Tag: European history
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The Confidence Men by Margalit Fox
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Confidence Men: Maybe I’ve had fortune tellers wrong this whole time. Quick synopsis: The story of how two British POWs in World War I make their escape… by using telepathy. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: This may be the only example in military history of a conviction on espionage…
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Sophie: A Murder in West Cork (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sophie: Ireland is really beautiful. Yes, even with a murderer running around. Quick synopsis: The murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The first potato planted in Ireland was in Cork in 1588. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Cobh, in Cork, was the…
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Enemy of All Mankind by Steven Johnson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Enemy of all Mankind: Piracy, the original get rich quick scheme or die trying. Quick synopsis: The story of arch-pirate Henry Every. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Henry Every is the most successful pirate of all time. He was only a pirate for two years. He was also never caught.…
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Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Agent Zigzag: I believe the English term for a guy like this is “cheeky.” Quick synopsis: The story of Eddie Chapman, the most unexpected double agent of World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: One of the men in this book was known as “Passion Pants.” Fun Fact for…
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Louis XIV by Josephine Wilkinson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Louis XIV: Current world record holder for longest reign! Quick synopsis: A biography of Louis XIV of France, the Sun King. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Guess how Louisiana got named? Yup, this guy. He is the longest reigning monarch of all time (72 years, 110 days). Queen Elizabeth is…
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Gibraltar by Roy and Leslie Adkins
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Gibraltar: (In Sean Connery voice) Welcome to the Rock! Quick synopsis: The story of the Siege of Gibraltar from 1779 to 1783. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There were so many cannonballs shot into the streets that you could basically walk on them as if they were the actual street.…
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The Ratline by Philippe Sands
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Ratline: Nazi blood runs deep. Quick synopsis: The story of Nazi Otto van Wachter and his family. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The path many Nazis took to avoid prosecution was called the “Ratline.” I don’t know of a term that was so apt. Fun Fact for History Nerds:…
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The Unknowns by Patrick K. O’Donnell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Unknowns: You have to give it to Americans. We may not do it better, but we always do it bigger. Quick synopsis: An overview of American involvement in World War I through the lens of the body bearers of the Unknown Soldier. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Germans were…
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Ballad of the Whiskey Robber by Julian Rubinstein
Book cover of Ballad of the Whiskey Robber