Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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The Holly by Julian Rubinstein
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Holly: Denver is a damn mess. Quick synopsis: The story of Terrance Roberts and the gang war he both participated in and fought against. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Rick Ross, the rapper, is actually using the name of “Freeway” Rick Ross, the convicted drug dealer. The drug dealer…
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Gibraltar by Roy and Leslie Adkins
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Gibraltar: (In Sean Connery voice) Welcome to the Rock! Quick synopsis: The story of the Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There were so many cannonballs shot into the streets that you could basically walk on them as if they were the actual street.…
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Columbine by Dave Cullen
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Columbine: It’s worse than you remember. Quick synopsis: The Columbine school massacre of 1999. If you were alive, I am sure you remember where you were. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Columbine is only the 5th most deadly school shooting in U.S. history. Fun Fact for History Nerds: One of…
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Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Shadow Divers: Damn Nazis are still causing problems. Quick synopsis: The discovery and attempts to identify an unknown Nazi sub off New Jersey in 1991. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Back in 1991, when the book takes place, a diver could only be at a wreck for about 20 minutes…
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A Storm of Witchcraft by Emerson Baker
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Storm of Witchcraft: The same type of thinking which led us to anti-vaxxers! Quick synopsis: The Salem Witch Trials. Literally every American knows this one. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Still one of the most badass examples of what we now know as “pleading the fifth.” Giles Corey, who…
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Empire of Sin by Gary Krist
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Empire of Sin: Never had a title been so apt. Quick synopsis: The story of New Orleans in the early 1900s. Honestly, not that far off from NOLA today. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Guess which city had the first legal red-light district in the country? Yup, you got it.…
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The Ratline by Philippe Sands
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Ratline: Nazi blood runs deep. Quick synopsis: The story of Nazi Otto van Wachter and his family. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The path many Nazis took to avoid prosecution was called the “Ratline.” I don’t know of a term that was so apt. Fun Fact for History Nerds:…
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Icebound by Andrea Pitzer
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Icebound: You should probably take warm clothes with you to the Arctic. Quick synopsis: The voyages of Dutch Explorer William Barents in attempts to find the Northeast Passage. No, not the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: People used to believe geese were magical creatures because…
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The Unknowns by Patrick K. O’Donnell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Unknowns: You have to give it to Americans. We may not do it better, but we always do it bigger. Quick synopsis: An overview of American involvement in World War I through the lens of the body bearers of the Unknown Soldier. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Germans were…