Tag: American history
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What Stands in a Storm by Kim Cross
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for What Stands in a Storm: Got real dusty when I was reading this. Quick synopsis: The story of the three-day tornado superstorm outbreak in late April 2011. Fact for Non-History People: There was already a deadly tornado outbreak in April 2011 less than two weeks before the events of this…
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Jailbreak: Love on the Run (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Jailbreak: Worst evasion plan ever. Quick synopsis: The story of how prison official Vicky White helped her lover Casey White break out of prison and run off together. Fact for Non-History People: In 2019, 2,231 inmates escaped from prisons in the U.S. Fact for History Nerds: The largest jailbreak in history…
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America First by H.W. Brands
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for America First: The pilot vs. the president. The pilot crashed hard. Quick synopsis: The story of when FDR and Charles Lindbergh battled publicly over isolationism before World War II. Fact for Non-History People: When FDR contracted the illness which would leave him unable to walk, he initially was paralyzed from…
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The Great Black Hope by Louis Moore
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Great Black Hope: I have never been more unqualified to do a review. Quick synopsis: The story of NFL quarterbacks Doug Williams, Vince Evans, and the controversy around Black quarterbacks. Fact for Non-History People: In 1968, 24 out of 32 cornerbacks were Black. However, the entire league was only…
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Targeted: Beirut by Jack Carr and James Scott
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Targeted: Beirut: Very dangerous fish stuck in a barrel. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1983 U.S. Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut. Fact for Non-History People: When the Marines first occupied the airport in Lebanon, they had to clear away 125 different types of unexploded ordinance from 19 different countries.…
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Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Into the Fire: The Lost Daughter: You are going to hate someone, but it’s not who you think. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1989 disappearance of Aundria Bowman. Fact for Non-History People: 460,000 children are reported missing each year in the U.S. Fact for History Nerds: There are about 150,000…
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Tuskegee Airmen by Samuel de Korte
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Tuskegee Airmen: I wouldn’t want to mess with them. Quick synopsis: The true story of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. Fact for Non-History People: The airmen won over 850 medals. Fact for History Nerds: 150 Tuskegee Airmen lost their lives in World War II. My Take on Tuskegee…
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The Daring Exploits of Pirate Black Sam Bellamy by Jaime Goodall
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Daring Exploits of Pirate Black Sam Bellamy: Pirates, witches, and Cape Cod. Quick synopsis: The story of the notorious pirate Black Sam Bellamy. Fact for Non-History People: By some measures, Bellamy is the richest pirate ever with about $120 million stolen by today’s estimates. (Disclaimer: This is a really hard…
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Marquis de Lafayette Returns by Elizabeth Reese
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Marquis de Lafayette Returns: That’s my boy right there! Quick synopsis: The story of the Marquis de Lafayette’s return to the U.S. years after the revolution. Fact for Non-History People: Lafayette spent about $250,000 of his own money during the revolution ($5 million today). Fact for History Nerds: The throat infection…