Johnston launching novel in Truro hometown

Thomas, A Secret LifeTruro native A.J.B. (John) Johnston will be the focus of a hometown “meet and greet” on Saturday, October 20, at the Colchester Historical Society Museum.

Johnston is well-known as a historian and the author of a dozen books and more than a hundred articles on 18th-century French colonial history.

His most recent non-fiction was Endgame 1758, chronicling Louisbourg’s last decade (CBU Press, 2008), which won the Canadian Historical Association’s Clio award and was a finalist for an Atlantic Book Award.

In 2011, Johnston was invested as a Chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms by the government of France for his lifelong historical achievements.

But Johnston has turned his experienced hand to fiction. His much anticipated first novel Thomas, A Secret Life (CBU Press), the fictionalized early life of Thomas Pichon, was launched in September.

Atlantic Books Today calls Johnston “a natural” for Pichon’s story.

“Johnston deftly presents an unrepentant, unsavoury and unreliable [character] in an even-handed manner,” the review said.

Local historians, researchers and friends will gather for the meet-and-greet with John Johnston on Saturday, October 20, at the Colchester Historical Society Museum, 29 Young Street, Truro, 2-4:00 p.m. Johnston will read from Thomas and his books will be available for purchase and signing. Everyone is invited.

Posted by Mike Hunter on October 18, 2012

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