Tag: exploration
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Madhouse at the End of the Earth by Julian Sancton
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Madhouse at the End of the Earth: Belgium tried to do what? Quick summary: The voyage of the Belgica, a ship from Belgium intent on Antarctic discovery in 1897. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Antarctic Giant Petrel’s defense mechanism is to puke on you. It smells really bad apparently.…
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Icebound by Andrea Pitzer
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Icebound: You should probably take warm clothes with you to the Arctic. Quick synopsis: The voyages of Dutch Explorer William Barents in attempts to find the Northeast Passage. No, not the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: People used to believe geese were magical creatures because…
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Sea of Glory by Nathaniel Philbrick
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sea of Glory: You’d think exploring around the world would get you remembered but apparently not. Quick synopsis: A narrative of the U.S Exploring Expedition of 1838 – 1842. Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it before either. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: This expedition explored 280 islands, mapped 800 miles…
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Jungle of Stone by William Carlsen
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Jungle of Stone: I wouldn’t even do what they did in 1839 today. Forget that. Quick synopsis: Two guys went into the Jungle and discovered the Mayans were way more legit than anyone gave them credit for. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The archaeological site of Copan, in Honduras, was…
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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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The Book Was Better: The Lost City of Z
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Lost City of Z: Who would have thought the Amazon could be so dangerous? Quick synopsis: The story of famed explorer Percy Fawcett and his disappearance looking for the Lost City of Z. I compare the book by David Grann and the movie of the same name. Fun Fact Non-History…
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Sea People by Christina Thompson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Sea People: Where the hell did they come from?! Quick synopsis: A look at the people of Polynesia: how’d they get there and how do we know (or not know, actually). Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Page 147 contains the term, “cow-titty.” You’re damn right I giggled. Fun Fact for…
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A Wretched and Precarious Situation – David Welky
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Wretched and Precarious Situation: Wretched and precarious for them, fun for us. Quick synopsis: The story of the Crocker Land expedition where Artic explorers went in search of Crocker Land first glimpsed but unexplored by a previous expedition. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Go to a map and find…