Tag: World War II
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Taking London by Martin Dugard
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Taking London: Sometimes it takes an island. Quick synopsis: The story of the Battle of Britain through the eyes of four Allied pilots. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: The Nazi Party grew from just a small movement in 1920 to about 400,000 people by World War II. Fun Fact for…
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When the Sea Came Alive by Garrett Graff
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for When the Sea Came Alive: D-Day in their own words. Quick synopsis: On oral history of D-Day from various records of the people who lived it. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Nearly 133,000 Allied troops landed on D-Day. Fun Fact for History Nerds: By June 30th, over 850,000 men, 148,000…
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Fifty-Three Days on Starvation Island by John Bruning
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Fifty-Three Days on Starvation Island: This was no island vacation. Quick synopsis: The story of the U.S. Marine pilots at Guadalcanal in World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: In 1942, a filet mignon was only $1.90 in D.C. restaurants. Fun Fact for History Nerds: Brewster, a plane manufacturer,…
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Patton’s Prayer by Alex Kershaw
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Patton’s Prayer: Because weather shouldn’t ruin your day or keep you from winning World War II. Quick synopsis: The story of General George Patton during the Battle of the Bulge. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Patton had to repeat a year at West Point because he failed math. (Even I…
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Skies of Thunder by Caroline Alexander
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Skies of Thunder: Catch-22 only real life. Quick synopsis: The story of World War II pilots flying routes over the Himalayas. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: There are currently nearly 600 planes lying where they crashed along the route. Fun Fact for History Nerds: When British forces took over Burma…
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Cracking the Nazi Code by Jason Bell
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Cracking the Nazi Code: Hitler was not the beginning. Quick synopsis: A look at the career of Winthrop Bell who spied on the Nazis before World War II. Fact for Non-History People: By the end of World War II, the Nazis were responsible for 20 million deaths without counting combat related…
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Beverly Hills Spy by Ronald Drabkin
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Beverly Hills Spy: The climate is even great for spying! Quick synopsis: The story of Frederick Rutland who spied for the Japanese against America in World War II. Fact for Non-History People: Rutland was so poor that when he enlisted in the navy, he was only 5’2” and 85 pounds. Fact…
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Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin by Scott McGaugh
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Brotherhood of the Flying Coffin: There is no damn way you’d get me in one of those things. Quick synopsis: The story of the American glider pilots of World War II. Fact for Non-History People: The U.S. produced 14,612 gliders between 1941 and 1945. Fact for History Nerds: General William Westmoreland…
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The Counterfeit Countess by Elizabeth White and Joanna Sliwa
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Counterfeit Countess: Best. Fraud. Ever. Quick synopsis: The story of Dr. Josephine Janina Mehlberg who became a fake countess and saved thousands of people in World War II. Fact for Non-History People: Mehlberg negotiated the release of at least 9,707 people and that does not include the people saved by…