Tag: disaster
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Triangle by David Von Drehle
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Triangle: This is why we have fire safety requirements. Quick synopsis: The story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. It is one of the worst industrial disasters in the history of the US and one of the main reasons for a lot of major reforms. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:…
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A Furious Sky by Eric Jay Dolin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Furious Sky: Don’t live in Florida. Or Texas. It’s science. Quick synopsis: The 500-year history of hurricanes in America. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: When hurricanes started being given proper names, they were only women’s names. It led to some rather hilarious adjectives being attributed to storms like “moody.”…
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Antarctica by David Day
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Antarctica: I really want to go here. Someone want to make a donation? Quick synopsis: The story of Antarctica from the 1770s to today. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Antarctica is a desert. It hasn’t rained there in 2 million years. Go ahead, check my work. Fun Fact for History…
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Labyrinth of Ice by Buddy Levy
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Labyrinth of Ice: Just don’t go to the Arctic. It’s a bad idea. Quick synopsis: The story of the Greely Polar Expedition in 1881. It went badly. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: You don’t get a cold in the Arctic. The lack of people and germs means you just won’t…
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Floodpath by Jon Wilkman
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Floodpath: Came for the flood, got too much else. Quick synopsis: The story of the St. Francis Dam flood. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Mulholland Drive in L.A. is named after the designer and builder of the St. Francis Dam. He was alive when the flood happened and killed scores…
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Under a Flaming Sky by Daniel James Brown
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Under a Flaming Sky: Well I’m certainly going to be nice to Forest Rangers after reading this. Quick synopsis: The story of the 1894 firestorm in Hinckley, Minnesota which burned 350,000 acres in 5 hours and killed over 400 people. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Think it’s safe to jump…
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The Forgotten Storm by Wallace Akin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Forgotten Storm: I’m never living in Tornado Alley. Quick synopsis: The story of the Tri-State Tornado of 1925. It is the deadliest tornado in US history. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The author of this book was in the tornado. In fact, he was in his house. Which the…
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The White Cascade by Gary Krist
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The White Cascade: A horror movie in book form. Quick synopsis: The story of Wellington avalanche of 1910 which left 96 people dead. It is the deadliest avalanche in American history. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The disaster was so terrible that the town of Wellington quietly changed its name…
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Ship Ablaze by Edward O’Donnell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Ship Ablaze: Sometimes life preservers are a bad idea. Quick synopsis: The story of the disaster of the General Slocum in 1904. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: On a pleasure cruise around New York City, the boat caught fire and sank killing 1,342 people on board. It was the worst…