Books published by Nimbus Publishing (CN)

Frank Macdonald's reputation for colourful characters, subtle satire and social conscience is omnipresent in the hilarious adventures of Cape Breton pals Tinker and Blue in late-'60s San Francisco. At age 19 and 20, respectively, Tinker Dempsey and his oldest friend Blue figured it was time they followed generations of Cape Bretoners and crossed the Canso Causeway, if for no other reason than to find a few stories they could call their own when their wandering ways brought them back home. It had been Blue's idea to drive their fourth-hand 1957 push-button Plymouth out to San Fran-cisco to check out the famed Haight-Ashbury district. What they found was much more than they - and San Francisco - bargained for. Hitchhiking hippies, homespun humour, wit and wisdom, troubles in love and trouble with the law converge to make Tinker and Blue a funny and clever flashback that only Frank Macdonald could imagine. Frank Macdonald is the award-winning author of A Forest for Calum (CBU Press 2005) and A Possible Madness (CBU Press 2011), both long-listed for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, and both finalists for an Atlantic Book Award.

Governance and Social Leadership examines the inadequacies of current theories on leadership in order to help us better understand the process of leadership and to suggest mechanisms for change. The proliferation of examples of poor political, religious, corporate and even grass roots leadership is troubling, to say the least. Perhaps more troubling is the resulting cynicism-and apathy-on the part of populations who sorely desire, and deserve, better leadership and governance. There are many and varied sources of theories and practical advice on leadership but, as Robert A. Campbell suggests, too many simply play into our need for quick fixes and novelty and do not reflect what is actually going on in the world. In Governance and Social Leadership, Campbell examines the dynamic nature of organizations and humans systems and our capacity, or incapacity, to act.

LEWIS MACKINNON was born in Inverness, Cape Breton, to a Gaelic-speaking father and a French Acadian mother. He was raised in Antigonish County, on the Nova Scotia mainland. Educated in English, throughout his personal, academic and professional activities, Lewis has maintained an interest in his Gaelic roots. He is an accomplished singer as well as poet. His first collection Famhair agus dàin Ghàidhlig eile (Giant and other Gaelic poems) was published in 2008 (CBU Press). Since then he has been invited to numerous literary festivals internationally and, in 2011, was named Bard of the Royal National Mod (Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail) in Scotland, the first bard from outwith Scotland.

Puirt-a-beul - the Scottish Gaelic term for mouth music - is a toe-tapping, tongue-twisting genre of song that parallels the Celtic instrumental dance tune tradition. Though puirt-a-beul are popular with both Gaelic-speaking and non-Gaelic speaking audiences, this book offers the first comprehensive study of the genre. Heather Sparling's survey of Gaelic puirt-à-beul offers a new perspective on a subject about which relatively little has been written, and that mostly from the perspective of the Scottish side of the Atlantic. Heather Sparling considers how puirt-a-beul compare to other forms of mouth music and examines its origins, its musical and lyrical characteristics, and its functions. Sparling brings together years of research, including an array of historical references to puirt-a-beul, interviews with Gaelic singers in both Scotland and Nova Scotia, observations of puirt-a-beul performances on both sides of the Atlantic as well as on recordings, and analysis of melodies and lyrics. Her Nova Scotia viewpoint allows her to consider puirt-a-beul in both its Scottish and diaspora contexts, a perspective that is too often absent in studies of Gaelic song. Dr.Heather Sparling is Associate Professor of Ethnomusicology and a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (Musical Traditions) at Cape Breton University.

Alexander Graham Bell, scientist, engineer, and inventor of the telephone, was not only famous for his intelligence, but also for his kindness. In this wonderful story set in 1908, ten-year-old Eddie MacDonald shares the great inventor's passion for problem solving and for long, contemplative walks in the fields above Bras d'Or Lake, a beautiful lake near Bell's real-life residence in Cape Breton, Canada.But Mr. Bell is known all around the world for being smart and Eddie is just a local farm boy, struggling to learn to read and write. After a few chance encounters the elderly Mr. Bell befriends the young boy and takes an interest in his struggle. He encourages Eddie to celebrate his successes and never give up.When Mr. Bell's long ambition for manned flight results in the Silver Dart soaring over Bras d'Or Lake, Eddie is inspired to find creative solutions to his own challenges. Perfect as a read aloud for struggling readers and different learners - and for inspiring all children on the lessons of compassion and the many types of intelligence?Me & Mr. Bell also weaves in a range of STEM concepts for middle-grade readers, including early flight concepts, simple applied mathematics, the curvature of the Earth, the natural science of the Greek philosophers, simple machines, and the scientific process. The story is filled with powerful descriptions Eddie gives about his difficulties with reading and writing, giving readers an understanding of the amount of time and hard work that students with learning differences must put in to keep up with classmates. By following Eddie's thoughts as he puzzles through spelling and pronunciation conundrums?and how he whizzes through applied mathematics problems?readers will see how different types of intelligence both struggle and succeed, and be inspired by Eddie's drive to improve with Mr. Bell's advice and support. Helen Keller, a real-life friend of Mr. Bell's (whose parents and wife were deaf), also makes an appearance in the story, giving young readers another inspirational example of how the abilities we're given can overcome those we're not.

This special issue of TOPIA Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies addresses the ubiquity of militarization, a presence that is woven into the very fabric of civic culture.Militarization is not just something that happens in war zones; when our government invests billions of dollars in war planes, prisons and the "digital economy," while starving resources in social justice, education, the environment and culture, we are living the consequences of global militarization. To talk about cultures of militarization is to talk about the terms in which collective identity is militarized and resistive forms of agency allowed and disallowed. By recognizing the human relations within capitalism and how these have come to be defined increasingly by military interests, we reveal that militarism is a global master narrative; military diction becomes inseparable from the language of power, sweeping aside human suffering as mere "collateral damage." We are led to believe that it is temporary, and we are compliant in our acceptance of these narratives.