Coastal Nova Scotia: Outdoor Adventure Guide

Nora T. Corley is a librarian in Ottawa.

This guide to the geology, climate, animals (vertebrate and
invertebrate), and “numerous activities” in the coastal world of
Nova Scotia will appeal to outdoor enthusiasts interested in exploring
the lesser-known parts of the province. The author, a native Bluenose,
has divided Nova Scotia into five areas (Bay of Fundy and Approaches;
Northumberland Shore; Cape Breton Island Coast; Atlantic Coast’s South
Shore; and the Halifax Peninsula and Eastern Shore), and provides some
local history and lore on each area. In addition, she outlines what to
look for in each area and includes detailed information on everything
from where to look for interesting geological formations and find the
best beaches for swimming and clamming to where to rent bicycles and eat
lobster suppers.

But there is an old axiom of writing—do not put down everything you
know. Perhaps a little less detail, particularly the technical
geological terms, would have sufficed, especially if, as Light suggests,
the visitor wants to “stop and smell the dulse.” Many pages read
like a textbook rather than a guidebook, and some of the maps are not
always clear or useful. And although the author has included a list of
“Proposed Ecological Sites,” a glossary, and a list of suggested
readings, an index of place names would be equally helpful.