Tag: World War II
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Agent Josephine by Damien Lewis
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Agent Josephine: Celebrities can work for the greater good! Quick synopsis: The untold story of how entertainer Josephine Baker was also a French spy in World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: A list of animals Josephine took with her nearly everywhere: a Great Dane, monkey, golden lion tamarin,…
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The Pope at War by David Kertzer
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Pope at War: I’m going to skip Mass this week. Quick synopsis: The story of Pope Pius XII during World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like #1: The Nazis took over 1,000 Jews from Rome during World War II. Only 16 survived. Fun Fact for History Nerds #2:…
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Hitler’s Boy Soldiers by Helene Munson
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Hitler’s Boy Soldiers: Just when you thought the Nazis couldn’t get any worse. Quick synopsis: The story of how Hitler and the Nazis indoctrinated young men even before World War II. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: What was a good exercise for these young men? Manning anti-aircraft guns! Yes, really!…
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Valor by Dan Hampton
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Valor: The story of a man who refused to enjoy a beach vacation. Quick synopsis: The story of Bill Harris in World War II as he fights, gets captured, fights, fights some more and absolutely refuses to sit still. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Chicago’s mayor thought it was possible…
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The Fighting Bunch by Chris DeRose
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline: Pissing off soldiers back from World War II seems like a bad strategy. Quick synopsis for The Fighting Bunch: The story of the Battle of Athens, where armed soldiers back from World War II took on a corrupt local government. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Only 139 cars were made during…
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Timely History: Appeasement
Ever heard the word “appeasement”? If you haven’t yet, I have a feeling it will be coming up quite often. Let’s do the totally dorky but necessary first step in talking about a big idea and define it! I am going to go with the Cambridge Dictionary because it sounds fancy. “Appeasement” is the act…
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Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Facing the Mountain: Well, this entire situation is a really bad look. Quick synopsis: The story of multiple Japanese Americans through the trials of World War II at home and abroad. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: People during World War II thought dogs could track Japanese people better because…. they…
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Three Ordinary Girls by Tim Brady
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Three Ordinary Girls: Who says women can’t work together? Quick synopsis: The story of three Dutch badasses, Hannie Schaft, Freddie Oversteegen, and Truus Oversteegen. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: “I shoot better.” Read the book. You’ll get there. Fun Fact for History Nerds: The three women’s legacies were very…. complicated…
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The Daughters of Yalta by Catherine Grace Katz
Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for The Daughters of Yalta: It all makes for very complicated dinner parties. Quick synopsis: The story of the Yalta Conference near the end of World War II through the eyes of Sarah Churchill, Anna Roosevelt, and Kathleen Harriman. Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like: Franklin D. Roosevelt never knew what he…