Archives Pays Tribute to Annapolis Valley Author

Nova Scotians will soon be able to learn more about one of the province's most significant authors thanks to a new online exhibit by the Nova Scotia Archives.

Ernest Buckler: A Remarkable Nova Scotia Novelist, celebrates the life of the man who wrote The Mountain and the Valley, one of the most influential novels written by a Canadian in the 20th century. The new virtual exhibit contains photos, news clippings, and cover artwork spanning Mr. Buckler's life, as well as a listing of his personal papers, which have been at the archives since his death in 1984.

"Ernest Buckler is certainly one of the finest authors to have come from this province," said Bill Dooks, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "Nova Scotians, especially those living in the Annapolis Valley, should be proud of his lasting legacy."

Born in 1908 in Annapolis County, Mr. Buckler completed studies at Dalhousie University and the University of Toronto, then returned to the family farm near Bridgetown in 1936. He spent the remainder of his life in rural Nova Scotia, corresponding with a wide circle of literary giants and writing novels and short stories that gained popularity across the country and beyond.

Mr. Buckler was revered by his peers, and was praised by authors such as Margaret Laurence, who observed that his first novel, The Mountain and the Valley, may have been the best novel written in the 20th century, and the best novel written anywhere in the last 50 years.

"We are pleased to be able to bring an exhibit on Mr. Buckler's life and career to the web, especially since this week marks the 25th anniversary of his death," said provincial archivist Brian Speirs. "He captured a time now long past in Nova Scotia, and did so with eloquence and wit."

In 1967, Buckler was awarded the Canadian Centennial Medal and in 1974, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Ernest Buckler: A Remarkable Nova Scotia Novelist is on the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/buckler/ .

Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage.