Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for What Stands in a Storm: Got real dusty when I was reading this. Quick synopsis: The story of the three-day tornado superstorm outbreak in late April 2011. Fact for Non-History People: There was already a deadly tornado outbreak in April 2011 less than two weeks before the events of this…
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The World in Books by Kenneth Davis
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The World in Books: Bet you can’t read just one! Quick synopsis: Kenneth Davis’s list of the best and most important 52 short non-fiction books of all time. Fact for Non-History People: The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest written story in history. Fact for History Nerds: Sun Tzu may…
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Operation Biting by Max Hastings
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Operation Biting: Disclaimer: No actual biting occurs. Quick synopsis: The story of the British parachute assault to capture Nazi radar in 1942. Fact for Non-History People: British paratroopers did not have reserve shoots while U.S paratroopers did. Fact for History Nerds: General Eisenhower started World War II a colonel but…
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Henry V by Dan Jones
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Henry V: Shakespeare took a little dramatic license. Quick synopsis: A full biography of England’s greatest warrior king, Henry V. Fact for Non-History People: Henry V got shot in the face with an arrow as a teen and somehow didn’t die. Fact for History Nerds: Around the time of Henry’s…
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When Harry Met Pablo by Matthew Algeo
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for When Harry Met Pablo: Give’em Hell Harry meets the man with 23 names. Quick synopsis: The story of when former U.S. President Harry Truman met Pablo Picasso. Fact for Non-History People: Pablo Picasso’s full name contains 23 different names. Fact for History Nerds: Truman met his wife Bess when he…
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America First by H.W. Brands
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for America First: The pilot vs. the president. The pilot crashed hard. Quick synopsis: The story of when FDR and Charles Lindbergh battled publicly over isolationism before World War II. Fact for Non-History People: When FDR contracted the illness which would leave him unable to walk, he initially was paralyzed from…
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Mr. McMahon (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Mr. McMahon: The villain character is probably better than the actual person. Quick synopsis: The story of the rise and fall of WWE chairman, Vince McMahon. Fact for Non-History People: WWE is valued at $6.8 billion. Fact for History Nerds: Host cities of Wrestlemania estimate more than $1.25 billion in economic…
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The Great Black Hope by Louis Moore
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Great Black Hope: I have never been more unqualified to do a review. Quick synopsis: The story of NFL quarterbacks Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the controversy around Black quarterbacks. Fact for Non-History People: In 1968, 24 out of 32 cornerbacks were Black. However, the entire league was only…
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Targeted: Beirut by Jack Carr and James Scott
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Targeted: Beirut: Very dangerous fish stuck in a barrel. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1983 U.S. Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut. Fact for Non-History People: When the Marines first occupied the airport in Lebanon, they had to clear away 125 different types of unexploded ordinance from 19 different countries.…