Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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The Man Who Caught the Storm- Brantley Hargrove
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Man Who Caught the Storm: Don’t go into a tornado. It’s a bad idea. Quick synopsis: The story of Tim Samaras who was a famous tornado hunter and inventor. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Frequency of a tornado coming through your living room? Once every 4,000 years. This number…
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Ghost Soldiers by Hampton Sides
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Ghost Soldiers: You’ll cancel your hibachi reservation after reading this. Quick synopsis: The story of the jailbreak for the survivors of the Bataan Death March. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: What did the U.S. Army do when their soldiers got tired in World War II? Amphetamines! (Club music begins) Fun…
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Code Name: Lise by Larry Loftis
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Code Name: Lise: Want to be a spy? Not after reading this! Quick synopsis: Story of the Odette Sansom, the most decorated spy of WWII. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Sansom was caught and tortured by the Gestapo repeatedly. She didn’t give them a thing. Thank God she was a…
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American Predator by Maureen Callahan
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for American Predator: Want to get away with murder? Don’t use the ATM card. Quick synopsis: The capture of (and botched interviews of) Israel Keyes. He was a very successful serial killer. And creepy as all hell. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Well not a fun fact but informative. Keyes got…
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Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Destiny of the Republic: Sometimes you should just leave the bullet alone. Quick synopsis: The story of how President James Garfield came to power and then was assassinated. Also, how a bunch of doctors screwed up a lot. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Thomas Edison makes an appearance. Yeah, the…
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Elizabeth Seton by Catherine O’Donnell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Elizabeth Seton: I have no idea why this woman is a saint. Quick synopsis: A biography of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American born saint. For some reason. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Seton was a terrible babysitter! She was constantly trying to convert kids against their parents wishes! Even…
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Museum Review: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Museum Focus: This is the annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Where is it: 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151. Just outside of Washington D.C. to the west. What does it cost: Free! Well, sort of. It’s $15 for parking although every time I go there is no one at…
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Murder Aboard by C. Michael Hiam
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Murder Aboard: Of course, they blamed the minority and not the previously incarcerated crazy dude. Quick synopsis: A true crime story about murders aboard a ship in 1896. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Canadians used to call New England the “Boston States.” I feel like everywhere but Boston would find…
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Stalingrad by Antony Beevor
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Stalingrad: Which mass murderer is dumber, Hilter or Stalin? You decide! Quick synopsis: A chronicle of the Battle of Stalingrad during World War II. Basically, the soldiers were heroes and all the megalomaniacs at the top were…well megalomaniacs. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Yes, Russians actually shot their own troops…