James O. (Jim) St.Clair
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Jim St.Clair, and with it the passing of an era. Jim was a “people’s historian,” turning little bits of Cape Breton history into stories to which all could relate. It was his way of teaching.
CBC Cape Breton’s Information Morning’s long-running weekly feature, “Then and Now, with Jim St.Clair,” was informative and entertaining – a treasured tradition in practically every household in broadcast range. He was a fixture at community events across Inverness County, and the love and respect shown him by the people of the County was palpable. He will be sorely missed and remembered fondly.
Jim published four books through CBU Press, all now out of print. Hard to believe it’s been nearly fifteen years since we started working on Nancy’s Wedding Feast and Other Tasty Tales (published in 2007) with Jim, co-author/Chef Yvonne LeVert, and illustrator Peter Rankin. It was a co-publication with CBC. They were a formidable pair in the making of that great book, both of them very confident in their vision and expected execution. It was one of our best sellers.
Jim was always a Cape Breton booster, and CBU Press was no exception. He frequently reviewed and mentioned our books in his various columns, frequently drawing on them for segments of “Then and Now.” Jim frequently contacted us with compliments or, make no mistake if he felt it necessary he let us know if he had criticisms about our choices.
The other books mentioned were No Place Like Home, Pride of Place and Following the Path: The MacCallum House