French Taste in Atlantic Canada – 1604-1758: A Gastronomic History / Le goût Français au Canada Atlantique 1604-1758 : Une Histoire Gastronomique won the Dartmouth Book Award for non-fiction.

The post Book award for “French Taste” appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

Barry Shears, author of Dance to the Piper: The Highland Bagpipe in Nova Scotia is giving a talk this evening (May 14) at Woodlawn Public Library at 7 p.m.

Learn the history and traditions of Gaelic-speaking pipers whose immigration to Nova Scotia ensured that the role and music of the Highland bagpipe not only survived, but thrived. The presentation examines the changing role of the Highland piper in Nova Scotia over the past 200 years using photographs and sound recordings.

On May 29, Lewis MacKinnon, Gaelic singer, songwriter, poet and author of Famhair / Giant, will be giving reading at Spring Garden Rd. Memorial Public Library on Wednesday, May 29/12:00 p.m.

The post May is Gaelic awareness month in NS appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

Two CBU Press books are up for awards this year: The Language of This Land, Mi’kma’ki by Trudy Sable and Bernie Francis is shortlisted for the Atlantic Book Award for Scholarly Writing, sponsored by Marquis Printing. Trudy and Bernie, along with Roger Lewis, are appearing at 7:00 pm this evening (May 13) at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer Street, Halifax. They are also appearing on Wednesday (15th) at 7:00 pm at The Mi’kmaq Native Friendship Centre, 2158 Gottingen Street.

French Taste in Atlantic Canada – 1604-1758: A Gastronomic History By Anne Marie Lane Jonah and Chantal Véchambre is shortlisted for the Dartmouth Book Award (Non-fiction). Anne Marie and Chantal are appearing (May 15) at 7:00 pm at Alliance Française Halifax, 5509 Young Street, Halifax.

The Atlantic Book Awards will be presented at a ceremony at Alderney Theatre, Dartmouth, Thursday evening at 7 p.m.

Congratulations and best of luck Trudy, Bernie, Anne Marie and Chantal.

The post Atlantic Book Awards this week in HRM appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

May 5-11 is TD Canadian Children’s Book Week and Montreal author Anne Renaud is among the dozens of author giving readings various parts of the country. Anne is reading at Ottawa-area schools and libraries. Renaud’s The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan will be launched by CBU Press on May 18.

The Hackmatack Children’s Choice Awards take place on May 10. CBU Press’s connection to this year’s Hackmatack include Selby the Lobster by Don Downer and Gisele LeBlanc-Turner (2011) and Philip Roy’s Ghosts of the Pacific (Ronsdale, 2011). Roy is author of Blood Brothers in Louisbourg (2012) and of Me & Mr. Bell (forthcoming) both from CBU Press.

The post Connections: TD Canadian Children’s Book Week and more appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

One of Nova Scotia’s most famous people is the subject of a long-overdue book. Anna Swan (1846-1888), a native of Colchester County, was billed by P.T. Barnum’s America Museum as “The Nova Scotia Giant Girl.”

The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan, by Montreal writer Anne Renaud, is the first full-length book on the life of Ms. Swan – whose remarkable story is often eclipsed by another famous giant, Scots-born Angus MacAskill.

Anna Swan grew to an astonishing size – nearly 2.5 metres (almost 8 feet) tall. Despite her unusual and challenging physical attributes, she rose above adversity and led a life of love, happiness and great accomplishments.

Anne Renaud is the author of several picture books, as well as historical non-fiction books for children, including, A Bloom of Friendship: The Story of the Canadian Tulip Festival and Pier 21: Stories from Near and Far. Her work has been nominated for several awards, including the Silver Birch Award, the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Award and the Quebec Writers’ Federation Prize for Children’s & Young Adult Literature. Anne is also a regular contributor to children’s magazines.

The Extraordinary Life of Anna Swan is targeted toward young readers 9-11 years.

The book will be officially launched at the Creamery Square Heritage Centre in Tatamagouche at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday May 18.

There will be a second reading and opportunity to meet the author at 2:30 in the afternoon.

On Friday (May 17) Anne Renaud will visit students at Truro Elementary and Bible Hill Central schools.

Everyone is welcome.

The post New book about Nova Scotia giant from CBU Press appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

Nkij’inen Teluet / Our Grandmothers’ is being launched Friday, May 3, 10 a.m., at Chief Allison M. Bernard Memorial High School

The post “Our Grandmothers’ Words” interview to air on CBC appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

Eskasoni First Nation, NS, April 26, 2013 – As the title suggests, Our Grandmothers’ Words: Traditional Stories for Nurturing, the latest Mi’kmaw/English publication from CBU Press, comes from a desire by Elders to share traditional knowledge with a new generation.

This book combines the Grandmothers’ – Murdena Marshall, Diana Denny, Flo Young and Susie Marshall – understandings for pregnancy and birth alongside a number of stories in turn recollected from their own grandmothers.

Assisted by researchers Prune Harris and Dr. Cheryl Bartlett, Canada Research Chair in Integrative Science, Our Grandmothers’ Words shares knowledge and wisdom from teachings passed down from women to women, over the generations.

The book is built around Sali’j, a young Mi’kmaw woman who, when she learns she is pregnant seeks guidance from her mother, grandmother and godmother. As is the Mi’kmaw way, she is encouraged and instructed little by little, story by story.

The twelve stories in the volume have been related by grandmothers and are recorded in Mi’kmaw with English translations.

The book also features the work of Mi’kmaw visual artist Gerald Gloade, whose striking paintings complement the traditional teachings and stories.

Nkij’inen Teluet Kina’matnewe’l Telimuksi’ki We’wkl Atukwaqnn / Our Grandmothers’ Words: Traditional Stories for Nurturing, will be in stores May 1, and officially launched at Chief Allison M. Bernard Memorial High School in Eskasoni at 10 a.m., on Friday, May 3.

Everyone is welcome.

The post New Mi’kmaw book of traditional stories released appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

Leading scholars from a number of Celtic disciplines from across the continent (and from across the pond) participated in the three-day conference, including Prof. Michael Newton (St. FX University).

The post New Celtic studies book launched appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

In 2011, CBU Press published Getting it Done: Conversations with Cape Breton Leaders by Steve Sutherland at CBC Cape Breton’s Information Morning. Included in that collections is an interview with Rita MacNeil. We have provided that excerpt here: Rita MacNeil excerpt.

Our condolences go out to Rita’s family and her many friends and colleagues.

The post We were saddened to learn of the death of Rita MacNeil appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.

We are pleased to feature six segments of an interview with Philip Roy about the writing of Blood Brothers in Louisbourg in addition to a reading. Just click on one of the links below to connect with our YouTube channel.

On the background for the his characters Philip Roy, Background for His Characters

Learn about Philip’s other creative talents http://youtu.be/LQqcLMIcLRI

On interpreting history in a fun way http://youtu.be/sIQamtqJZRw

On the talents of the young writers he meets in his writing workshops  http://youtu.be/_uZ56aFJxWk

On a possible sequel http://youtu.be/jjYkOi3oQnI

On writing “beyond the storyline” http://youtu.be/5Avz2bjocRY

Philip reads from Blood Brothers in Louisbourg http://youtu.be/_0uBjQwspjQ

The post Interviews with author Philip Roy now on-line appeared first on Cape Breton University Press.