The Great Halifax Explosion

A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism

NATIONAL BESTSELLER * by the author of The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Read by award winning narrator, Johnny Heller, whose performance brings this dramatic event to life.

The "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

“Enthralling. ... Gripping. ... A captivating and emotionally investing journey.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After 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 tales of survival and heroism that soon emerged from the rubble.

This is the unforgettable story told in John U. Bacon's The Great Halifax Explosion: a ticktock account of 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.

The 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. The explosion 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.

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.

nothing better than a story well told

stories are the messages that connect people over great expenses of time. The teachings, the methods of reaching into the past to teach the future as a vital skill not everyone can do that well. John U Bacon can and does.

Tragedy That Binds 2 Countries

After visiting Halifax several times over the past years I was eager to read a thorough historical account of this disaster. It is a fascinating read of the timing of vessels during this time period and the importance of the Halifax harbor. The resilience and degree of brotherhood and humanity is heart warming. I encourage everyone to read this - emphasizes the servant’s heart and brotherhood of 2 countries and their people to recover from such a devastating catastrophe!

A well told horrifying story

Like Erik Larsen, the author here captures as best as possible a complex web of causes, effects. and the people caught between them.

tragedy that brought the US & Canada together

We all learn about the war of 1812 but not what ended the hostility between the US & Canada.

great story

Incredible

Just visited Halifax and wanted to understand more about the explosion. This is an account and very informative. Not a story per se and left me wanting to understand more. What a terrible sad tragedy.