No Safe Harbour: The Halifax Explosion Diary of Charlotte Blackburn, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1917 by Julie Lawson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Basic summary. Charlotte Blackburn's Diary of her life in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1917. World War I is on and Canada's involved, young men are heading out to war including Charlotte's brother. Little did she realize that was seemed like war was going to be coming to Halifax when two ships carrying explosives collides in the harbour causing the largest made-made explosion in recorded history until the A-bombs dropped on Japan.

If I hadn't picked up this book at the Maritime museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, I never would have learned about this terrifying part of Halifax history. Not long after Halifax's involvement is the recovery of the passengers of the Titanic and beginning of Canada's involvement in World War I, Halifax deals with an explosion that devastates most of Halifax, killing thousands in seconds. Graphic, realistic, fascinating! This was an amazing book to read and will hopefully encourage it's readers to investigate this part of Canada's history in more detail.

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