Flight from Famine - by Donald MacKay (Paperback)

About the Book

Flight from Famine is the moving account of the survivors of the Irish potato famine who helped build Canada in the years that followed Black 47. Their tale is a testament to courage, resilience, and perseverance, as well as an important chapter in the development of pre-Confederation Canada.

Book Synopsis

Flight from Famine is the moving account of the survivors of the Irish potato famine who helped build Canada in the years that followed Black 47. Their tale is a testament to courage, resilience, and perseverance, as well as an important chapter in the development of pre-Confederation Canada.

Review Quotes

"(Flight from Famine) is a story of survival, courage and, above all, hope."

"An intriguing and comprehensive history, Flight From Famine is highly recommended for scholarly collections."

The Irish were nothing if not resilient, and MacKay peppers his book with little anecdotes linking past and present...MacKay's book is a delight to read because as a historian, he knows that the best way to engage readers is by telling the stories of ordinary people-and he does a superlative job of it.

About the Author

Donald MacKay's 60-year career as a reporter, broadcaster, historian, and author of 10 books has taken him to every Canadian province and a dozen countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. Two of his books, The Lumberjacks and Scotland Farewell, were runners-up for the Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction. Flight from Famine received Quebec's 1991 QSPELL Prize.

Descended from Pictou County settlers, and born and educated in Nova Scotia, he was a wartime merchant seaman, has been a reporter for Canadian Press, and covered major stories in a dozen countries for United Press International. He spent a decade as chief European correspondent for UPI Broadcast Services, based in London, and was general manager of UPI in Canada for five years before turning to writing books.

Donald and his wife, Barbara, live in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.