Strange Nova Scotia is a fun and, yes, STRANGE romp through this strange land. From Nova Scotia’s connection to why the White House is painted white, to the famed Shag Harbour UFO incident and the possible landing of Prince Henry Sinclair at Chedabucto Bay on June 2, 1398, this book will amuse and intrigue you on every page. From one of the province’s best-known folklorists and the wit of a budding young illustrator comes this instant classic. Welcome to Strange Nova Scotia.
I think people enjoy being challenged. Do they really know as much as they think they know? It’s always fun to test yourself. I don’t think that’s anything new, really. Trivia is a great way to spend some quality time with your friends and family and in recent years larger events have become fun social gatherings in many communities.
There are tough questions but there are also a lot of smart people out there. I tried to strike a balance with some fairly simple questions that most Nova Scotians should be able to quickly answer but I’ve also included many questions that will test your skill level and knowledge. The important thing with this book is to have fun. That is the number one objective.
I’ve been working with this material for many years now, but I am always surprised by how much influence Nova Scotians have had around the world and the role this province has played in the lives of so many people over the centuries. With our rich past, I not only had enough material to create 1000 questions but had lots left over to start working on another volume. To me, understanding the wealth of material that exists is really the most interesting part of this project.
That’s a difficult question to answer in one paragraph. It may sound like a cop-out, but there are just too many nuggets of information to pick only one. I’ll point out that I think most people will say, “Really? I didn’t know that.”
To me, the most fascinating part of this journey is discovering how much this province has influenced the world in so many areas including the arts, entertainment, politics, business, education, science, medicine. The list could go on. So many Nova Scotians have done so much and have left their mark on the world that it forms a very impressive list. Discovering these facets about Nova Scotia is very compelling and motivates me to want to know more. I hope this book inspires others in the same way.
Julie Anne Babin grew up in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. After graduating high school as valedictorian, she went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts from Dalhousie University and her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). Julie then returned to her home town of Liverpool to establish ADJA Studio and Gallery. In 2014, she became proprietor of the Welcome Matte Frame Shoppe, adding custom framing to her resume.
Vernon Oickle is an international award winning journalist, editor and writer with 33 years experience working in newspapers. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Red Sky at Night and bestselling series One Crow. He continues to reside in Liverpool where he was born and raised