Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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The Black Joke by A. E. Rooks
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Black Joke: If you can’t beat them, steal their ship and then beat them. Quick synopsis: A story of a slave ship turned freedom ship off the coast of Africa in the 1800s. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: A quarter of all the freed enslaved people were courtesy of…
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I’d Like to Play Alone, Please by Tom Segura
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for I’d Like to Play Alone, Please: Same. Quick synopsis: Various essays on life by comedian, Tom Segura. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: It’s not that kind of book. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Again, not that kind of book. My Take on I’d Like to Play Alone, Please: Full disclosure…
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We Carry Their Bones by Erin Kimmerle
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for We Carry Their Bones: Florida. Always Florida. Quick synopsis: The story of the Dozier School in Florida where basically children had been tortured and killed for 100 years. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: In 1865, Florida governor John Milton was so upset about the Union winning the Civil War that…
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Liar Temptress Soldier Spy by Karen Abbott
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Liar Temptress Soldier Spy: Don’t judge a book by their cover. Or forget to suspect a woman as a spy. Quick synopsis: The story of four women during the Civil War and how they gave to their respective causes. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: As many as 400 women served…
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The Pope at War by David Kertzer
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Pope at War: I’m going to skip Mass this week. Quick synopsis: The story of Pope Pius XII during World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like #1: The Nazis took over 1,000 Jews from Rome during World War II. Only 16 survived. Fun Fact for History Nerds #2:…
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Black Flags, Blue Waters by Eric Jay Dolin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Black Flags, Blue Waters: The English are the reason we can’t have nice things like a Pirate Republic. Quick synopsis: An overview of piracy in the Americas. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Blackbeard was actually one of the least violent popular pirates. He used theatrics (like lighting fuses and sticking…
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Rebels at Sea by Eric Jay Dolin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Rebels at Sea: Whoop’em by land, whoop’em by sea. Quick synopsis: The story of American privateers in the American Revolution. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: One of the privateer boats was named Tyrannicide. Name a better boat name. I dare you. Fun Fact for History Nerds: At the time of…
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Leviathan by Eric Jay Dolin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Leviathan: Poor whales. What did they ever do to us? Quick synopsis: The history of whaling in America. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Yeah, there’s three pages on whale penis in here. You’re welcome. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Right whales couldn’t swallow humans even if they wanted to because…
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The Last Days of the Dinosaurs by Riley Black
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: Poor dinos… Quick synopsis: A look at the time right before, and then way after, the stupid asteroid killed all the dinosaurs. The asteroid is a jerk. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The asteroid impact released the equivalent energy of 100 teratonnes of dynamite…