Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Empire of Pain: The Sacklers suck. Quick synopsis: The history of the Sackler family, who projected themselves as philanthropists to the world while their painkillers were sending thousands on the road to death. Reminder: they suck. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Medical schools (even the fancy ones) previously limited the…
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The Greatest Beer Run Ever by Chick Donohue
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Greatest Beer Run Ever: I can’t improve on the title, so I won’t even try. Quick synopsis: Chick Donohue went to bring his friends beer….in Vietnam…during the Vietnam War. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Yes, the synopsis is true. All of it. Fun Fact for History Nerds: If you…
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Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein
Book cover of Ballad of the Whiskey Robber
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A Shot in the Moonlight by Ben Montgomery
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Shot in the Moonlight: It’s amazing how racism and stupidity always go together. Quick synopsis: The story of George Dinning, who survived being shot in the head to ultimately sue his mob. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Bennet H. Young, who helped Dinning sue the mob, once took part…
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Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sea of Glory: You’d think exploring around the world would get you remembered but apparently not. Quick synopsis: A narrative of the U.S Exploring Expedition of 1838 – 1842. Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it before either. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: This expedition explored 280 islands, mapped 800 miles…
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God’s Traitors by Jessie Childs
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for God’s Traitors: (Looks toward England. Raises middle finger.) Quick synopsis: Another story about how England is the devil. This time, it focuses on the Catholic Vaux family in Elizabethan England. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There were places built into homes to hide clergy during the time of Catholic persecution.…
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Blood Royal by Eric Jager
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Blood Royal: I wonder how many less murders we would have if people kept it in their pants? Quick synopsis: The murder of the Duke of Orleans, Louis I, in 1407. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: This murder wasn’t very straightforward because a lot of people wanted to kill Louis.…
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Mystery on the Isle of Shoals by J. Dennis Robinson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Mystery on the Isle of Shoals: It’s actually not a mystery who did it, but people like conspiracies. Quick synopsis: The murder of Karen and Anethe Christensen on the isolated Smuttynose Island in 1873. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Smuttynose Island got its name from sailors who felt the seaweed…
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Maniac by Harold Schechter
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Maniac: Always pay attention to people buying a lot of explosives. Quick synopsis: The Bath School disaster in 1927. Andrew Kehoe bombed the local Michigan grade school out of revenge for perceived slights and holy hell he didn’t stop there. Fun Fact for Non-History People Will Like: This is still the…