Tag: religion
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Koresh by Stephan Talty
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Koresh: He was way more awful than you remember. Quick synopsis: The story of David Koresh and how his life led to the tragedy at Waco. Fun Fact for Non-History People: David Koresh’s real name was Vernon Wayne Howell. Fun Fact for History Nerds: The Branch Davidians didn’t exist because of…
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A Billion Years by Mike Rinder
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for A Billion Years: Tom Cruise has some explaining to do. Quick synopsis: A memoir by Mike Rinder, who was a higher up in the Church of Scientology. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Scientology practices what’s called “bullbaiting” which is an exercise to eliminate reactions to people saying things to you.…
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The Templars by Dan Jones
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Templars: They really need a public relations overhaul. Quick synopsis: The story of the Knights Templar which most people think are a secret organization bent on world domination. That was literally never a thing. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Most Templars were really just bankers. They protected personal belongings,…
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The Most Famous Man in America by Debby Applegate
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Most Famous Man in America: Stanford was ridiculous when it was founded! Quick synopsis: The biography of famous preacher, Henry Ward Beecher. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Does the name sound vaguely familiar? You probably know his sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Fun Fact for…
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Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (Netflix)
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Keep Sweet: So gross. Quick synopsis: A documentary on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints leader, Warren Jeffs. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: So yeah, some people married their moms. Fun Fact for History Nerds: You will see some wild hairdos in this documentary because there is…
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Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Under the Banner of Heaven: Multiple spouses just sounds exhausting. Quick synopsis: A book focused on Mormon Fundamentalism and a horrific double murder. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: In the fundamentalist stronghold of Colorado City, 78% of the population receives food stamps. Fun Fact for History Nerds: An actual sentence…
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Absolute Monarchs by John Julius Norwich
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Absolute Monarchs: Popes behaving badly. Quick synopsis: It’s about the Pope. All of them. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Pope Stephen VI put Pope Formosus on trial. The catch? Formosus was dead for 7 months. They exhumed him and had him sit there during the trial. It’s called the Cadaver…
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The Nuns of Sant’Ambrogio by Hubert Wolf
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Nuns of Sant’Ambrogio: Lesbian nuns. Don’t give me a dirty look. It’s literally true. Quick synopsis: It’s 1858 at a convent in Rome. Stuff is about to go down. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Lesbian nuns. Am I appealing to the lowest common denominator? Yes. It’s still true. Fun…
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My Favorite History: Saint Thomas More
Imagine being one of the great philosophers of your age. You serve a king, die a martyr’s death, and are revered by the Catholic Church. However, your greatest contribution to the world is a book you wrote on a lark. And the title is used today to mean the exact opposite of the point you…