The first work devoted exclusively to Acadians in Nova Scotia, this book presents a thorough study of Acadian history from the earliest days of French settlement to present-day Acadian communities. Authors Sally Ross and Alphonse Deveau draw on original seventeenth-century texts, as well as up-to-date sources. They examine the history of the Expulsion--the Grand Dérangement--that began in 1755, and trace the return of the Acadians and their resettlement in seven areas of the province. The authors highlight the distinct features that have developed within these different regions of Nova Scotia and discuss the choices and challenges faced by Acadians today: the linguistic assimilation and preservation of a distinct culture against pressures from the mainstream culture.

Acadians of Nova Scotia won the 1993 Dartmouth Book Award for non-fiction and the 1993 Evelyn Richardson Memorial Literary Prize for non-fiction.

Alphonse Deveau, an eith generation Acadian, was the first director of the Centre Acadien at the Universite Sainte-Anne. He has published numerous world on the Acadians, including La Ville Française (1968), Les Personnes Eminentes (1988), and The Diary of a Frenchman (1990).

Alphonse Deveau's profile page

Née à Halifax, Sally Ross a fait ses études en France. Elle est titulaire d’une licence ès lettres et d’un doctorat de l’Université de Tours. Elle a enseigné la culture acadienne et québécoise pendant 10 ans et a traduit plusieurs livres en anglais, dont Les Acadiens de L’Île, de Georges Arsenault, et La Vraie Vie, de France Daigle. Originaire de Rivière-aux-Saumons, Alphonse Deveau a joué un rôle actif dans diverses organisations acadiennes. Il a été le premier directeur de Centre acadien de l’Université Sainte-Anne et a publié de nombreux ouvrages historiques, notamment La Ville Française, Les personnes éminentes et Diary of a Frenchman.

Sally Ross' profile page