The Man Who Said No:
Reading Jacob Bailey, Loyalist
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by Kent Thompson
Gaspereau Press, Kentville, Nova Scotia, 2008 $29.95
A beautifully produced book from specialty publisher Gaspereau Press, Kent Thompson’s The Man Who Said No follows the life of Jacob Bailey, an Anglican clergyman and Loyalist who in 1782 fled the American Revolution to Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia.
Moving against the current of the Enlightenment, Bailey endeavoured to find morality in a period of intense change and challenges.
Thompson includes many examples of Bailey’s writing. Excerpts from the journal of his sojourn to England and from his correspondence while at Harvard University, including letters with future United States President John Adams, give readers a true sense of the man.
Quirky and unique in his approach, Thompson finds a likeable way of bringing the story to life. Bailey’s insights combine with Thompson’s tongue-in-cheek narrative to provide a pleasing glimpse into the time.
— Joel Ralph (Read bio)
Joel Ralph is the director of programs for Canada's History Society.