Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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Who Killed Jane Stanford? by Richard White
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Who Killed Jane Stanford: Stanford was ridiculous when it was founded! Quick synopsis: The murder of Jane Stanford, one of the founders of Stanford University. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Stanford was founded due to the death of the Stanfords’ only child. Fun Fact for History Nerds: A line written…
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Spare Parts by Paul Craddock
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Spare Parts: The “spare” part is very misleading. Generally, the owner still needed them. Quick synopsis: The history of transplants from the first skin grafts to the present day. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The first target of a transplant? The skin or specifically the nose. How? Oh, you just…
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Benedict Arnold: Revolutionary Hero by James Kirby Martin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline: He still sucks. Quick synopsis: A look at why Benedict Arnold became the traitor we still love to hate. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Arnold had two wives named Peggy. Not at the same time. That would be scandalous. Oh, wait… Fun Fact for History Nerds: Arnold is often thought of…
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Born to Be Hanged by Keith Thomson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Born to Be Hanged: The title is already really good. Quick synopsis: The story of one of the most audacious pirate raids ever on the Pacific Coast of the Americas in 1680. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The pirates immensely enjoyed a sour beer with their native hosts at one…
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The Fairy Tellers by Nicholas Jubber
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Fairy Tellers: Fairy tales are way more messed up than you remember. Quick synopsis: A look at some of the famous original fairy tellers in history. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There’s a fairy tale called Hans My Hedgehog. He rides a rooster and stabs a princess with his…
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Pirate Queens by Rebecca Alexandra Simon
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Pirate Queens: Pirating is a very short career choice. Quick synopsis: The story of notorious female pirates Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Bonny and Read were only pirates for two months. Fun Fact for History Nerds: During the 17th and 18th centuries, half of all…
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The Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Dark Queens: Game of Thrones only real. Less dragons, obviously. Quick synopsis: The story of Queens Brunhild and Fredegund who were trying to kill each other for decades while ruling their kingdoms. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Vikings wearing horned helmets? Not a thing. Someone made it up…
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The Halifax Explosion by Ken Cuthbertson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Halifax Explosion: When Canada decides to go big, they go really big. Quick synopsis: The story of the Halifax Explosion of 1917, one of the worst man-made disasters in history. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: This is still the largest non-nuclear man-made explosion in human history. Fun Fact for…
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Conan Doyle for the Defense by Margalit Fox
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Conan Doyle for the Defense: Need to get out of jail? Just get the most famous detective writer ever! Quick synopsis: The story of how Arthur Conan Doyle (who wrote Sherlock Holmes) helped secure the release of wrongly convicted Oscar Slater. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: After Pearl Harbor, Life…