John U. Bacon – författare

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The riveting, tick-tock account of the largest manmade explosion in history prior to the atomic bomb, and the equally astonishing tales of survival and heroism that emerged from the ashes, from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author John U. Bacon

After steaming out of New York City on December 1, 1917, laden with a staggering three thousand tons of TNT and other explosives, the munitions ship Mont-Blanc fought its way up the Atlantic coast, through waters prowled by enemy U-boats. As it approached the lively port city of Halifax, Mont-Blanc''s deadly cargo erupted with the force of 2.9 kilotons of TNT—the most powerful explosion ever visited on a human population, save for HIroshima and Nagasaki. Mont-Blanc was vaporized in one fifteenth of a second; a shockwave leveled the surrounding city. Next came a thirty-five-foot tsunami. Most astounding of all, however, were the incredible tales of survival and heroism that soon emerged from the rubble.

This is the unforgettable story told in John U. Bacon''s The Great Halifax Explosion: a ticktock account of fateful decisions that led to doom, the human faces of the blast''s 11,000 casualties, and the equally moving individual stories of those who lived and selflessly threw themselves into urgent rescue work that saved thousands.

The shocking scale of the disaster stunned the world, dominating global headlines even amid the calamity of the First World War. Hours after the blast, Boston sent trains and ships filled with doctors, medicine, and money. The explosion would revolutionize pediatric medicine; transform U.S.-Canadian relations; and provide physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who studied the Halifax explosion closely when developing the atomic bomb, with history''s only real-world case study demonstrating the lethal power of a weapon of mass destruction.

Mesmerizing and inspiring, Bacon''s deeply-researched narrative brings to life the tragedy, bravery, and surprising afterlife of one of the most dramatic events of modern times.

“An insider’s look at Michigan’s closely guarded football secrets but does so from the lens of the behind-the-scenes personalities.” —Forbes

In December 2014, the University of Michigan’s storied football program was in shambles. Over the previous eight years, the perennial Big Ten powerhouse had barely risen above the .500 mark. But on December thirty, a savior was proclaimed in new head coach Jim Harbaugh, a former NFL Coach of the Year, larger-than-life personality, and a legendary former All-American Michigan quarterback.

Harbaugh quickly righted the ship, leading the Wolverines to back-to-back ten-win seasons. After a disappointing eight-five season in 2017, Michigan returned to glory in 2018 with a ten-game winning streak that elevated U of M to #4 in the polls.

John U. Bacon, New York Times–bestselling author and “poet laureate of Michigan football” (Joe Drape) offers a thrilling insider’s account of the Harbaugh era, based on unparalleled access, hours of exclusive one-on-one interviews, and his years of deep contacts in the Michigan community. Overtime takes readers inside one of college football’s most revered programs and into the lives of the players, families, and coaches, including Harbaugh; star quarterback Shea Patterson, rival Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer, a lightning rod for controversy; and others.

Overtime is a window into big-time college sports, and a legendary coach, that only John U. Bacon could write.

Includes twenty-five color photos.

“A brilliant look into the wild and wonderful world of U.S. college football.” —Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University and author of American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race