Accession MS-2-691.2017-048 - Personal archives of Harry Thurston

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Personal archives of Harry Thurston

General material designation

  • Textual record
  • Graphic material

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

Level of description

Accession

Reference code

MS-2-691.2017-048

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

Physical description area

Physical description

76.5 cm of textual records + 13 photographs

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Harry Kenneth Thurston was born 3 March 1950 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, to Kenneth Alvin and Elizabeth Madeline (Gillis). He graduated from Acadia University with a BSc in Biology in 1971 and married Catherine Rideout the following year; they have one daughter, Megan Ruth.

An avid naturalist, Thurston's literary work often concerns nature and environmental issues. As a freelance writer, editor, poet and playwright, his work has appeared in magazines, literary periodicals and anthologies, including The Dalhousie Review, Fiddlehead, Reader’s Digest, National Geographic, The Atlantic Anthology: vol. 2 Poetry, and We Belong to the Sea, a Nova Scotia Anthology. He has also been a field correspondent and contributing editor to Equinox (1982-1999); a writer-in-residence at Acadia and St. Mary’s universities; a visiting writer at Mount Allison University; and a teacher in the journalism programme at the University of King’s College. From 1977-1981 he edited and published Germination, a quarterly poetry periodical.

Thurston is the author of books of poetry and prose. He has been awarded various literary awards and honours, including the Sigurd Olsen Nature Writing Award (2005); the Evelyn Richardson memorial Literary Award (1991, 1997, 2004); the City of Dartmouth Book Award (1994); and the Atlantic Bookseller’s Choice Award (1991). His magazine-published works have garnered him the Author’s Award (1982, 1987); the National Magazine Award (1983); and the Canadian Science Writer’s Association Science and Society Award (1986, 1987).

Thurston resides in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.

Custodial history

Scope and content

Accession contains: nine manuscripts for: Ova Aves; Icarus, Falling of the Birds; Animals of My Own Kind: New and Selected Poems; Everlasting Oasis; Island of the Blessed; Atlantic Canada Nature Guide; The Atlantic Coast: A Natural History; and The Nature of Shorebird: Nomads of the Wetlands. Thirteen photographs of birds eggs by Thaddus Holownia. There are scripts for: At The Fishhouses, a presentation of Elizabeth Bishop's poems, by Musique Royale; and A Ship’s Portrait for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. There is a copy of the play script for Black River Miracle, and an article Looking for John O'Brien. Includes correspondence, and research materials. Also includes two handwritten notebooks of poetry, representing the first drafts of some poems.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

Associated materials

See MS-2-691, MS-2-691.2013-065, and MS-2-691.2015-034 for additional materials donated by Harry Thurston.

Related materials

Accruals

Further accruals are expected.

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related places

Related genres