Nova Scotia has 170 lighthouses past and present. Some are well known and treasured and others are hidden and known by few. Together they have a rich history and reveal much about the people, coast and seafaring history of Nova Scotia.

For this book Allan Billard has chosen twenty-four lighthouse sites, including classic beacons such as Peggy's Cove and Cape Forchu, plus an additional sixteen lights that may not be as well known but remain prizes in the province, such as Fort Point or Port Bickerton.

Each short chapter focuses on one of the twenty-four lights, and presents the aspect of lighthouse technology and history which that light best illustrates. Among the many fascinating themes Allan Billard explores are tidal power, seabird sanctuaries, the role of the light keeper, traditions and changes in the fishery, the complex and changing technology of lighthouses, ecotourism and more.

The text is enhanced with beautiful colour photography of the lighthouses and their natural surroundings. Lighthouses of Nova Scotia combines natural and social history, and while documenting the astonishing and fascinating diversity of Nova Scotia's lighthouses, gives the reader a far deeper appreciation of this appealing feature of the province's landscape.

Allan Billard is a long-time commentator on resource and fisheries issuses and currently leads the effort to complete the Trans-Canada Trail from Halifax to Truro. Since 1988, he has been involved in the province’s outdoor recreation and tourism industries. He has written extensively on canoeing and canal development in Nova Scotia, including a bestselling guidebook on Nova Scotia Waterfalls. He lives in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

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