Cape Breton Ghost

Media interest in history is triggered almost exclusively by anniversaries: the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec, the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel and other such occasions provide the excuse for a little historical reflection on the evening news or in newspaper editorials. Historians and academic presses have tried to capitalize on this trend by preparing works timed for publication to coincide with the anniversary in question, and A.J.B. Johnston’s Endgame 1758: The Promise, the Glory and the Despair of Louisbourg’s Last Decade is an example of the genre. But not all anniversaries are created equal. Some, such as Quebec’s 400th, attract large amounts of public and private funding, a semi-retired Beatle and a corresponding amount of public attention. Others, such as the 250th anniversary of the fall of Louisbourg, remain more shadowy, even though their historical significance is arguably similar. Anniversary history as a form of public history...