A. J. B. Johnston Explained

Birth Name:Andrew John Bayly Johnston
Birth Place:Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada[1]
Occupation:Historian
Writer
Nationality:Canadian
Alma Mater:Dalhousie University, Université Laval
Genre:History, Historical fiction
Subject:Atlantic Canada
Spouse:Mary Topshee
Children:3

Andrew John Bayly Johnston is a Canadian historian, novelist and museum writer. He is the author of six novels of historical fiction as well as sixteen books (and over 100 articles) on the History of Atlantic Canada.[2] Johnston is originally from Truro, Nova Scotia and currently lives in Halifax.[3]

Career

Johnston's writing career is closely associated with the history of the Fortress of Louisbourg.[4] In recognition of his body of work on that national historic site of Canada, the Government of France made Johnston a chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes académiques.[5] His 2017 book Endgame 1758 won a Clio award from the Canadian Historical Association and was short-listed for the Dartmouth Book Award[6]

Johnston had a long career as an historian with Parks Canada.[7]

The historical account Ni'n na L'nu: The Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island, co-authored with Jesse Francis, won the "best Atlantic-published" book, the PEI Book Award for non-fiction and a PEI Heritage Award.[8] Johnston also developed the story-lines and scripts for the exhibit of the same name.

Johnston has written the scripts for many exhibits in Atlantic Canada.[9] Some of those exhibits have been at (or currently still are at) the Nova Scotia Museum, the Colchester Historeum, Musée des Acadiens des Pubnicos, Yarmouth County Museum, the Black Cultural Centre, and the aforementioned travelling exhibit entitled N'in na L'nu: The Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island.[10]

Since 2009, Johnston has published three novels inspired by the historical figure of Thomas Pichon (1700–1781). They are Thomas, A Secret Life (2012), The Maze (2014) and Crossings (2015)[11] .Atlantic Books Today described Johnston as "a natural to write this story."[12] The review of Thomas in The Antigonish Review stated: "This is a fine novel, one that strikes just the right balance between fact and fiction."[13] As for The Maze, Paul W. Bennett writes: "Taking on historical fiction and imaginatively recreating the inner life of one of Canada's most controversial early historical figures would be beyond the reach of most scholars. A. J. B. Johnston ... is more than equal to that challenge."[14] The reviewer in the Nashwaak Review wrote: "Pichon is as real and developed a character as you will find anywhere … both believable and impressive."[15] Two more novels appeared in 2018, with The Hat, a YA novel about the Expulsion of the Acadians from Grand-Pré in 1755, and Something True, a coming-of-age biographical fiction about Katharine McLennan (1892-1975).[16]

In 2020, Nimbus Publishing released Johnston's Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns. It's about a 1960s rock 'n roll band that was based in Truro, Nova Scotia and was widely popular across the Maritimes.[17] Though all-white, they played mostly Soul and R&B songs, and are credited with breaking racial barriers at the time.[18] One member of that band was renowned playwright, novelist and composer John MacLachlan Gray.[19] Gray wrote the "Foreword" to the book. The "Afterword" was written by the band's singer, Frank MacKay. After The Lincolns and a Toronto-based band called Soma, MacKay would go on to have a celebrated career as a stage actor as well. Johnston was interviewed about the book on "Book-Me Podcasts", hosted by Costas Halavrezos.[20] In November 2020, Johnston collaborated with Tom Ryan and Costas Halavrezos to create a 5-minute micro-documentary about The Lincolns. The video—Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns—was posted on YouTube[21]

Johnston's research archives are deposited at the Beaton Institute of the Cape Breton University.[22]

In February and March 2017, Johnston was Writer-in-Residence at Wolff Cottage (the Center for the Writing Arts) in Fairhope, Alabama.[23]

In July 2018, A. J. B. Johnston was named as one of the members of a special task force that is to make recommendations to the Halifax Regional Municipality regarding the commemoration of British colonial governor of Nova Scotia, Edward Cornwallis, and of the commemoration of Indigenous history within the municipality.[24] That task force report was submitted to HRM mayor, council and staff in May 2020.

Johnston’s most recent book is a YA novel entitled Into the Wind published by Acorn Press.[25]

Authored and co-authored books

Fiction

History

Current English editions and re-prints

Previous English editions

Non-English editions and translations

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bio . A.J.B. Johnston . 9 October 2013 . https://archive.today/20131010033347/http://ajbjohnston.com/sample-page/ . 10 October 2013 . dead . dmy-all .
  2. Book: Canadian Who's Who. 2011. University of Toronto Press. 9780921173274. 614.
  3. Web site: A J B Johnston. 27 March 2013.
  4. News: CBC-TV at the Table. 11 January 2013 .
  5. News: McNeil. Greg. Louisbourg historian to be knighted by French government. Cape Breton Post. 19 November 2011.
  6. Web site: The Clio Prizes . 27 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923202138/http://www.cha-shc.ca/en/Prix_24/items/6.html . 23 September 2015 . dead .
  7. Web site: A J B Johnston. 8 February 2018. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  8. News: none. Halifax Chronicle Herald. 24 May 2014.
  9. Web site: A J B Johnston. 27 September 2017. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  10. Web site: A J B Johnston. 27 March 2013. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  11. Web site: The Maze. 5 April 2014.
  12. none. Norris. Laurie Glenn. Atlantic Books Today. Fall 2012. 70. 33–34.
  13. none. Sawler. Trevor. The Antigonish Review. 2013. 173. Spring. 89.
  14. Bennett. Paul W.. The roots of a notorious spy. The Chronicle Herald. 14 June 2014. G4.
  15. none. Sawyer. Trevor. Nashwaak Review. 2015. 32-33.
  16. Web site: A J B Johnston. 1 February 2018. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  17. Web site: A J B Johnston. Writers Federation. 21 September 2018. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  18. Lawlor. Allison. Kings of Friday Night. The Chronicle Herald. 4 May 2020. B1.
  19. Web site: John MacLachlan Gray » Authors » Talonbooks.
  20. Web site: Book Me! Podcasts.
  21. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns . YouTube.
  22. Web site: A J B Johnston. Writers Federation. 27 March 2013. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  23. Web site: A J B Johnston. Writers Federation. 5 May 2016. 27 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927052323/http://writers.ns.ca/members/profile/110. dead.
  24. Web site: HRM announces members to serve on Cornwallis special advisory committee. 27 July 2018.
  25. Web site: New Book | A.J.B. Johnston | Historian and Novelist. 22 January 2022.

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