The virgin cure, is inspired by the life of her great great grandmother, dr. In a tale spanning the 20th century, ami mckay takes a primitive and superstitious rural community in nova scotia and creates a rich tableau of characters to tell the story of childbirth from its most secretive early practices to modern maternity as we know it. Mckay, whose previous novels include the witches of new york. Some of the worlds highest tides, with a tidal difference of up to 44 feet, occur there. Where ami mckay births her books atlantic books today. Bestselling author ami mckay the birth house visited the inside story in greenwood nova scotia on saturday 3rd december 2011 to meet her fans and sign her new book the virgin cure. The writers federation of nova scotia writers council member.
Sarah fonda mackintosh, a female physician in nineteenth century new york. Joan clark, author of an audience of chairs the moon over nova scotia must have extra magic in it to have fostered a writer of ami mckays lyrical sway and grace. A mentorship through the writers federation of nova scotia followed and the book won runnerup in the atlantic writer competition. Ami mckays debut novel the birth house was inspired by the former midwifes home she and her husband bought in nova scotia near the bay of fundy. I didnt exactly miss it, i just didnt have time to stop and acknowledge it, at least not in any way that felt fitting or right. Last days in africville is a young adult novel about a young girl struggling with what it means to be the only black student in her calss in the mid 1960s halifax. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Womens lives are messy and magical and wonderful, says the birth house author.
Ami mckay is the author of the numberone canadian bestseller the birth house, winner of three canadian booksellers association libris awards, and a nominee for the international impac dublin literary award, and the virgin cure. During the big rewriterevisionedit of the witches of new york an important milestone came and went. Born and raised in indiana, ami now lives in nova scotia. Epic and enchanting, the birth house is a gripping saga about a midwifes struggles in the wilds of nova scotia. As a child in an isolated village in nova scotia, she is drawn to miss babineau, an outspoken acadian midwife with a gift for healing. Born and raised in the midwest, she now lives in nova. Born and raised in indiana, amis tale begins before 1900 in michigan. A single mother of a twoyearold at the time, mckay kept my words to myself, having decided that a career in writing would have to wait, she commented on her home page. Ami mckay is the author of three internationally bestselling novels the birth house, the virgin cure and the witches of new york and the novella, half spent was the night. Ironically, and unlike the many families that have inhabited the tiny harbourtown for generations, the multiawardwinning author is not indigenous to the area. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Could any of you please suggest some novels or biographies with a nova scotia setting.
Shes an avid blogger and is an active member of pen canada as well as an. Writes of passage ami mckays search for a midwife led to a great first novel, and some activism for the midwifery cause in nova scotia. The birth house is the story of dora rare, the first daughter to be born in five generations of rares. Canadian writer ami mckay is the daughter of family g. We enjoy reading books set in our next vacation locale as we plan our trip. Ami mckays memoir is a deep and relevant meditation on navigating the terrain between the genes we inherit and the life we choose. Nova scotia books canadian fictionnonfiction reading. This 75page guide for the birth house by ami mckay includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 47 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. A witchy chat with author ami mckay literary halifax, nova scotia. Mckay is also a playwright, composer, and essayist. Born and raised in rural indiana, ami mckay spent years as a music teacher in chicago while nurturing her desire to write fiction.
As a spanning the 20th century ami mckay takes a primitive and superstitious rural community in nova scotia and creates a rich tableau of characters to tell the story of childbirth from its most secretive early practices to modern maternity as we know it. This novelist discovered a home for writing in rural nova scotia. Born and raised in rural indiana, ami mckay began her career as a music teacher after earning an undergraduate degree in music education and a graduate degree in musicology at indiana state university. Ami mckay is the author of three bestselling novelsthe birth house, the virgin cure, and the witches of new yorkas well as the novella, half spent was the night.
Ami mckay sits in her sundrenched dining room in scots bay. Novelist ami mckay will launch her memoir, daughter of family g. Im pleased to be teaming up with lunenburg bound books for the third of my nova scotia daughter of family g events hope to see you at 7pm on thursday, september 26th. The extraordinary evolution of author ami mckay locallifestyles. The extraordinary evolution of author ami mckay regional. Mckay was born in rural indiana, but now lives with her husband and two sons on the bay of fundy. Author ami mckays collection of research into her memoir daughter of family g, in her scots bay, n. As apprentice to the outspoken acadian midwife miss babineau, dora learns to assist the women of an isolated nova scotian village through infertility, difficult. Canada books set in nova scotia i wonder if you can help, please. Her documentary, daughter of family g won an excellence in journalism medallion at.
For mckay, despite a lifethreatening mutation, it is lifeaffirming family love that triumphs. A former freelance radio journalist, in 2001 she wrote and produced a documentary, also called daughter of family g, that traced her decision to undergo genetic testing. She was a finalist in the writers union of canadas short prose competit. Wanted to add this book in to the list of nova scotia books. Books set in nova scotia fodors travel talk forums. Ami mckays new book, the witches of new york, is the spinoff of her 2011. Her work has aired on maritime magazine, outfront, this morning and the sunday edition. The nova scotiabased writer just released her latest novel, the. Her first novel, the birth house was published by knopf canada in 2006 as their new face of fictions 10th anniversary title publication by luitingh sijthoff holland, and. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. Originally from indiana, she now lives with her husband and two sons in nova scotia. The bestselling historical novel the birth house by ami mckay is set in this community, where mckay and her family currently reside.
A memoir of cancer genes, love and fate, locally on sept. His powerful and moving stories vividly evoke the beauty of cape breton islands rugged landscape and the resilient character of many of its inhabitants, the descendants of scottish immigrants, who are haunted by ancestral memories and who struggle to reconcile. Ami mckay is a canadian novelist, playwright and journalist. Fresh as a loaf of homemade bread just out of the oven, the birth house, a tale of sex, birth, love and pain will more than satisfy the hungry reader. Nova scotia in 2000, and also began writing and producing documentaries for cbc. What is the most well known writer from nova scotia.
Ami mckay is the international bestselling author of novels the birth house, the witches of new york, the virgin cure and her recent memoir, daughter of family g. Right before posttropical storm dorian blasted through nova scotia in early september, ami mckays bees knew something was amiss. The science of memoir writing with ami mckay literary. Recommended reading for every destination on earth. Ami mckay born 1968 is a canadian novelist, playwright and journalist.
Her documentary, daughter of family g won an excellence in journalism medallion at the 2003 atlantic journalism awards. Writes of passage literary halifax, nova scotia the. I dont have a david listed in the report from shelbourne genealogical society but if you are interested in these mckay. My mckay line is from scotland to shelbourne nova scotia and starts with donald 1772 and also murdock mckay who married a maria elizabeth thomson 1832.
The historical spectacle a play in the midnineteenth century a man who became known as jerome was alleged to have been found on the shores of baie saintemarie, nova scotia, mute and missing both legs. Perhaps it was the barometric pressure change, but the bees. Her memoir, daughter of family g was named a cbc best book of 2019. Her novel, the virgin cure, is inspired by the life of her greatgreatgrandmother, dr. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the birth house. Ami mckay, novelist, journalist born in indiana, usa 1968. Born and raised in the midwest, she now lives in nova scotia. Alistair macleod, oc frsc july 20, 1936 april 20, 2014 was a canadian novelist, short story writer and academic.
S the birth house by ami mckay 2007, paperback for. Ami mckay is the author of three bestselling novels the birth house, the virgin cure, and the witches of new york as well as the novella, half spent was the night. Nova scotia author of the birth house, and the virgin cure. She began her writing career as a freelancer for cbc radio. Shop amongst our popular books, including 9, the birth house, the virgin cure and more from ami mckay.
What she does enjoy is the closeknit community in africville just outside the city. Ami mckay practicing midwife dora rare works in scots bay, nova scotia during the early part of the twentieth century, but the midwifery tradition is threatened when medical doctor gilbert thomas arrives with. One of my foibles when visiting somewhere, is to want to read about it in fiction. Pauline dakin, author of run, hide, repeat ami mckays book mourns all that is lost, but is no tragedy. Books set in nova scotia 716 books set in nova scotia. Her test came back positiveand in the interceding years mckay, who lives in scots bay, nova scotia, has published bestselling novels, raised two sons, taken up beekeeping and slowly learned how to live as a previvor. The quiet community of less than 200 sits slightly off the beaten path, a few kilometres northeast of the annapolis valley, just west of blomindon provincial park, jutting out into the wondrous bay of fundy.