Tag: American history
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On Desperate Ground by Hampton Sides
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for On Desperate Ground: Fine, fine. Marines are good at stuff. I’ll admit it for once. Quick synopsis: The battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Mao Zedong believed orgasms directly halted the aging process. He’s dead now so I guess not. Fun Fact for…
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Chasing Beauty by Natalie Dykstra
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Chasing Beauty: An old school influencer. Quick synopsis: A biography of Isabella Stewart Gardner who created a popular museum in her own name. Fact for Non-History People: In the 1800s, Washington D.C. was a popular honeymoon destination. Fact for History Nerds: Isabella’s museum was the site of the infamous 1990 heist…
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Death Row Welcomes You by Steven Hale
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Death Row Welcomes You: See what you think. Quick synopsis: A look at the death penalty in Tennessee since 2018 and the people affected. Fact for Non-History People: There were 489 executions in the U.S. from 2001 to 2011 (485 men and 4 women). Fact for History Nerds: There are…
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Sociopath by Patric Gagne
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sociopath: Sociopaths are people, too. Quick synopsis: A memoir from a confirmed sociopath who wants to be understood. Fact for Non-History People: Sociopathy was the first personality disorder ever identified over 200 years ago. Fact for History Nerds: Sociopaths are about 5% of the population. My Take on Sociopath: Buckle…
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Hell Put to Shame by Earl Swift
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Hell Put to Shame: Hell is definitely where they are going. Quick synopsis: The story of the Murder Farm Massacre in 1921 Georgia. Fact for Non-History People: From 1889-1918, Black victims made up 93.3% of lynching cases in Georgia. Fact for History Nerds: The peonage system is tough to pin…
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Bartleby & Me by Gay Talese
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Bartleby & Me: Sinatra and explosions. Need I say more? Quick synopsis: Gay Talese talks about his career, Frank Sinatra, and a guy blowing up his brownstone. Fact for Non-History People: Frank Sinatra wore lifts in his shoes so that he was 5’9” even though he was really 5’7” which…
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The Blues Brothers by Daniel de Visé
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Blues Brothers: They’re on a mission from God. Quick synopsis: The story of how Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi became the Blues Brothers. Fact for Non-History People: The movie Animal House is based on a real life Dartmouth fraternity. Fact for History Nerds: Dan Aykroyd was born with syndactyly.…
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Charlie Hustle by Keith O’Brien
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Charlie Hustle: Hard to get out but even harder to like. Quick synopsis: The biography of baseball’s hit king, Pete Rose. Fact for Non-History People: Cincinnati was home to the first professional baseball team, The Red Stockings, in 1869. Fact for History Nerds: About half of all American households watched…
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Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Big Vape: If you beat them, you can still join them. Quick synopsis: The story of the e-cigarette, Juul. Fact for Non-History People: Juul was valued at $38 billion at its height. Fact for History Nerds: By July 2022, Juul was valued at $450 million. My Take on Big Vape: I…