The Great Halifax Explosion by John U. Bacon

 

The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism by John U. Bacon. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2017. Adult nonfiction.

  This is my very favorite nonfiction book of 2020. It is filled with adventure, history, true bravery, and stories of real people. On Thursday, December 6, 1917, two ships collided in Halifax harbor. One was filled with explosives destined for WWI efforts. The result was the most destructive man-made disaster until Hiroshima. Windows for fifty miles were blown out. Over 2,000 people were killed and thousands more were wounded. A huge portion of the population instantly became homeless. The lessons learned included how to better deal with the blind, how to rebuild quickly, and are told through the stories of several families. Ironically, the HMS Titanic's rescue and recovery missions had taught locals how to label, store, and bury large numbers of dead bodies. While that disaster is well known, the "Blizzard of Glass" in Halifax is less well remembered. Bacon's book will ensure that readers will long remember it.