From 14th Colony to Confederation: Governors, Placemen & Merchant Elite by A. D. Boutilier
7:00 pm
Alex Boutilier’s newest book is a continuation of a series of books detailing the lives of the British military personnel that were garrisoned in Halifax from the founding of the city until Confederation.
The book details the careers of the power brokers that ruled the 14th colony until the establishment of responsible government in 1848. The book demystifies the lives of the rich and powerful of that time and traces the experiences of those that fought to be heard as well as the struggles of people who strained every nerve to survive and were often the victims of the power systems of that era.
A common thread running through the chapters in the book focuses on the circumstances in which each governor and lieutenant-governor found himself, and what he did to remedy a specific situation and how each, in his own way, brought Nova Scotia a step closer to Confederation. Some achieved what they set out to do, others were hampered by existing conditions, and a few, who were extraordinary, propelled society forward. Some were not without flaws but their faults only served to illuminate the excellence of others.
This work also describes the critical factors that changed a colony into a nation and in the end, it was what Joseph Howe once described as the ‘middling class’ that brought about the final set of circumstances as well as the fear of American homogeny that ultimately led to Confederation in 1867.
A.D. Boutilier hails from Sydney Mines, Cape Breton. He studied at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, and graduated with BA degrees in both English and Psychology as well as an MA in Atlantic Canada Studies. From 1998 to 2005, he was an instructor for the Saint Mary's University Writing Centre. He has also written several short stories and poems. He and his wife, Rosanne, reside in Fall River, Nova Scotia
For additional information:
Richard MacMichael
902-424-8897
richard.macmichael@novascotia.ca