Tag: American history
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Until the Last Gun is Silent by Matthew Delmont
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Until the Last Gun is Silent: Sometimes they aren’t even silent at home. Quick synopsis: The stories of Coretta Scott King and Skip Johnson during the Vietnam War. Fact for Non-History People: There are 96 recognized African American Medal of Honor recipients. Fact for History Nerds: Coretta Scott King was a…
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Kuleana by Sara Goo
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Kuleana: Even paradise has taxes. Quick synopsis: The story of a woman dealing with family, legacy, heritage, and paradise (almost) lost. Fact for Non-History People: Hawai’i is the only state completely within a tropical climate. Fact for History Nerds: Hawai’i is the most isolated population center on Earth, located over 2,000…
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The Science of Second Chances by Jennifer Doleac
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Science of Second Chances: Better living through data. Quick synopsis: A look at some possible solutions to recidivism in the U.S. criminal justice system. Fact for Non-History People: In the U.S., approximately 70% of released prisoners are rearrested within 5 years. Fact for History Nerds: Within three years, nearly 50%…
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Heartland by Keith O’Brien
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Heartland: The legend before the legend. Quick synopsis: The story of Larry Bird’s path to a magical year at Indiana State University. Fact for Non-History People: Bird was set to play for the legendary Bobby Knight but quit before ever playing a game. Fact for History Nerds: Bird is the first…
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The Rembrandt Heist by Anthony Amore
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Rembrandt Heist: When in a jam, make a bigger jam. Quick synopsis: The life and crimes of art thief Myles Connor. Fact for Non-History People: The largest art heist on record is the 1990 heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston with 13 works valued at $500 million…
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End of Days by Chris Jennings
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for End of Days: Plenty of judgement to go around. Quick synopsis: The story of the Ruby Ridge tragedy and how it all happened. Fact for Non-History People: In 2021, 15% of Americans believed the government had fallen under the control of a Satan-worshiping cabal of pedophiles. Probably a higher number now.…
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American Reich by Eric Lichtblau
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for American Reich: Feel like this is going to cause an argument. Quick synopsis: A look at a hate crime in Orange County, CA and the rise of hate crimes overall in the U.S. Fact for Non-History People: Hate crimes have doubled since 2015, reaching over 11,800 incidents in 2023. Fact for…
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Five Bullets by Elliot Williams
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Five Bullets: How many is too many? Quick synopsis: The story of the Bernie Goetz case in 1980s New York City. Fact for Non-History People: The NYC murder count per year went from 1,392 in 1985 to 2,262 in 1990. To be clear, 1,392 was already a lot. Fact for History…
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Everybody Loses by Danny Funt
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Everybody Loses: Please read this book before your next bet. Quick synopsis: A look at the legalization of sports gambling in America. Fact for Non-History People: Americans bet $157 legally on sports in fiscal year 2025. Fact for History Nerds: 95% of this betting happened online. My Take on Everybody Loses:…