Halifax Explosion – 琉璃社区 琉璃社区 Publishing is the largest English-language publisher east of Toronto Tue, 14 May 2024 12:37:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 153484567 Breaking Disaster /store/breaking-disaster.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:59:46 +0000 /store/breaking-disaster.html/breaking-disaster On 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.

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]]> 56337 The Blind Mechanic /store/the-blind-mechanic.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:35:26 +0000 http://nimbus.ca/store/the-blind-mechanic Eric 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鈥攁 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.

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]]> 78942 Explosion in Halifax Harbour, 1917 /store/explosion-in-halifax-harbour-1917.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:35:21 +0000 /store/explosion-in-halifax-harbour-1917.html/explosion-in-halifax-harbour-1917 In December 1917, one of the greatest natural harbours in the world was humming with excitement. Halifax Harbour was filled with naval convoys and merchant vessels while factories worked overtime in support of the Allied war effort in Europe. But on December 6, Canada's worst disaster struck, as two ships--one carrying high explosives--collided. The explosion killed and injured thousands, razing the city's North End and destroying nearly everything in its path.

The story of the worst human-made explosion before Hiroshima is the account of tremendous human suffering and devastation, yet also of human bravery and survival against all odds. Chaos and confusion reigned that day in Halifax and Dartmouth but what followed was a massive relief effort involving charitable assistance from all over the globe--especially Massachusetts.

Explosion in Halifax Harbour, 1917 includes a detailed account of the event, chronicling many remarkable human tragedies, rescue and relief efforts, attempts to place blame for the collision, and the reconstruction program that created Canada's first government-assisted housing program. The newest Stories of Our Past title includes 60 full-colour images as well as sidebars on many monuments and commemorations that pay tribute to this catastrophic event that took place 100 years ago.

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]]> 53991 A Blinding Light /store/a-blinding-light.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:33:27 +0000 /store/a-blinding-light.html/a-blinding-light It'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.

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]]> 53990 Broken Pieces /store/broken-pieces.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:30:22 +0000 /store/broken-pieces.html/broken-pieces One 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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]]> 53989 December 1917 (new edition) /store/december-1917-new-edition.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:29:40 +0000 /store/december-1917-new-edition.html/december-1917-new-edition December 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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]]> 56112 Aftershock /store/aftershock.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:27:42 +0000 /store/aftershock.html/aftershock On 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.

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]]> 53228 Who’s a Scaredy Cat ? (revised edition) /store/whos-a-scaredy-cat-revised-edition.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:27:11 +0000 /store/whos-a-scaredy-cat-revised-edition.html/whos-a-scaredy-cat-revised-edition This 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鈥檚 jokes, and is ridiculed by the other girl. Although Isobel knows she is a not a 鈥渟caredycat,鈥 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.


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]]> 53987 Miracles and Mysteries /store/miracles-and-mysteries.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:17:45 +0000 /store/miracles-and-mysteries.html/miracles-and-mysteries Mary 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.

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]]> 55862 The Town That Died /store/the-town-that-died.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 23:17:41 +0000 /store/the-town-that-died-2 The 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.

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