A World War I Story of Treachery - and Extraordinary Heroism

What an incredible piece of history, told by a master storyteller. Bacon’s art is in the everyday details mixed with the perfect blend of drama and intrigue that is gripping right from the start. A thoroughly enjoyable, and illuminating read from beginning to end!

John Bacon has written an interesting book about an interesting event—the accidental detonation of 6 million pounds of high explosives in Halifax harbor on December 6, 2017.

Unfortunately, the book suffers both from what is not included, and from what is included.

What’s not in the book? 1) a good map of Halifax harbor, the scene of the action. The map that is provided is all but indecipherable. 2) a detailed street map of the epicenter also would have been helpful. Bacon keeps referring to street names and landmarks in the city, particularly the Richmond neighborhood, but without a map all this is somewhat meaningless. 3) better editing—on pages 225-26, in describing other natural disasters, Bacon states that the Great Chicago Fire killed “300” and the San Francisco earthquake “left 200,000 homeless and 3,000 dead.” Yet on page 349 he writes: “Even with the low estimate of 2,000 dead, the [Halifax] explosion killed four times more than the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and eight times more than the Chicago Fire of 1871.” I may not be the best at math, but those numbers simply don’t add up. 4) better writing: In some cases, sloppy writing leads to needless ambiguity. On page 329, the author mentions that “Barbara [Orr] moved in with the aunt who found her and her husband.” Did the aunt find two people, or did Barbara move in with the aunt who discovered her, and with the aunt’s husband? Since we can remember (from page 138) that Barbara is only 14 at the time, clearly the latter is the correct interpretation. But why have to go through mental gymnastics to figure this out?

What’s included? 1) a bit too much filler. The entire history of Halifax is hardly relevant, and its tangential role in the U.S. Civil War and its aftermath does not add anything to the story. Similarly, there is far too much attention, in my opinion, to a marginal character named Ernest Barss. Barss was a wounded veteran of the First World War who was convalescing in his home near Halifax when the explosion occurred. Although he played only a minor, supporting role, in the drama that followed, the experience did affect him strongly—so strongly that he overcame numerous physical and financial obstacles to become a successful doctor and hockey coach. It’s an inspiring story, but, again, somewhat tangential to the explosion and its aftermath. Yet, by the time Barss returns to Canada following his war wounds, his wartime experience has been covered for over 25 pages, including seemingly all of his letters home from the Western Front. I’m glad Bacon included Barss’ story in his tale—but this detail amounts to overkill.

All that said, Bacon is quite right to emphasize the incredible resilience and fortitude shown by the inhabitants of Halifax following the explosion. “[W]ith society’s infrastructure decimated, something more noble rose up to replace it: the primal instinct to take care of one another . . . and to give them shelter, food, medical help, and simple kindness. . . .” The community feeling extended across class lines—the rich rolled up their sleeves and helped the poor, and across national lines—the sometimes antagonistic relationship between the U.S. and Canada melted in the devastation wrought by the explosion.

Thus, it is all the more ironic that there was one divide that could not be bridged: between religions. Bacon describes how the first mass funeral (December 17, 1917) was conducted strictly along religious lines: the Protestant service first, followed by the Catholic service; “the Protestant victims sent to Fairview Cemetery” and the “Catholic remains heading to Mount Olivet.” [What Bacon doesn’t explain is how anyone could determine the religious affiliation of the 95 “unidentified, badly charred remains.”]

Similarly, Bacon describes an orphaned child (age 9 ½) who is first placed with family relatives but then yanked back. It was deemed better to make her live in an orphanage than with relatives who were willing to take her in—but relatives of the wrong religion.

Some barriers even a massive tragedy couldn’t surmount.

In the final analysis, any story of the Halifax Explosion has to become a tribute to the people of the city, who, despite insuperable difficulties—a devasting explosion (“the largest man-made explosion prior to Hiroshima” as Bacon incessantly reminds us)—the resulting fires—followed by freezing temperatures and a raging blizzard—all within the first twenty-four hours—somehow pulled themselves together, adopted a very Canadian solution—keep going anyway—and provided a shining example of what grit and determination can accomplish.

Bacon’s admiration for the city and its Haligonians is palpable, his research impressive. With a bit more work, he could have written a better story, a story equal to the impressive example of the people themselves.

I just finished this book, on the 100th anniversary of the Great Halifax Explosion. Bacon tells this amazing story -- which was not part of any history course I ever took! -- in an engaging and highly readable style. He describes the events writ large in historic context, as well as many of the countless personal tragedies that unfolded on that day and on so many days afterward. Who would have guessed, for example, how much damage home windows would cause to civilians' eyes that day? Or how many individual acts of heroism would resonate decades later on everyday human lives? And the University of Michigan owes its hockey program to the galvanizing effects of that day on the spirit of a Canadian WWI veteran.

Many of us today assume Canada and the U.S. were always allies, but we weren't even friendly on the cusp of World War I! This event did more to bring the countries together than anything up to that time. And still, today, the people of Halifax are grateful to our Bostonian citizens for what they did to relieve suffering a century ago. Worth reading!

This is an extraordinary book about a little-remembered tragedy that killed thousands and changed the course of history. John U. Bacon has always written fast-paced page-turners built on solid historical research and deep reporting; The Great Halifax Explosion puts his gifts as a writer and historian on full display. Bacon has a nose for a great story, and the ability to tell it well. Above all, he understands human beings, and in all his writing he uncovers the human drama of decent people trying to succeed against long odds. This story of ordinary people from Halifax, Boston, and across North America racing to help others in almost an unimaginably brutal situation is one of the most exciting and inspiring books I've read in years.

This is one of John Bacon’s best. Before reading the book I was a bit skeptical about a known sports writer writing a non-sports book. My skepticism was put to rest before the end of the first chapter. This book was a total page turner that kept me reading not only for the knowledge of the largest man made explosion in history to that point but also the whodunnit. I blew through this book twice. It is that good. Don’t let the title fool you. The explosion itself is only a small part of the book. The outpouring of human kindness and compassion after the event was more interesting to me than the event itself. Read the book. You won’t be disappointed!

On December 6, 1917, two ships, the Belgian supply ship Mont-Blanc and the Norwegian ship Imo collided in the harbor in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The resulting explosion was the most powerful manmade explosion on a human population excepting Nagasaki and Hiroshima, a force of 2.9 kilotons of TNT. Over 3,000 people lost their lives, and many more were wounded. Huge swathes of the city were flattened, reduced to rubble and burying survivors beneath the destruction.
Mr. Bacon's wonderful book was recommended to me by my two sisters and my brother-in-law (his grandfather Ernest Barss is one of the people mentioned in the book). It is an amazing story of resilience and courage as well as the willingness of many to help the survivors. Boston, Massachusetts sent trains and boats filled with supplies and personnel to help; as a result, Halifax has every year since sent a Christmas tree to be erected in that city.
A blizzard came in the day after the explosion and just made it even harder for the survivors and those trying to help them. It was a truly astounding event and I'm surprised how little I knew about it. The book mentions how cruise boats today will visit the cemetery where Titanic victims are buried, but nothing is told to them about the Halifax Explosion. That was certainly my experience several years ago when I visited that lovely city. But I guess this book gives me a reason to go back and visit with new eyes.
The author has a very comfortable writing style with a good eye for the small details that enhance the story. His narrative doesn't take away from the horror of the event but also addresses the acts of courage that took place. This is probably best exemplified by this quote from the book:
"Tragedy comes quick and loud, while the small acts of decency that follow come slowly and quietly."

Having seen the Mont Blanc’s anchor along North West Arm five miles from the point of detonation “Great” is not the first word that comes to mind. The author begins his story with the founding of Halifax in 1749 and documents the city’s dependence on the military and navy for its prosperity. When war breaks out in 1914 Halifax’ importance as a rendezvous point for Convoys headed for Europe which anchored in Bedford Bason, a body of water I’ve driven by repeatedly, makes it an obvious target for German U-boats and its defence a priority. I’ve also visited the installations on McNabs Island that gated the port.

In alternating chapters trench warfare in Europe is brought home to us through the letters of a young soldier from Wolfville. As traffic in Halifax Harbour confined to 10 hours a day increased and the inadvisability of munitions ships making themselves targets by flying red flags, coupled with a limited supply of harbour pilots and failing communications made harbour security tenuous the harbour master informed his superiors that he could not be responsible for possible accidents. His warnings went unheeded.

This version of the history places Halifax Harbour in historical perspective and covers the recovery period afterward continuing on to the final re-union of survivors. The lady my father knew in Bridgewater was probably not the only survivor who refused to ever return to the city.

This is a really interesting, very engaging story about a major event I had never heard of. I've read a lot of Bacon's work. I'm a University of Michigan fan, and he covers the school's athletics pretty extensively. While this book has one very minor connecting thread to Michigan, Bacon's reputation lead me to give it a shot. I'm really glad I did.

He tells the story of this horrific event by telling the stories of several people directly affected by it, and involved in the recovery efforts. It's a great way to really humanize it and make the whole ordeal feel very real. It's less about the number of tons of explosives, and more about the people.

I lmostly listened to this via Audible. Johnny Heller does an excellent job reading this. He smoothly slips into a flawless French accent when pronouncing the many French words and names, which really makes things flow nicely. He bring proper seriousness to a serious topic, but keeps the light moments light. A great pairing or reader and author here.

I agree with all the plaudits for this wonderful book. As a sailor, I was interested in how the accident occurred and could have been avoided. Ironically, the only people who knew the ship carried deadly explosives was the captain and crew and one harbor official. Following the collision, the ship caught fire but did not immediately explode, indeed it was some 15 minutes later that the explosion took place. In the meantime, the crew took to their lifeboats and rowed to the opposite shore and when they landed, ran like hell. Although the author suggests this was cowardly, the crew was French, didn't speak English, wasn't in Halifax where most of the damage occurred but across the Narrows in Dartmouth; there wasn't much they could do in my opinion. Ironically, the ship in flames drew many people to the harbor, including the fire department, to watch the excitement, not realizing it would imminently explode.

The state of maritime commerce at the time was such that no harbor instructions were given to cease all traffic until the ship docked, a simple corrective that would have saved more than 2000 lives. Even if the ship had been obliged to display a red flag indicating it contained explosive material, it's possible the boat it collided with, the Imo, would not have stubbornly held to the wrong side of the channel. Its remarkable that a few simple mistakes easily avoided could result in such a disaster.

The Great Halifax explosion by John Bacon is an interesting and quite astounding revelation about an incident that took place in 1917. Hard to believe that such a man made, mini atomic bomb, for all intents and purposes could surface years before an actual A bomb occurred. Halifax was a major port for providing a life line to the world war I effort. In the book we share with the families whose children served in the war effort, returning only to experience first hand this devastating bomb.
We feel for the families looking for loved ones in the rubble and their harrowing experiences. The overwhelming medical response, including a description, for example of a bucket full of eyeballs from the blinding shock wave of air during the blast. And most importantly, for the overwhelming generosity to help this crippled port. It's odd but I don't recall this being taught in my history class.

The captains of industry of Boston's big businesses all boarded the emergency train of supplies and medical personnel to lead the rescue efforts after the worst explosion in world history (to that time). They called back to home Boston numerous times for more help and supplies and their charges quickly responded (for who says 'no' to their CEO?). This is one of the many excellent story-lines of this book. You could not find a better Christmas present.

This book is about hope. Indeed, the last two words of the subtitle are the essence of the story the author tells--extraordinary heroics And those heroics are overwhelmingly done by average folk. If you're looking for uplift, this is the story to read. You watch lives change (and, I guess, the world, what with it being at war for the first time) before the horrific explosion, with most people, though not all, getting wiser, harder, more courageous, more helpful. And then their world goes to hell, pretty much literally. Boom. And the story pivots, and you watch people, again most though not all, do the most courageous, heroic things. Like this book, we need more of that.

This is more than a book about a huge explosion. It's a history book about WW I and the relationship between Canada and the United States. It reveals through actual letters, the horrors of trench warfare in Europe. My father was from New Brunswick and my uncle from Nova Scotia. I wish they were still alive to tell me more of what they knew about the Halifax explasion and WW I. My grandfather left a family of 7 children to fight in that war. He was fortunate to have returned alive and unharmed. John U. Bacon has written many books about football and I thought that was all he would do. This really expands his horizons. I hope he writes more.

A remarkable story expertly crafted. Bacon tells the details of the tragedy as seen by the people who were there. The personal accounts of both human folly and selfless heroism are timeless. This little known history plays out the human spirit at its best. It leaves the reader feeling as though they were there, that you knew these people and hoping the examples and lessons they left for us with are not lost.

This was an wonderfully crafted “story” .
It reads like a novel and keeps you wanting to know the fates of all involved.

This is a very human story that involves all aspects of how our species reacts to extreme circumstances. John Bacon doesn’t just detail the events, he puts you there in technicolor description and depiction.
I found myself weeping during some of the more heart wrenching moments. Excellent read!

Bacon does an excellent job weaving various threads of Halifax life into a frame to hold the horror of the explosion. One fifteenth of one second to change an entire city. This story should cause you to reflect on the century of practical experience backing up various regulations. It's demonstrates how horribly wrong things can go when expediency trumps safety.

A thoroughly researched story, very well written. I love reading historical accounts (esp David McCullough) and eagerly added this book to my Christmas list. I received it and held off reading it until a Feb vacation. Terrific!! A vacation highlight. An absorbing story that was totally unknown to me. I loved the stories within the story and especially the view into families and hearts of the subjects. And the fact that the neighboring nations found a basis for respect and appreciation establishes the huge importance of the events that followed the tragedy. There is even a little frosting on the cake ... collegiate hockey at the University of Michigan!

A truly riveting account of the explosion in Halifax Nova Scotia in December of 1917 that killed 1600 and injured 9000. The author does an excellent job of looking at the tragedy from a variety of angles. It is not just about what caused the explosion, but also personal accounts of those who lived and died in the accident.

He then covers the positive side: How the people of Halifax rallied to recover. How support for Halifax came from all over the world with a special focus on Boston MA. It is a great story showing how people can come together to help one another.

Somehow "The Great Halifax Explosion" manages to be both terrifying and heart-warming. Bacon made his name as a writer of sports books, but this venture into historical suspense puts him in the same league as Erik Larson ("Dead Wake") and Daniel James Brown ("The Boys in the Boat.")

The book is readable and the subject is interesting. However, if you read it carefully you'll notice that the book has not been carefully written. The author provides a person's birthdate and then miscalculates their age. He dates an event that happened after the explosion (which occurred December 6, 1917) in November rather than December. He describes the composition of picric acid misleadingly. --I enjoyed reading it but I have difficulty taking the book seriously when the author has muffed such obvious points.

What a great read. The events recounted in this book are, simply put, unbelievable.
Every time another critical piece of the puzzle leading up to the explosion falls into place, you just shake your head, asking "How could something like this happen?"

I had been to the museum in Halifax 25 years ago where all the events were laid out for me, and my response at that time was, "if an event of this magnitude happened in North America, how come I've never heard of it?"

And all this time later, I run into similar responses whenever I bring it up. I had dinner with a young man from Toronto last week, and he'd never heard of it either.

You will not regret reading this book.

History can be dull because historians do a horrible job expressing more than minimal effort of dates, names, and already known details. This book is so well researched and shows the human side of a city, a disaster, and the united front to solve a major crisis and the tradition that continues a hundred years later. A Haligonian friend told me about the explosion and last visit, went to some the major points of interest on this tragedy. Bacon captures the history but in a involved way that makes you feel part of a disaster that really never should have happened. Excellent book. Highly recommended.

As a reader, I have always been fascinated by history. Bacon does a great job of mixing historical facts with the type of character development that creates the perfect context needed to really understand what went on in 1917. The pages kept turning and this story, as told, could well end up as an amazing movie. Thumbs Up!

Fantastic story. Incredibly interesting. There are a couple of side stories that didn’t seem all that pertinent that took up a lot of the book but even they were very interesting. Highly recommend this book. I liked the narrator too.

This piece of forgotten history is brought to life in vivid detail. Bacon is masterful in setting the mood/backstory and then putting the reader on top of a ticking time bomb. The heroism that follows this unimaginable disaster is awesome to behold on these pages. Plain and simply, this is a GREAT read

Tremendous account of a little known but extraordinary event during World War I. Hard to put the book down, a fascinating tale of a combination of events that caused the tragedy and the response to it. Definitely well written, one of the best books I’ve read.

Another great book from John U. Bacon! Amazing tale of a little known event in the history of the world detailing how the explosion occurred and the incredible stories of the many heroic actions after the explosion. I was amazed at the personal stories included and level of detail provided given the event happened 100 years ago. Just a wonderful story of what people are capable of when tragedy strikes. The impact on the Canada/USA relationship is also fascinating. Highly recommend this book!

Well researched and mesmerizing. Small error by small error, you can see the horror coming. Profiles the individual stories of several affected families. The magnitude of WWI must have overshadowed this event to some degree. If it happened today, it would be as much a headline story as are many headline accidents of today's world. Reminiscent of the style and themes of Erik Larson - the way he makes tragedy human.

John U. Bacon has crafted a meticulous, carefully researched depiction of an event during World War I that most citizens in the U. S. A. have probably not been aware of. It was a particular delight, having read John’s previous books about football at The University of Michigan, to be privy to another side of his historical endeavors—although he did manage to slip in a few references to hockey and The University of Michigan.

Bacon's story of the explosion includes the horrible statistics. Yet, his main focus is the aftermath of the explosion and tales of the survivors. He has the ability to explain situations of the characters so that you understand their difficult decisions. It is difficult to put the book down. I really enjoyed the book.

An amazing story, well told. I cannot imagine the task of researching and selecting the individual stories to weave into a coherent tale of a man-made disaster. And the legal proceedings are logically and correctly explained. It is great to read about people doing good for each other in these times.

I just finished reading John U Bacon's great book. It amazes me on how much detail he went into. I can’t imagine the research gone into this book. I recommend it for anyone who’s on the fence, go get it. Hard to put down.

I thought the comparison to other disasters like the Chicago Fire, San Francisco Earthquake, Galveston Hurricane and the Johnstown Flood was interesting. Having recently lived through the Hurricane Harvey flood in Houston, I saw a lot of parallels to Halifax and it's recovery efforts. This book was well researched and well written.

An amazing tale, told with a historian's attention to detail and a writer's flair for language. The personal stories of the families and individuals affected by the Halifax explosion make this book an engrossing and uplifting read.

John U. Bacon has crafted a meticulous, carefully researched depiction of an event during World War I that most citizens in the U. S. A. have probably not been aware of. It was a particular delight, having read John’s previous books about football at The University of Michigan, to be privy to another side of his historical endeavors—although he did manage to slip in a few references to hockey and The University of Michigan.

Bacon's story of the explosion includes the horrible statistics. Yet, his main focus is the aftermath of the explosion and tales of the survivors. He has the ability to explain situations of the characters so that you understand their difficult decisions. It is difficult to put the book down. I really enjoyed the book.

An amazing story, well told. I cannot imagine the task of researching and selecting the individual stories to weave into a coherent tale of a man-made disaster. And the legal proceedings are logically and correctly explained. It is great to read about people doing good for each other in these times.

I just finished reading John U Bacon's great book. It amazes me on how much detail he went into. I can’t imagine the research gone into this book. I recommend it for anyone who’s on the fence, go get it. Hard to put down.

I thought the comparison to other disasters like the Chicago Fire, San Francisco Earthquake, Galveston Hurricane and the Johnstown Flood was interesting. Having recently lived through the Hurricane Harvey flood in Houston, I saw a lot of parallels to Halifax and it's recovery efforts. This book was well researched and well written.

An amazing tale, told with a historian's attention to detail and a writer's flair for language. The personal stories of the families and individuals affected by the Halifax explosion make this book an engrossing and uplifting read.

John Bacon is a wonderful story teller about sports, but this historical book is truly amazing. Wonderful true story telling and page turning to read about the history of what happened during World War I that many people do not know about.

This is a meticulously researched true history book that reads like a novel, along the lines of Sea Seabiscuit or The Devil In the White City. You will find yourself caring for the characters, carried along by the action, and amazed at both the tragedy and recovery.

It was an interesting story, but the writing was scattered, haphazard and not compelling enough. It seemed the author talked to a lot of people and almost randomly retold their stories in a non-cohesive way.

Just finished “The Great Halifax Explosion” by @Johnubacon. What a wonderful book about a tragedy few even know. Highly recommended. Excellent reporting of the tragedy and the city’s rise from the ashes.

Fantastic! Gripping account of an important story about which I knew very little. Bacon's signature style shines through as he offers well researched insights into the key characters and historical events. Highly recommend.

Just finished “The Great Halifax Explosion” by @Johnubacon. What a wonderful book about a tragedy few even know. Highly recommended. Excellent reporting of the tragedy and the city’s rise from the ashes.

It was an interesting story, but the writing was scattered, haphazard and not compelling enough. It seemed the author talked to a lot of people and almost randomly retold their stories in a non-cohesive way.