Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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Never In Finer Company by Edward G. Lengel
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Never In Finer Company: Military egomaniacs get their men in a jam? You don’t say. Quick synopsis: Story of the “Lost Battalion” in World War I. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Jokes about using pigeons to send messages are commonplace as jokes. I think people forget that it actually was…
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Dead Mountain by Donnie Eichar
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Dead Mountain: This is why I never go camping. OR In Soviet Russia, mountain kill you! Quick synopsis: The story of the mysterious death of 9 hikers in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1959. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The nine hikers’ bodies were found in various forms of…
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The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Ghost Map: If you thought doctors were clueless now…. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak in England and how two men figured out why it was happening. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The cholera outbreak chronicled here killed 616 people. It all came from…
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What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for What Made Maddy Run: Every parent’s worst nightmare. Quick synopsis: The life and suicide of Madison Holleran, a young University of Pennsylvania athlete. History Fact: The University of Pennsylvania is in the Ivy League. Who knew? Fun Fact for History Nerds: Important Note: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255. My Take…
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The Book Was Better: King Leopold’s Ghost
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for King Leopold’s Ghost: You’ll never look at rubber the same way again. Quick synopsis: The story of King Leopold II of Belgium and how he took over. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Leopold II of Belgium is responsible for the death of about 10 million Africans. Some people today still…
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The Book Was Better: In The Heart of the Sea
Alternate Tagline for In the Heart of the Sea: Don’t piss off whales. Quick synopsis: The story of a whaling ship sunk by a whale in the Pacific Ocean and the fight to stay alive after. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Moby Dick exists partially because of this story. Don’t hold that against the…
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The Polar Bear Expedition by James Carl Nelson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Polar Bear Expedition: We invaded Russia? We invaded Russia! Quick synopsis: Story of the Polar Bear Expedition, where the Allied Powers at the end of World War I invade near Archangel, Russia to…. well no one was quite sure what the hell they were doing there. Fun Fact Non-History People…
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Sea People by Christina Thompson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sea People: Where the hell did they come from?! Quick synopsis: A look at the people of Polynesia: how’d they get there and how do we know (or not know, actually). Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Page 147 contains the term, “cow-titty.” You’re damn right I giggled. Fun Fact for…
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The Road to Jonestown by Jeff Guinn
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Road to Jonestown: Drink this Kool-Aid! The book I mean. Quick synopsis: The story of Jim Jones from his childhood to Jonestown and the mass suicide of over 900 people. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid,” as a saying is because of this story. 900 people…