Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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The House of My Mother by Shari Franke
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The House of My Mother: It’s almost like YouTube fame doesn’t solve all your problems. Quick synopsis: The story of the Shari Franke, the 8 Passengers family YouTube account, and the downfall of Ruby Franke. Fact for Non-History People: Shari’s mother (the villain of this piece) was born on my exact…
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Firestorm at Peshtigo by Denise Gess and William Lutz
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Firestorm at Peshtigo: Well, I’m certainly going to be nice to Forest Rangers after reading this. Quick synopsis: The story of the Peshtigo fire of 1871, the deadliest fire in American history. Fact for Non-History People: You may not have heard of this because it happened on the same exact day…
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Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Realm of Ice and Sky: Safety was NOT a priority. Quick synopsis: The story of three different airship expeditions to the North Pole. Fact for Non-History People: The North Pole averages -40 degrees in the winter. It’s the same in Fahrenheit and Celsius so don’t at me. Fact for History Nerds:…
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Blood and the Badge by Michael Cannell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Blood and the Badge: Sometimes the apple falls right next to the damn tree. Quick synopsis: The story of two corrupt NYPD detectives in the 1980s. Fact for Non-History People: When an internal police trial is conducted there is no fifth amendment protections or appeals. Fact for History Nerds: Actual mafia…
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Somewhere Towards Freedom by Bennett Parten
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Somewhere Towards Freedom: A brutal army march was way better than the alternative. Quick synopsis: A look at Sherman’s March focusing on the stories of the newly freed slaves that followed his army. Fact for Non-History People: By the time Sherman reached Savannah, there were 20,000 freed slaves with him. Fact…
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Our Ancient Faith by Allen Guelzo
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Our Ancient Faith: The ultimate democracy fanboy. Quick synopsis: A look at how Abraham Lincoln treasured and communicated his love for American democracy. Fact for Non-History People: Abraham Lincoln is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame. Fact for History Nerds: Lincoln is the only president who holds a patent. It was…
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Save Our Souls by Matthew Pearl
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Save Our Souls: Probably shouldn’t trust the crazy dude you meet on a deserted island. Quick synopsis: The story of the shipwreck of the Wandering Minstrel and the attempts at survival of the captain’s family and the crew. Fact for Non-History People: Elizabeth Walker, the captain’s wife, would unknowingly become the…
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The Apache Wars by Paul Andrew Hutton
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Apache Wars: Everything is inevitable if you are stubborn enough. Quick synopsis: A chronicle of the Apache Wars which was really a bunch of smaller wars over about 30 years. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Nickname fail: One of the main characters was half white, half Apache named…the Apache…
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The Sinners All Bow by Kate Winkler Dawson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Sinners All Bow: Truth is more tragic than fiction. Quick synopsis: The story of the death of Sarah Cornell in 1832, who did it, and the connection to The Scarlet Letter. Fact for Non-History People: Not only does this story include a connection to Nathaniel Hawthorne, but also the ancestors…