Category: Books/Museum Reviews

  • Happy Thanksgiving, Nerds!

    We hope you are somewhere comfy and cozy with people you actually want to be around. What? You need something to distract yourself that’s history related? We got you covered. Check out Saints & Strangers which is amazing. It’s now a Thanksgiving tradition for me. (Review here.) In between football, of course. Stay cool, nerds.

  • Deadly Triangle by Susan Goldberg

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Deadly Triangle: Canadian murder, eh! Quick synopsis: The 1935 murder of famous Canadian architect Francis Mawson Rattenbury. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Francis Rattenbury had a major windfall in creating a government building by negotiating his profits to be tied to the final cost. He then went over budget by…

  • Guest Post! Ryan Woolf’s Review of Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution by Mike Duncan

    Alternate Tagline for Hero of Two Worlds: I thought there would be more rap battles. Quick synopsis: The fascinating life story of The Marquis de Lafayette. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Marquis de Lafayette was childhood friends with King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette; he had a surrogate father/son relationship with George…

  • I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for I’m Glad My Mom Died: Thank God my mom is not like her mom. Quick synopsis: A memoir by former child star, Jennette McCurdy. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Miranda Cosgrove seems like a good person and a good friend. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Ariana Grande seems like a…

  • American Mother by Gregg Olsen

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for American Mother: Family dinners must be awkward. Quick synopsis: The story of a 1986 true crime case where people were killed by tainted medicine. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Cyanide smells like bitter almonds. Stick to peanuts. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Anything I’d say here is a spoiler. Just…

  • The Rebel and the Kingdom by Bradley Hope

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Rebel and the Kingdom: You should always have a plan B when raiding an embassy. Quick synopsis: The story of an armed raid on a North Korean embassy and the person who made it happen. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: North Korea divides their people into 51 categories. About…

  • The Last Hill by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Last Hill: Yeah, they always say one more hill. Then there’s always another hill. Quick synopsis: The story of “Rudder’s Rangers” in World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: When the U.S. first entered World War II 85% of war resources were allotted to Europe as opposed to…

  • The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams: He’s more than just a beer! Quick synopsis: A biography of the overshadowed Adams, Samuel. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: He was never called “Sam.” Always Samuel. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Adams was gifted a slave from his mother-in-law. He immediately had her emancipated. Surrey…

  • Harbinger by Shelley Puhak

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Harbinger: And now for something completely different. Quick synopsis: A collection of poems by Shelley Puhak. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: It’s a poetry book so none. Fun Fact for History Nerds: See previous fun fact. My Take on Harbinger: I know, I know. “Brendan, this is called History Nerds…