Stories From The Past

CBC Radio's Information Morning history columnist Dianne Marshall is well known for the lively and surprising true stories she tells about Nova Scotia's past. Now the best of them have been gathered together in this enjoyable book. The stories cover 250 years of Nova Scotia history, often featuring people who don't make it into conventional history books. These incredible accounts include: the plot to assassinate US President Abraham Lincoln using germ warfare, hatched by several prominent Halifax businessmen and a visiting American doctor; a posse of 1,000 armed men swarming the city after a burglary, firing so many shots that some First World War vets thought war had broken out at home; and the story of Halifax madam Julia Donovan, whose prison term for keeping a bawdy house was commuted to a $100 fine in return for her work to elect the city's next mayor. Other stories in the collection feature characters from rum-running days at Smuggler's Cove in Digby County, and ghost-busters in Antigonish County. Dianne Marshall has an eye for character, a firm knowledge of historical context and a focus on what makes a good story. She brings many ordinary Nova Scotians with extraordinary experiences back to life in this readable collection.

26 short stories of an Arizona game warden's most interesting cases spanning 20 years of his career.

1858 âe"Warring mages open up a vast inland sea that splits the United States in two. With the floodwaters come creatures from a long distant past. What seems like the End Times forges a new era of heroes and heroines who challenge tradition, law, and even death as they transform the old west into a new world.In the heart of dinosaur country a laconic trapper and a veteran mage risk treason to undertake a secret mission.A brilliant magician and her beautiful assistant light up stages with the latest automaton, but the secrets both of them are hiding test their trust in each other and pit them against one of the most powerful men in the world. At the wild edge of the Inland Sea, amidst crocodiles and triceratops, an impoverished young man and a Pinkerton Detective must join forces to outmaneuver a corrupt judge and his gunmen.

The stories we read as children shape us for the rest of our lives. But it is never too late to discover that transformative spark of hope that children's classics can ignite within us. Award-winning children's author Mitali Perkins grew up steeped in stories--escaping into her books on the fire escape of a Flushing apartment building and, later, finding solace in them as she navigated between the cultures of her suburban California school and her Bengali heritage at home. Now Perkins invites us to explore the promise of seven timeless children's novels for adults living in uncertain times: stories that provide mirrors to our innermost selves and open windows to other worlds. Blending personal narrative, accessible literary criticism, and spiritual and moral formation, Perkins delves into novels by Louisa May Alcott, C. S. Lewis, L. M. Montgomery, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and other literary "uncles" and "aunts" that illuminate the virtuous, abundant life we still desire. These novels are not perfect, and Perkins honestly assesses their critical frailties and flaws related to race, culture, and power. Yet reading or rereading these books as adults can help us build virtue, unmask our vices, and restore our hope. Reconnecting with these stories from childhood isn't merely nostalgia. In an era of uncertainty and despair, they lighten our load and bring us much-needed hope.

This two-volume reader consists of original essays, with decade of American history represented by at least one essay. The stories cover a range of topics such as: popular culture; women's history; urban history; and the history of science and technology. The essays also shed light on political, social, economic and cultural trends.

Nine short stories reveal various aspects of future life on Earth and other planets.

A collection of narrative essays written by Mr. Mayo's 7th grade English students.