Category: Books/Museum Reviews

  • Crooked by Nathan Masters

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Crooked: Thank God politicians aren’t criminals like this anymore. Quick synopsis: The story of a corrupt Attorney General and the senator who tried to bring him. Fact for Non-History People: How about this for graft? During World War I, Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation overcharged the government by $2 million dollars. They never…

  • Ghosts of the Orphanage by Christine Kenneally

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Ghosts of the Orphanage: “Orphanage” is a super misleading term. Quick synopsis: The history of abuse at St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Vermont. Fact for Non-History People: Most children in orphanages WERE NOT ORPHANS. Usually, one, if NOT BOTH, parents were still alive. Fact for History Nerds: Efforts by the Catholic Church…

  • Africatown by Nick Tabor

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Africatown: Apparently, slavery wasn’t bad enough, so the discrimination just kept going. Quick synopsis: The story of the last slave ship to land in America and the fate of the people when slavery ended. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: In 1850, cotton consumption worldwide was 1.5 billion pounds. By 1859,…

  • The Strangers’ House by Alexander Poots

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Strangers’ House: Take a relaxing stroll through a sometimes-dangerous place. Quick synopsis: A look at some of the writers and poets of Northern Ireland. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: C.S. Lewis was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett both went…

  • Our Man in Tokyo by Steve Kemper

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Our Man in Tokyo: Ohhhhh, so that’s why Pearl Harbor happened. Quick synopsis: The story of how Japan ultimately chose to attack the U.S. from the perspective of the American ambassador, Joseph Grew. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Japanese emperor was seen as infallible, so he was never allowed…

  • Putin’s Wars by Mark Galeotti

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Putin’s Wars: So, this is why Ukraine is whooping his a–. Quick synopsis: A look at the Russian military from the end of the Cold War to now. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Other than a short stint in a basic training program, Putin was never in the Russian military.…

  • Wanderlust by Reid Mitenbuler

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Wanderlust: “Eccentric” explorer is putting it lightly. Quick synopsis: A biography of Peter Freuchen who had a life you need to read to believe. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Creatures happiest around ice are called “pagophiles.” Fun Fact for History Nerds: Male narwhal horns were believed to cure epilepsy, impotency,…

  • Empress of the Nile by Lynne Olson

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Empress of the Nile: It is way easier to acquire an ancient temple than I thought. Quick synopsis: The story of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, a trailblazing archaeologist and preserver of Egyptian treasures. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: More than 1.25 million people went to the Louvre to see King Tut’s treasures.…

  • Walk Through Fire by Yasmine Ali

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Walk Through Fire: Don’t go look at train derailments! Quick synopsis: The story of the Waverly Train Disaster of 1978. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The explosion was so powerful that a tank pipe was thrown over 400 yards. Fun Fact for History Nerds: The medical examiner for the disaster…