Category: Books/Museum Reviews
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The First Conspiracy by Brad Meltzer/Josh Mensch
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The First Conspiracy: George Washington, assassins, and overwrought prose. Quick synopsis: The story of the assassination conspiracy of George Washington right before the Battle of Long Island. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: New Yorkers in 1770 consumed an average of 6.7 gallons of rum year per person. That is the…
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Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Midnight in Chernobyl: In Soviet Russia, things go boom! Quick synopsis: An in-depth look at the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, Russia in 1986. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Marie Curie and her husband discovered polonium and radium. Her notes on them are so radioactive they are still…
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The Five by Hallie Rubenhold
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Five: Life is hard for a woman. Then Jack the Ripper kills you. Quick synopsis: The life stories of the women killed by Jack the Ripper. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The number of women killed by Jack the Ripper is not completely known. The five women in this…
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Museum Review: Mount Vernon
Museum Focus: George’s Washington’s home in Virginia. Where is it: 3200 Mount Vernon Hwy, Mt Vernon, VA 22121. What does it cost: About $20 per adult, $12 per kid. How long should I plan to stay: Mount Vernon is 500 acres. You could probably take 2 or 3 days to see everything. However, a good…
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Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Say Nothing: Came for the murder, stayed for the Troubles. Quick synopsis: A true crime story which starts as a case of kidnapping but then becomes a microcosm of the Troubles of Northern Ireland. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: When some serious IRA hard-cases came to America, they thought WE…
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The Ice Balloon by Alec Wilkinson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Ice Balloon: This is what happens when you ignore science Quick synopsis: A story of S.A. Andree’s attempt to reach the North Pole via a balloon. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: S.A. Andree thought he could reach the North Pole via balloon. It went as well as you think…
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Battle of the Books – The Great Halifax Explosion
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline: These books are explosive! I am so sorry, I’ll do better next time. Quick synopsis: The story of the great Halifax explosion during WWI. A munitions ship collides with another ship and caused a massive explosion. Then it caused a tsunami. Then there was a snowstorm. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:…
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Hunting Eichmann by Neal Bascomb
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline: Nothing better than hanging Nazis! Quick synopsis: Story of the hunt for Adolf Eichmann in Argentina after World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: When General Patton (renowned tough guy) first walked into a concentration camp, he threw up. Also, there are people today who believe the Holocaust did not…
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The Cruelest Miles by Gay and Laney Salisbury
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Cruelest Miles: You won’t be able to argue the “man’s best friend” moniker after this book! Quick synopsis: Description of the 1935 Serum Run to Nome, Alaska which was the precursor to the Iditarod. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: One story about sled dogs entailed how a musher fell…