{"product_id":"the-great-halifax-explosion-a-world-war-i-story-of-treachery-tragedy-and-extraordinary-heroism-isbn-9780062686992","title":"The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism","description":"\u003cp\u003eNATIONAL BESTSELLER\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \"riveting\" (National Post) tick-tock account of the largest manmade explosion in history prior to the atomic bomb, and the equally astonishing tales of survival and heroism that emerged from the ashes\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Enthralling. ... Gripping. ... A captivating and emotionally investing journey.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter steaming out of New York City on December 1, 1917, laden with a staggering three thousand tons of TNT and other explosives, the munitions ship Mont-Blanc fought its way up the Atlantic coast, through waters prowled by enemy U-boats. As it approached the lively port city of Halifax, Mont-Blanc's deadly cargo erupted with the force of 2.9 kilotons of TNT—the most powerful explosion ever visited on a human population, save for HIroshima and Nagasaki. Mont-Blanc was vaporized in one fifteenth of a second; a shockwave leveled the surrounding city. Next came a thirty-five-foot tsunami. Most astounding of all, however, were the incredible survival stories and heroism that soon emerged from the rubble.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the unforgettable story told in John U. Bacon's The Great Halifax Explosion, a gripping work of narrative nonfiction about the fateful decisions that led to doom, the human faces of the blast's 11,000 casualties, and the equally moving individual stories of those who lived and selflessly threw themselves into urgent rescue work that saved thousands.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe shocking scale of the disaster stunned the world, dominating global headlines even amid the calamity of the First World War. Hours after the blast, Boston sent trains and ships filled with doctors, medicine, and money. This single event in Canadian history would revolutionize pediatric medicine; transform U.S.-Canadian relations; and provide physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who studied the Halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with history's only real-world case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMesmerizing and inspiring, Bacon's deeply-researched narrative brings to life the tragedy, bravery, and surprising afterlife of one of the most dramatic events of modern military history.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne ship, one city, and one catastrophic morning that would shape the course of the 20th century—\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eWWI History:\u003c\/b\u003e Follow the munitions ship \u003ci\u003eMont-Blanc\u003c\/i\u003e on its perilous journey up an Atlantic coast prowled by German U-boats, carrying a cargo of 3,000 tons of explosives.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eA City Leveled:\u003c\/b\u003e Witness the moment of the blast—a 2.9-kiloton explosion that vaporized the ship, flattened Halifax, and triggered a devastating thirty-five-foot tsunami.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eThe Boston Response:\u003c\/b\u003e Learn how a massive and immediate relief effort from Boston not only saved thousands of lives but also forged an enduring bond between two nations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eHistory of Science:\u003c\/b\u003e Uncover the explosion's surprising legacy, from revolutionizing pediatric medicine to providing J. Robert Oppenheimer with a real-world case study for the atomic bomb.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe astonishing true story of history’s largest manmade explosion before the atomic bomb, and its world-changing aftermath, from acclaimed \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author John U. Bacon\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDecember 1917: the freighter Mont-Blanc steamed out of New York Harbor packed with a staggering load of explosives intended to break the ghastly stalemate on the Western Front. The floating powder keg bobbed up the Eastern seaboard for four days, avoiding rocky shores and German U-boats. But after reaching the safety of Halifax Harbour, a collision sparked a fire on deck, the panicked crew fled, and the burning ghost ship drifted toward the city. At 9:04 a.m. a cataclysm unlike anything the world had ever seen erupted.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the unforgettable story told in John U. Bacon’s \u003cem\u003eThe Great Halifax Explosion\u003c\/em\u003e: a ticktock account of the hours preceding the disaster, the fateful decisions that led to doom, the human faces of the blast’s 11,000 casualties, and the aftermath. The blast dominated global headlines, transformed Canada and the United States from adversaries to allies, and, years later, gave J. Robert Oppenheimer his best case study in the power of a weapon of mass destruction. Mesmerizing and inspiring, Bacon’s deeply researched narrative brings to life the tragedy, bravery, and surprising afterlife of one of the most dramatic events of modern times.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e“The most destructive moment of World War I occurred far from the Western Front, in Canada, where an explosion blew a city apart but propelled two nations together. John U. Bacon, a superbly talented historian and story teller, has rescued from obscurity an astonishing episode of horror and heroism.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGEORGE F. WILL\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“\u003cem\u003eThe Great Halifax Explosion\u003c\/em\u003e is absorbing from first page to last. With deep research and evocative writing, John U. Bacon has brought back to life this devastating wartime event and illuminated its lasting meaning.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDAVID MARANISS, Pulitzer Prize winner, and author of Once in a Great City\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Fans of Ken Burns, Daniel James Brown’s \u003cem\u003eThe Boys in the Boat\u003c\/em\u003e, and John Hersey’s \u003cem\u003eHiroshima\u003c\/em\u003e will find in John Bacon’s meticulous reporting a story that literally rocked the world. This is a story with an enormous heart; this is an author with astounding range.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDOUG STANTON, New York Times bestselling author of The Odyssey of Echo Company\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“When I first encountered the Halifax Explosion, I knew immediately it was a tick-tock of a story just waiting to become a book. John U. Bacon is clearly the perfect writer for the job, able to keep you awake reading hours after your spouse has turned out the lights. In this suspenseful tale of heartbreak and heroism, Bacon deftly recreates a world at war and sheds new light on one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBETH MACY, New York Times bestselling author of Factory Man and Truevine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Engrossing and enthralling. ... Gripping and deeply relatable. ... A captivating and emotionally investing journey into a community’s great sadness and how it builds strength in times of unfathomable devastation. … A striking, poignant reminder that what is forgotten should be remembered once more.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePittsburgh Post-Gazette\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Many Americans are unaware of the terrible tragedy so ably described in this book. The author’s inclusion of many personal accounts greatly enlivens the narrative. ... \u003cem\u003eThe Great Halifax Explosion\u003c\/em\u003e sheds new light on this sad but fascinating event.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Journal of America's Military Past\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A story of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of tragedy. Told convincingly and powerfully.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJohn Baldoni, Forbes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A vivid reconstruction of history that turns out to have been in great measure forgotten even by those who thought they already knew all about it. The telling of the story is spectacularly cinematic.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDavid Frum, The Atlantic\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A really remarkable book, exactly the kind I love reading. The research was put together with care to create a full portrait of an event and a moment in time -- and written with pace and craft. I just love it. I already want to read it again. I don’t think I can really express my admiration adequately.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eGlenn Stout, author of Fenway 1912\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bacon does an excellent job of bringing the century-old events to life. He has immersed himself in old letters and journalistic accounts, finding the human stories that allow readers to connect with stories of men, women and children whose lives were ended or altered by the terrible explosion.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChicago Tribune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bacon is a fine storyteller, who brings all of his skills as a historian to bear on the tragedy. ... Anyone who wants to know more about a remarkable story should not miss this book.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCBC Radio\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The Halifax Explosion of 1917 has been virtually forgotten, at least until this excellent book. ... Reads like an exciting novel. ... Once you start reading, it will be hard to put down. Highly recommended.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFree Lance-Star (Fredericksburg)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“An eternal story worth knowing. ... Well-researched and told in an engaging style.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSan Antonio Express-News\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Well-documented. … Details the lapses in procedure and judgment that led up to the catastrophe, describing both the victims’ accounts and the enormous outpouring of aid from both Canada and America. … An accessible narrative useful to all World War I collections.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“[A] prodigiously researched and gripping account. ... [A] vivid narrative that make[s] extensive use of archive material, family histories and newspaper accounts.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eToronto Star\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bacon’s discovery of a trove of Barss’s letters... injects his book with a fresh and compelling storyline.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eToronto Globe and Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Definitive. ... Bacon recreates the recklessness that caused the tragedy, the selfless rescue efforts that saved thousands, and the inspiring resilience that rebuilt the town. ... Brings to light one of the most dramatic events of the twentieth century.’” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBook Riot\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“John U. Bacon’s \u003cem\u003eThe Great Halifax Explosion\u003c\/em\u003e is the seminal account of one of the bloodiest man-made disasters in world history, which killed some 2,000 people. This is a riveting, well-written and researched World War I book. Highly recommended!” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDOUGLAS BRINKLEY, author of Cronkite\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bacon documents the terrifying incident in vivid detail. ... An absorbing history of disaster and survival.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Bacon has crafted a marvelous story about this huge tragedy. ... Ultimately, it is a book about the power of the human spirit and how ordinary people overcome unimaginable horror to rebuild their lives and help others. It is indeed a story for our times.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eProvidence Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Very compelling.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBrooklyn Digest\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Riveting. ... Gripping. ... Bacon applies something like a play-by-play strategy to his non-fiction that makes it nearly bingeable. ... A pleasure to read.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNational Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"William Morrow Large Print","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888919015653,"sku":"NP9780062686992","price":32.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062686992.jpg?v=1730230099","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-great-halifax-explosion-a-world-war-i-story-of-treachery-tragedy-and-extraordinary-heroism-isbn-9780062686992","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}