Before it was known as Nova Scotia, the province formed part of Mi’kma’ki and then of Acadie. This book provides a concise history of the province to the beginning of the 21st century. “The history of Nova Scotia,” says the author, “is not quaint. It is made up of the efforts of people of many backgrounds to make their way as best they could. Sometimes they succeeded, often they fell short. The reasons for either outcome were always complex. This book tries to sort out the broader patterns that have influenced people’s lives and, in some cases, continue to do so.”