The blast dominated global headlines, transformed canada and the united states from adversaries to allies, and, years later, gave j. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. The halifax explosion of 6 december 1917, the biggest humanmade blast before the atomic bomb, holds a poignant place in my family history. Explosion in halifax harbour, 1917, by dan soucoup, nimbus publishing, 128 pages. Books on the disaster proliferate, and while nonfiction 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. Patricia ann lewismacdougall emily and matt travel back in time to 1917 during the halifax explosion, where they must help a soldier find his lost little sister. Halifax was devastated on 6 december 1917 when two ships collided in the citys harbour, one of them a munitions ship loaded with explosives bound for the battlefields of the first world war. Bacon recreates the recklessness that caused the tragedy, the selfless rescue efforts that saved thousands, and the inspiring resilience. The halifax explosion remembrance book, an official database compiled in 2002 by the nova scotia archives and records management, identified 1,950 victims. 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.
Still, it is a lot of pages for a climatic moment that lasted onefifteenth of a second. Recounts the story from world war i in which two towns were leveled and almost two thousand people killed following the collision of two warships in halifax harbour and a blizzard that dumped over a foot of snow in the area. See more ideas about halifax explosion, halifax harbour and nova scotia. The halifax explosion was the greatest nonnuclear detonation in history, killing 2,000 people and obliterating homes and businesses over a large swath of the city. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet kitz, and the recent curse of the narrows. Dan soucoups book, explosion in halifax harbour 1917 nimbus begins with a history of halifax. The halifax explosion goodreads meet your next favorite book. New book details the halifax, nova scotia, explosion of 1917.
The explosion would revolutionize pediatric medicine. Jan 23, 2020 the halifax explosion occurred when a belgian relief vessel and a french munitions carrier collided in halifax harbour during world war i. After reading about this shocking and littleknown disaster, your students will no doubt be eager to learn more. 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. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new books.
When two ships collided in the halifax harbor, one filled to the. The world war iiera spy movie, yellow canary 1943, also uses the halifax. The canonical novel barometer rising 1941 by the canadian writer hugh. The halifax explosion remembrance book is the first really definitive listing for those killed in the disaster of 6 december 1917.
Score a book s 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. Africville, campbell road, halifax, nova scotia 45 19171206. Mustread books about the halifax explosion halifax magazine. Macdonald has researched the definitive account of the destruction of the city of halifax, nova scotia during world war i. This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and if not signed in for advertising. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. It tells the riveting story of two world war i ships that collided in halifax harbor in 1917, causing one of the most powerful explosions in historya devastating blast that ripped through the canadian towns of halifax and dartmouth. From the opening 2page spread of 5 family trees, the reader should know this story will be handled differently.
This one was about a brand new eye surgeon who moved to halifax and into the house of his bosspartnermentors family. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism bacon, john u. Bacon about a ship collision and explosion during world war i thats been called the world s first weapon of. Students will identify the key details in this narrative nonfiction feature about the 1917 explosion of a cargo ship in halifax harbor. Part romance, part action adventure, this briskpaced novel captures the. The author relates the circumstances of the accident that caused the explosion, as well as the recovery efforts and subsequent inquiry into the event.
Dec 05, 2017 the halifax explosion in nonfiction the great halifax explosion. Dec 02, 2017 this is a terrific onestop overview of the devastating human cost that was the halifax explosion. The great halifax explosion is absorbing from first page to last. 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. See more ideas about halifax explosion, nova scotia and canadian history.
The halifax explosion has frequently been the subject of works of popular culture. Corpses, many dismembered or burned beyond recognition, were scattered everywhere. Excerpt from the great halifax explosion book details collision of 2 ships and the explosion that altered a city, residents and relations between canada and u. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism hardcover by. It also focuses on the halifax explosion and its aftermath for livy and her family. The munitions ship drifted towards the pier and after twenty minutes blew sky high. What followed was one of the largest humanmade explosions prior to the detonation of the first atomic bombs in 1945. This young adult book is about the close bonds of a sister and brother as they face prejudice over their their germanborn father in the midst of world war i. Historical fiction of the halifax explosion the reader.
Dec 06, 2009 there are numerous factual accounts of the halifax explosion including shattered city. 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. Halifax explosion history thursday, december 6, 1917, dawned bright and clear in halifax. Many authors have written admirable books on disastrous events.
Bacon s the great halifax explosion is the seminal account of one of the bloodiest manmade disasters in world history, which killed some 2,000 people. Fiction brings halifax explosion to heart atlantic books today. The halifax explosion and the persecution of pilot. The halifax explosion of 1917 was a horrific tale of oversights, mistakes, assumptions, and ignorance. Nov 07, 2017 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. There are a few novels based on the events surrounding the halifax explosion in 1917. With this year marking a century since the ss montblanc. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet f.
Nov 09, 2017 the 1917 halifax explosion has, in the odd habit of profound tragedy, become equal fodder for fiction, theses and maritime myth alike. Bacon in this definitive account, bestselling author john u. Few living people recall that the largest manmade explosion in history prior to the advent of the nuclear age took place in halifax, nova scotia. Crowds gathered around to watch the fire from the initial collision. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are newlyconfirmed and identified victims. The narrative nonfiction telling lets readers understand it through the experiences of a yearold survivor. 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. Collison of 2 ships ignited 3,000 tons of explosives that left 2,000 dead and 25,000 citizens homeless. Bacons the great halifax explosion is the seminal account of one of the bloodiest manmade disasters in world history, which killed some 2,000 people. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism in new york journal of books.
This is a riveting, wellwritten and researched world war i book. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet kitz. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism by john u. Robert oppenheimer his best case study in the power of a weapon of mass destruction. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new. The halifax explosion diary of charlotte blackburn by julie lawson, whos a scaredy cat by. The great halifax explosion provides information about a terrible disaster that occurred in halifax harbor during world war i. Shifting social attitudes, especially about womens roles as the first world war robbed the world of men, are front and centre in this falls many. While my maternal grandfather and two of his brothers were fighting in the trenches of europe, their father, my great grandfather, and a brotherinlaw, were working as stevedores on the halifax waterfront. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism by. Dec 06, 2017 100 years after the great halifax explosion steve inskeep talks with author john u.
Robert oppenheimer, who studied the halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with historys only real world case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy and extraordinary heroism, by john u. A double take at the halifax explosion, canadas greatest. 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. There are a lot of unanswered questions and lives never mind a city to be rebuilt. The halifax explosion in nonfiction the great halifax explosion. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. World war i raged in europe, and the port city was busy with the movement of war ships carrying troops, relief supplies and munitions. Dec 05, 2017 even after a century, with most of its survivors deceased, the 1917 halifax explosion continues to grip writers imaginations. I had read another account of the halifax explosion years ago, but this book out a human outlook on this tragedy.
On its surface the story follows neil macrae, who returned from the first world war to clear his. New book details 1917 halifax, nova scotia, explosion. Kitz 4 times halifax explosion by graham metson 3 times too many to mourn by james mahar 3 times burden of desire harvest book by robert macneil 3 times miracles and mysteries. New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Halifax explosion project gutenberg selfpublishing. Fiction about the halifax explosion disaster that occurred in 1917 and killed 2,000 people. Sally walker went beyond a mere narrative, however.
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