Tag: true crime
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In Order to Live by Yeonmi Park/Maryanne Vollers
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for In Order to Live: North Korea is worse than I thought, amazingly. Quick synopsis: The story of Yeonmi Park, who escaped North Korea only to end up being human trafficked in China. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Children are taught that Kim Jong Il wrote fifteen hundred books while at…
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The Book Was Better: Catch and Kill
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Catch and Kill: Movie producers are perverts? Who knew? Except literally everyone. Quick synopsis: The story of how Ronan Farrow took down Harvey Weinstein. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Ronan Farrow is also a lawyer and clearly an overachiever. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Weinstein actually reached out to Woody…
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Operation Thunderbolt by Saul David
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Operation Thunderbolt: Idi Amin was a real whackjob. Quick synopsis: The story of Operation Thunderbolt, an Israeli action to save hostages on a hijacked plane. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The flight crew was given the option to be released with non-Jewish passengers but refused. Fun Fact for History Nerds:…
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The Good Assassin by Stephan Talty
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Good Assassin: Of course he’s a good assassin. He’s killing Nazis. Quick synopsis: The story of the hunt and killing of Herbert Cukurs, the Butcher of Latvia. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Ilha da Queimada Grande, an island off the coast of Brazil, has one snake for every 6…
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The Babysitter by Liza Rodman and Jennifer Jordan
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Babysitter: I actually dislike the mother more than the serial killer. Quick synopsis: The story of serial killer Tony Costa and the memories of Liza Rodman, who was babysat by Tony Costa on many occasions (and didn’t kill her, obviously). Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The murders took place…
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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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The Holly by Julian Rubinstein
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Holly: Denver is a damn mess. Quick synopsis: The story of Terrance Roberts and the gang war he both participated in and fought against. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Rick Ross, the rapper, is actually using the name of “Freeway” Rick Ross, the convicted drug dealer. The drug dealer…
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Columbine by Dave Cullen
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Columbine: It’s worse than you remember. Quick synopsis: The Columbine school massacre of 1999. If you were alive, I am sure you remember where you were. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Columbine is only the 5th most deadly school shooting in U.S. history. Fun Fact for History Nerds: One of…