. Swimming, hiking, and loafing around are welcome distractions from vivid memories of his narrow escape from “The Reptile,” the frightening criminal who pursued him and his friends through the badlands. But Dylan soon discovers that he is heading into an area teeming with legends of real-life monsters, among them the sea serpent Ogopogo and the awesome sasquatch. In fact, more mysterious creatures are said to exist in BC than in any other place in the world….
Dylan tries not to take it all too seriously. But when he arrives in the resort town of Harrison Hot Springs and meets his eccentric uncle, Walter Middy, he is pulled right into the heart of the sasquatch mystery. Before you can say, “I see a monster!”, Dylan, Walter, and their new friend Alice are deep in the wilderness, on the trail of the deadly beast.
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Be Prepared!
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing Limited$16.95Ever wonder where clouds come from? Or how meteorologists predict the weather? This brand new book, starring Nova Scotia’s favourite weather reporter, Frankie MacDonald, and written by author Sal Sawler, shares stories from Frankie’s early years, along with facts about all things sunny, rainy, snowy, and stormy. Filled with pictures, graphics, and advice from Frankie himself, this book has everything you need to Be Prepared!
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White Point Then and Now Ninety Years of Making Memories
Photographer: Len WaggPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95John and Anne Sun first came to White Point in 1993 when they were dating, and they are still coming back, now with five children, including quadruplets. It is the tranquility of the south shore resort that appeals to the Suns of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. Others enjoy the ocean, the stone fireplaces, and the famous bunnies. This book captures the magic and the memories of White Point, which opened in 1928 and has survived storms, both real and financial. What started as a seasonal destination for the well-to-do from outside Atlantic Canada has turned into a year-round operation that welcomes everyone. How has the resort changed? How has it stayed the same? Photographer Len Wagg skillfully contrasts the thens and the nows of White Point with over 60 charming photos, and Rick Conrad incorporates the memories of guests and staff.
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Secrets of Sable Island
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95After a vicious storm aboard ship, fourteen-year-old Caleb is tossed into the Atlantic Ocean. Frightened and alone, he finds himself nudged awake. He’s been recovered by one of Sable Island’s legendary wild stallions and is given shelter by a mysterious stranger, Norse, who is secretly living on the island. As Caleb recovers and gets to know his strange rescuer, learning the art of scrimshaw, storytelling, and survival, he wonders how he’ll manage to remain on the island he’s come to love. When he befriends the ghostly girl who rides bareback over the dunes, he knows he must do whatever he can to save her, and himself.
A heartwarming and captivating adventure set on the infamous isolated sandbar that has captivated so many, and featuring original illustrations, Secrets of Sable Island will leave young readers spellbound.
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The Only Film in Town How a Little Film With a Big Heart was Made in Rural Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95The Only Film in Town is a memoir about the making of a small-town feature film with heart. When Stuart Cresswell of Simple Films Ltd. decided to make The Only Game in Town in and around Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, he did not anticipate the ups and the downs he would encounter, including the scrapping of the province’s film tax credit. Inspired by his own family, Cresswell recruited young and sometimes inexperienced talent, and he forged ahead.
His film is the story of Cormack Vertue, an autistic teenager with a unique ability: his super skill at solitaire. This skill lands him on his school’s solitaire team, complicates his social life, and sends him on a quest to establish who he really is and what he stands for. In The Only Film in Town, Cresswell explains how he made, against the odds, a gentle and humorous coming-of-age story for the big screen, creating art and opportunity in rural Nova Scotia. The Only Film in Town includes behind-the-scenes photos and stills from the film.
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The Honey Farm
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95Vintage Margaret Atwood meets Patricia Highsmith in this slyly seductive debut set on an eerily beautiful farm teeming with secrets.
The drought has discontented the bees. Soil dries into sand; honeycomb stiffens into wax. But Cynthia knows how to breathe life back into her farm: offer it as an artists’ colony with free room, board, and “life experience” in exchange for backbreaking labour. Silvia, a wide-eyed graduate and would-be poet, and Ibrahim, a painter distracted by constant inspiration, are drawn to Cynthia’s offer, and soon, to each other.
But something lies beneath the surface. The edenic farm is plagued by events that strike Silvia as ominous: taps run red, scalps itch with lice, frogs swarm the pond. One by one, the other residents leave. As summer tenses into autumn, Cynthia’s shadowed past is revealed and Silvia becomes increasingly paralyzed by doubt. Building to a shocking conclusion, The Honey Farm announces the arrival of a bold new voice and offers a thrilling portrait of creation and possession in the natural world.
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If I Had an Old House on the East Coast
Artist: Kat Frick MillerPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$25.95If I had an old house on the East Coast I would fall in love at first sight.
It would grab me by the heart, and not let go.With introspection and deep appreciation for the East Coast, this inspirational gift book shares a dream, in words and images, of falling in love with an old house and breathing new life into it. Exploring, with lyrical prose, everything from an old house’s foundation to its layers of antique wallpaper to its decades-old gardens bursting with wildflowers, this book is a love letter to a vanishing way of life. Fully illustrated with gentle watercolours from celebrated local artist Kat Frick Miller, If I Had an Old House on the East Coast also includes practical tips for the old-home-owner, from how to clear your home of ghosts to instructions for making rosehip jelly and maple syrup.
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She is Hope for Wildlife The Story of Wildlife Rescuer Hope Swinimer
Artist: Leah BoudreauPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95 -
Noble Goals, Dedicated Doctors The Story of Dalhousie Medical School
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$39.95Dalhousie Medical School celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2018. This is the story of the noble goals of a handful of dedicated doctors who came together at a physician’s office to plan a medical school. They outlined a curriculum, assigned teaching roles, successfully applied to be a medical faculty of Dalhousie College, and began teaching the first class of twelve students. It was not an easy journey, one complicated over the years by war, politics, and natural disaster. In this richly detailed book, Dr. Jock Murray, a former dean of the medical school, looks at the struggles and errors, as well as the triumphs of the school. Filled with over 75 historic photos and dozens of informative sidebars, though aimed primarily at former students and faculty, Noble Goals, Dedicated Doctors is an accessible narrative that will appeal to anyone interested in the storied institution’s vast history.
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Catching the Light
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$21.95The kids call her Lighthouse: no lights on up there. In a small town, everyone knows when you can’t read. But Cathy is just distracted by the light, lines, and artistry of everyday life. She is a talented artist growing up in tiny Mariners Cove and yearns for acceptance. She dreams of enrolling in art school, but getting there will be a struggle. Hutch Parsons is everything Cathy is not: charismatic, popular, smart. Overflowing with energy, he is confident in his plans for the future. But one icy evening his world is upended and those plans are swept away.
Dancing between points of view, Catching the Light explores the ordinary lives of two extraordinary people. With gorgeously lyrical language and a strong sense of place, this tender novel announces a bright new voice in Atlantic fiction. Winner of the 2014 Percy Janes First Novel Award for an unpublished manuscript.
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Historic Amherst
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$21.95It is hard to ignore the past in a town like Amherst in northern Nova Scotia. The setting fir the Leon Trotsky’s internment in one of Canada’s largest World War One prisoner-of-war camps and for Henry George Ketchum’s unusual plans to build a ship railway, Amherst has witnessed the rise-and sometimes fall- of personal fortunes and revolutionary dreams. Once the battleground for the historic struggle between the English and the French, it has been called home by notable figures of all kinds, including four fathers of Confederation and renowned artist Alex Colville.
Historic Amherst looks at the fascinating evolution of the small community of “Morse’s Corner” into “Busy Amherst,” an Industrial centre for the production of steel, iron and automobiles at its peak in the early 1900s. Supported by priceless photographs that testify to Amherst’s early prosperity as well as to its social, sporting, recreational and agrarian past, this illustrated history promises to inform and delight as it traces the significant moment in this once-bustling bordertown.
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For The Record
Publisher: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.$19.95Former Senator Wilfred Moore has been part of the political and cultural fabric of Nova Scotia and Canada for the best part of 50 years. From Halifax alderman and deputy mayor, chair of the Halifax Metro Centre and of the Bluenose II Preservation Trust Society, to ultimately representing Nova Scotia in the Senate of Canada he has been an important actor on the provincial and national stages. One of his pleasures was placing in the record of Canada the acts of individuals, especially Nova Scotians that contributed to the greater good. For the Record provides a two-decade tribute to these outstanding individuals.
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Everything British Columbia The Ultimate Book of Lists
Publisher: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.$19.95Everything British Columbia will take you on a wild romp across the province. From Lainey Lui’s list of the 5 biggest celebrity scandals in BC, to crime historian Eve Lazarus’s list of the 10 most bizarre murders, to chef Tojo’s top 10 delicious sushi ingredients, and Stephen Hui’s list of 10 long BC hikes worthy of your bucket list … it is all here.
From 11 cities (and 1 planet) Vancouver has played in the movies to 10 facts about the Ogopogo (most of them true) to 10 gigantic BC roadside attractions, this is a book that will wow and entertain you on every page. In addition to 10 weird and wonderful BC museums to 12 crotchety quotes form legendary newspaperwoman “Ma” Murray, and 10 times Kim Campbell was delightfully candid on Twitter, we get well-known British Columbians to weigh in on their favourite things about British Columbia. In Everything British Columbia you’ll also find lists by David Suzuki, Rick Hansen, Bif Naked and many, many more.
If you love British Columbia (and we know that you do), you’ll love Everything British Columbia. Whether you are a lifelong resident or visiting for the first time, there’s no more complete book about British Columbia and no book is more fun!
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British Columbia Burning
Publisher: MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc.$19.95More of British Columbia had gone up in smoke in eight days in July 2017 than during the entire 2016 season. It was a year for the record books. By the time the flames were finally extinguished, 2017 ranked as the worst wildfire season in British Columbia history.
As early as July 7, the province declared a state of emergency as separate fires raged across the province. By the end of the summer, more than 65,000 people had been forced to leave their homes and wildfire smoke was choking the air as far away asVictoria and Saskatchewan. In British Columbia Burning, Bethany Lindsay uses words and images to follow firefighters, evacuees and those who stayed to save their communities in this unforgettable wildfire season.
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Maud Lewis Colouring Book Volume 2
Publisher: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia$6.95The Maud Lewis Colouring & Activity Book Volume 2 features pictures to colour, crosswords, word searches, connect-the-dot, and other activities. Inspired by the artwork of Maud Lewis, Canada’s most beloved and best-known folk artist, this delightful book is suitable for children between the ages of 3-10.
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Dispensing Aid
$20.00The floors were deep with plaster and glass, shelving was toppled, and heavy wooden counters broken. Amidst this disarray pharmacists gave first aid to the injured who came to the drug stores seeking care almost immediately following one of the worst disasters in Canadian history, the Halifax Explosion.
Dispensing Aid tells the stories of druggists in the aftermath of the Halifax Explosion, the care they provided, their narrow escapes and the unexpected roles they played. The common medications of a hundred years ago are identified and their usage described. Photographs of corner drug store promotions, century old prescriptions and medication bottles add to this book’s unique perspective of an unforgettable time in Halifax’s history.
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Highland Settler The Classic Portrait of the Scottish Gael in Cape Breton and Eastern Nova Scotia
Publisher: Breton Books$18.95At the core of Charles W. Dunn’s pioneering work with the Canadian Gaelic-speaking community in the twentieth century, Highland Settler is the story of immigration, rural settlement, and the later dispersion to the industrial world–a thoughtful and entertaining history of an extraordinary people.
Dunn’s extensive interviews and the informed warmth of his approach make Highland Settler an essential book in the discovery of Cape Breton Island. Drawing on delightful storytelling, and local songs and poetry that settlers composed and loved, Dunn achieves a Gaelic settlers’ self-portrait as well as the historian and folklorist’s insight into the culture.
A fresh new edition of an elegant and accessible classic about folk ways vibrant in the 1940s and alive today in Cape Breton Island, with the details and historical perspective of this expert researcher.
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La bonne idée!
Artist: Natasha PilottePublisher: Bouton d'or Acadie$12.95Océanne would love to have a swimming pool or take a trip in an airplane like her new friend does. But Océanne’s parents are farmers. They sell at the local market. It doesn’t earn them a great deal and it takes a lot of work. Nevertheless, the family takes a weekend off to go visit Oceanne’s great grandmother at Baie Sainte-Marie in Nova Scotia. It’s a trip that will give her a chance to appreciate how fortunate she is, and put her little aggravations into perspective. What’s more, she has an idea that will take shape while she’s there–one which will make her parents proud and make Océanne herself a partner in their market venture.
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Les Sept Amis
Artist: Daniela ZekinaPublisher: Bouton d'or Acadie$8.95Monday throws on warm clothing, Tuesday takes the train to meet Wednesday while Thursday crawls out of bed to meet up with Friday… for a whole week’s worth of rhyme and sparkling illustrations.
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Maritime Melange
Photographer: Shannon WilliamsPublisher: Chocolate River Publishing$12.95Maritime Melange was inspired by New Brunswick?s coastlines and the International Sculpture Symposium that was hosted by Sculpture Saint John. The award-winning poem is illustrated by the photography of Shannon Williams as it appears in print for the first time. Previously, it was set to music and performed by the New Brunswick Symphony Orchestra at the 2016 Sculpture Symposium in Saint John, NB.
A map showing the locations of the sculptures is included.
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Cultivating Success The Life of Acadian Seaplants Founder Louis Deveau
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$27.95Louis Deveau was born in the Acadian village of Salmon River, Digby County, NS, in the early years of the Great Depression. He inherited his father’s work ethic and his mother’s entrepreneurial flair, soon pioneering the creation of the commercial crab industry?now the second-largest fishery in Atlantic Canada. That work put him on the front lines of the industry he would transform over a lifetime: the seaweed business.
At forty-nine, Louis incorporated Acadian Seaplants Limited (ASL), and doggedly grew the company by capitalizing on research and development innovations. Today, ASL employs hundreds of people in more than a dozen nations, keeps a research staff of about fifty, and exports a wide range of products to over eighty nations worldwide.
With dozens of black and white photos and two colour inserts, this comprehensive biography tells the story of a visionary whose determination to build a successful business in Nova Scotia, and whose commitment to church, family, community, and Acadian culture transformed ASL into a world-leading, research- and technology-driven juggernaut.
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Miss Nackawic Meets Midlife
Publisher: Chocolate River Publishing$14.95Colleen Landry’s delusional alter ego, Miss Nackawic 1981, is ready for her second coming. Oh sure…it’s been 37 years since she reigned over her tiny town wearing a tiara and sash, but she has clung to the memory of adoring fans and paparazzi chases ever since. Her husband and two sons hardly ever clap or take her picture when she enters a room so she has no choice but to seek fame and glory elsewhere–the Miss World pageant! Despite more than three decades of unanswered requests for information about the pageant, Miss Nackawic 1981 refuses to give up hope that there is life after picking up soggy towels, burning Thanksgiving turkeys, and trying to make her menfolk understand that throw cushions are never to be touched.
This middle-aged writer’s hilarious and delusional observations about raising boys, surviving(ish) menopause and searching for meaning in mid-life will make you laugh out loud…at her expense.
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Panama
Photographer: George FischerPublisher: George Fischer$29.95Lounge on a deserted beach or dive for treasure. Enjoy fine Panamanian coffee in a plantation and a jungle lunch with an Indian tribe. Follow the sounds of nearly 1,000 bird species. Make friends with monkeys, toucans, and iguanas. George Fischer’s images have captured Panama’s magical mix of nature, culture, history, and a thoroughly modern infrastructure. Best known for the Panama Canal, the country is also recognized for its other wonders: five UNESCO sites, distinct Indian cultures, more than 1,500 islands, and countless historical monuments.
