Tag: American history

  • The Shooter at Midnight by Sean Patrick Cooper

    The Shooter at Midnight by Sean Patrick Cooper

    Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Shooter at Midnight: Farming folk can be just as murderous as city folk. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1990 murder of Cathy Robertson in Missouri. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The farming crisis of the 1970s saw farmers take their own lives at double the national rate. Fun…

  • On Desperate Ground by Hampton Sides

    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…

  • Chasing Beauty by Natalie Dykstra

    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…

  • Death Row Welcomes You by Steven Hale

    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…

  • Sociopath by Patric Gagne

    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…

  • Hell Put to Shame by Earl Swift

    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…

  • Bartleby & Me by Gay Talese

    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…

  • The Blues Brothers by Daniel de Visé

    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.…

  • Charlie Hustle by Keith O’Brien

    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…