Author: Brendan Dowd

  • Trespassers at the Golden Gate by Gary Krist

    Trespassers at the Golden Gate by Gary Krist

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A History of Trespassers at the Golden Gate: Live bold, die bold. Quick synopsis: The story of Gilded-Age San Francisco and a wild murder. Fact for Non-History People: San Francisco’s population was so young in the 1850s that the death of a 47-year-old carried the byline “Death of the Oldest Inhabitant…

  • American Murder: Gabby Petito (Netflix)

    American Murder: Gabby Petito (Netflix)

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for American Murder: Vanlife is not for me. Quick synopsis: The story of Gabby Petito and her murder by her fiancé on a cross-country trip. Fact for Non-History People: There are approximately 3 million vanlifers (people who live exclusively out of their vehicles, voluntarily) in the U.S. Fact for History Nerds: YouTubers…

  • Gareth Harney Talks the History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins

    Gareth Harney Talks the History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins

    Toss a coin to your nerd! Author Gareth Harney joins me to talk his book A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins. Come listen! Buy A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins  Check out Gareth’s website

  • A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins by Gareth Harney

    A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins by Gareth Harney

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A History of Ancient Rome in Twelve Coins: Toss a coin to your nerd. Quick synopsis: Yeah, it is exactly what the title says it is. Fact for Non-History People: When Julius Caesar was kidnapped, he demanded his captors raise their ransom demand because he felt insulted by their low number.…

  • The Prosecutor by Jack Fairweather

    The Prosecutor by Jack Fairweather

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Prosecutor: Never let them forget. Quick synopsis: The story of Fritz Bauer who kept going after Nazis even after the Nuremberg trial. Fact for Non-History People: Instead of a trial at the end of World War II, Stalin just wanted to just execute the entire German General Staff of fifty…

  • Nancy Goldstone Talks the Lives of the Rebel Empresses

    Nancy Goldstone Talks the Lives of the Rebel Empresses

    Let’s rebel! Author Nancy Goldstone joins me to talk her new book The Rebel Empresses: Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France, Power and Glamour in the Struggle for Europe. Come listen! Buy The Rebel Empresses Check out Nancy’s website

  • The Rebel Empresses by Nancy Goldstone

    The Rebel Empresses by Nancy Goldstone

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Rebel Empresses: More than just pretty faces. Quick synopsis: The lives of Elisabeth of Austria and Eugénie of France. Fact for Non-History People: Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico was Austrian. His reign went as badly as you would expect. Fact for History Nerds: Sisi (Elisabeth) was a big supporter of…

  • Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard

    Hero of the Empire by Candice Millard

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Hero of the Empire: He always had to be the center of attention somehow. Quick synopsis: The story of Winston Churchill’s escape from being a prisoner of war during the Second Boer War. Fact for Non-History People: Yes, there were two Boer Wars.  Fact for History Nerds: Churchill was acting as…

  • Richard Goodrich Returns to Talk America’s First Airshow!

    Richard Goodrich Returns to Talk America’s First Airshow!

    Let’s take to the skies! Richard Goodrich returns to talk L.A. Birdmen: West Coast Aviators and the First Airshow in America. Come listen! Buy L.A. Birdmen