The story and scope of the disaster and its aftermath is revealed in fiction and nonfiction narratives for both adults and children in these selections from the collection of the cape breton regional library. Bostons official 2016 christmas tree, like others that have come before it, is a thank you gift for events a century ago in the nova scotias canadian provinces coastal capital of halifax. The halifax explosion and the road to recovery by janet f. 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. For more information about the halifax explosion, visit. The crash sparked the largest manmade explosion until the atomic bomb. This 3minute npr clip tells the story behind a heartwarming tradition that came about in the wake of the. The great halifax explosion sheds new light on this sad but fascinating event. Bostons christmas tree tradition rooted in a canadian. Dec 06, 2017 a gripping narrative history of the largest manmade detonation prior to hiroshima. Nov 30, 2017 a centurys worth of historical accounts, novels and documentaries, plus a tv miniseries, have told and retold the story.
The crash sparked the largest manmade explosion until the atomic. Nov 07, 2017 an earlier book by janet kitz, shattered city. I first heard of john u bacon through his commentaries on npr. In this definitive account, bestselling author john u.
I had read another account of the halifax explosion years ago, but this book out a human. 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. On december 6, 1917 in halifax, nova scotia, two ships collided in the harbor. The author relates the circumstances of the accident that caused the explosion, as well as the recovery efforts and subsequent inquiry into the event. The great halifax explosion large print paperback the. This 3minute npr clip tells the story behind a heartwarming tradition that came about in the wake of the halifax tragedy.
Dec 06, 2017 100 years after the great halifax explosion steve inskeep talks with author john u. 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. Bacon is the author of five new york times bestsellers, including three and out. Morning edition for december 6, 2017 hear the morning edition program for december 6, 2017. Morning edition for may 20, 2019 hear the morning edition program for may 20, 2019. Some days, the harbor was as busy as a highway at rush hour. The online version features a searchable database with detailed information for 1952 casualties more than 300 of whom are newlyconfirmed and identified victims. A goodreads search for halifax explosion returns more than 40 titles. Dec 06, 2017 remembering the halifax explosion on the hundredth anniversary of the disaster, we look back at how some of the citys children miraculously survived december 6, 2017 april 2, 2020 by katie ingram katie ingram updated 21.
In his new book, the great halifax explosion, author john u. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the great halifax explosion. Ive just been in the right place at the wrong time. Dec 06, 2017 maps mania points to a couple of interactive maps of the explosion produced by canadian news media. The disastrous 1917 explosion of a munitions ship in halifax harbo. 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. That accident sparked a fire and an apocalyptic explosion that was the largest manmade blast prior to the 1945 dropping of the atomic bomb on hiroshima.
A world war i story of treachery, tragedy and extraordinary heroism, by john u. Bacon about a ship collision and explosion during world war i thats been called the worlds first weapon of. This first novel by the former npr news broadcaster robert macneil is an ambitious. 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. Bacon has tracked the disaster in halifax a century ago to the celebratory.
John u bacon is the author of the great halifax explosion. A gripping narrative history of the largest manmade detonation prior to hiroshima. The explosion would revolutionize pediatric medicine. Africville, campbell road, halifax, nova scotia 45 19171206. The great halifax explosion meet your next favorite book. Ships from its harbor carried troops and supplies to the armies in europe. Every december, the province of nova scotia sends boston a large christmas tree as a thankyou for the citys speedy and generous support after the explosion. Corpses, many dismembered or burned beyond recognition, were scattered everywhere. The halifax explosion remembrance book is the first really definitive listing for those killed in the disaster of 6 december 1917. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy, and extraordinary heroism. 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. Robert oppenheimer, who studied the halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with historys only realworld case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction. Dec 02, 2017 this is a terrific onestop overview of the devastating human cost that was the halifax explosion.
The halifax explosion 1917 nova scotia, canada youtube. How the largest manmade blast before the atomic bomb led to. 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. On the morning of december 6th, 1917 in the port city of halifax, nova scotia, an explosion took place that obliterated half of the town in an instant a french munitions ship, the montblanc. Identifying who survives disasters and why time magazine reporter amanda. I heard about this book last week on al krestas radio show, as al interviewed john u bacon, and the book sounded so fascinating, i just had to read it. Nov 09, 2017 his latest book is the great halifax explosion. Students will identify the key details in this narrative nonfiction feature about the 1917 explosion of a cargo ship in halifax harbor. Experience the halifax explosion 100 years later is a bit overproduced, with 360degree video and a nonclickable map that immediately segues into a 3d environment with limited interactivity. When i first encountered the halifax explosion, i knew immediately it was a ticktock of a story just waiting to become a book.
New books remember the great halifax explosion the star. Bacon wrote a book about what happened when crews filled a ship called the montblanc with high explosives. Dec 18, 20 sink argentinas carrier 1982 the secret british falklands war mission duration. Hes also written the new york times bestsellers three and out and fourth and long. On the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, two new. Bacon, michigan radio sports commentator and author, joined stateside in november to talk about his new book, the great halifax explosion.
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. Remembering the halifax explosion through a childs eyes kaye chapman was five years old on the fateful day in 1917 when a munitions ships collision in halifaxs harbour. The great halifax explosion al kresta interviews john u. On december 6, 1917, the french munitions ship mont blanc and the norwegian warrelief vessel imo collided in the harbour at halifax, nova scotia. I had read another account of the halifax explosion years ago, but this book out a human outlook on this tragedy. Halifax explosion memorial halifax, nova scotia atlas obscura. Dec 01, 2016 bostons official 2016 christmas tree, like others that have come before it, is a thank you gift for events a century ago in the nova scotias canadian provinces coastal capital of halifax. The halifax explosion was a disaster that occurred in halifax, nova scotia, canada, on the morning of 6 december 1917. Dan soucoups book, explosion in halifax harbour 1917 nimbus begins with a history of halifax. Since then, hes had a few close calls, including as. A fire on board the french ship ignited her cargo, causing a massive explosion that. This nonfiction is an account of a tragedy which occurred in halifax, canada, at the end of the fourth year of the great war. This is a riveting, wellwritten and researched world war i book.
In 1917, a french ship carrying volatile explosives was hit by another ship in the harbor in halifax, nova scotia, canada. Mar 02, 2016 train dispatcher vince coleman sacrifices his own life to save a train from the halifax explosion. Bacon recreates the recklessness that caused the tragedy, the selfless rescue efforts that saved thousands, and the inspiring resilience that rebuilt the town. Today marks the 100th anniversary of the halifax explosion, which took place when a french cargo ship laden with explosives collided with another ship in halifax harbour. He appears often on npr and national television, and teaches at northwestern universitys medill school of journalism and the university of michigan. The resulting blast killed around 2,000 people and devastated the city of halifax, nova scotia. Learn more about the great halifax explosion storyworks. A world war i story of treachery, tragedy and heroism.
Bacon appears often on npr and national television, and teaches at northwestern universitys medill school of journalism and the university of michigan. What followed was one of the largest humanmade explosions prior to the detonation of the first atomic bombs in 1945. 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. His latest book tells the tale of a historical event that isnt as wellknown as it probably should be.
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