Tag: History

Cover for Kinky History by Esme Louise James

Review: Kinky History: A Rollicking Journey through Our Sexual Past, Present, and Future by Esmé Louise James 

September 13, 2024

After following James’ Kinky History videos on Instagram, I knew I needed to read this book. She always presents the kinky facts from history in a fun and easy to understand manner. This book is just a longer version of that.  James uses a mixture of history, science, and personal anecdote to tell the history … More Review: Kinky History: A Rollicking Journey through Our Sexual Past, Present, and Future by Esmé Louise James 

Cover for The Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff

Review: The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

September 10, 2024

As someone who lived through this event and watched it happen on television, this was a hard book to listen to. This attack happened when I was in the fourth grade (9 years old). A teacher came into our class to notify us that an attack had a happened and told us to turn on … More Review: The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

Cover for Egypt's Golden Couple by John and Colleen Darnell

Review: Egypt’s Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were God on Earth by Josh Darnell and Colleen Darnell

August 26, 2024

This was a well researched look of the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. While I found aspects of this book to be fascinating and engaging, other parts of this book felt a bit dense and some of the created scenes felt a bit unnecessary since there is no evidence to back them up.  The Darnell’s … More Review: Egypt’s Golden Couple: When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were God on Earth by Josh Darnell and Colleen Darnell

Cover for Prequel by Rachel Maddow

Review: Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism by Rachel Maddow

July 1, 2024

Prequel takes a look at the rise of fascist tendencies in the US today and how it was also prevalent in the past. In the 40s the pro-fascist, pro-Hitler, antisemitic movement was large and it was funded by Germany’s, who sent out millions of leaflets and letters with the help of Congressional frank mail.  This … More Review: Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism by Rachel Maddow

Cover for The Wrath to Come by Sarah Churchwell

Review: The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells by Sarah Churchwell

June 10, 2024

The Wrath to Come shows how one of the most popular stories of all time, Gone With the Wind, can be used to explain the current division in the United States. Churchwell explains how the history of mythmaking has influenced America’s politics and how Gone with the Wind influenced that mythmaking.  “The United States is, … More Review: The Wrath to Come: Gone with the Wind and the Lies America Tells by Sarah Churchwell

Cover for The Ship Beneath the Ice by Mensun Bound

Review: The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance by Mensun Bound

May 20, 2024

TW: Graphic excerpts from Endurance’s crews journals that discuss animal deaths, death of their dogs and a cat, threat of starvation, bullying, harsh living conditions and the expectation of dying.  After reading Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage a few years ago, I was very excited when it was announced that they had found the ship in … More Review: The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance by Mensun Bound

Cover for The Mine Wars by Steve Watkins

ARC Review: The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers’ Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields by Steve Watkins

May 14, 2024

“God does not walk in these hills…The devil is here in these hills, and the devil is greed.” As a West Virginian, I have heard of the Mine Wars but like most people, I never learned about it in school because it was not a topic that is taught. If you read this book you … More ARC Review: The Mine Wars: The Bloody Fight for Workers’ Rights in the West Virginia Coalfields by Steve Watkins

Cover for Tutankhamun and the Tomb that Changed the World by Bob Brier

Review: Tutankhamun and the Tomb That Changed the World by Bob Brier

April 19, 2024

This was an in depth look at Tutankhamun and how the discovery of his tomb changed the world. This book is broken into three parts that break down the different parts of Tut’s discovery and legacy: history of the tomb, Tut finally revealed, and Tut’s legacy. This starts by giving us the history of Howard … More Review: Tutankhamun and the Tomb That Changed the World by Bob Brier

Cover for Gory Details by Erika Engelhaupt

Review: Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science by Erika Engelhaupt

March 1, 2024

This was a fascinating investigation into a variety of strange, gross, and morbid things about our bodies and the universe. Each chapter explores a different topic making it extremely easy to pick and choose what you want to learn about, or skip over if you are squeamish about some things.  Engelhaupt does a wonderful job … More Review: Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science by Erika Engelhaupt

Cover for Madame Restell by Jennifer Wright

Review: Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist by Jennifer Wright

February 9, 2024

TW: discussions of abortions, rape, sexual harassment/coercion in the workplace, alcoholism, homelessness, starvation, abandonment of children, death of children, drug overdose (including in children), sex work, death of husband, incest, child kidnapping, incarceration, racism, lynching, the Civil War, torture, death of family members, suicide.  “Restell was a businesswoman, a scofflaw, an immigrant, and an abortionist. … More Review: Madame Restell: The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York’s Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist by Jennifer Wright

Cover for The Fossil Hunter by Shelley Emling

Review: The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World by Shelley Emling

December 19, 2023

This was a wonderful look at Mary Anning and her life discovering dinosaurs. At twelve, she discovered the first dinosaur skeleton, an ichthyosaur, and then spent the rest of her life hunting fossils and making many incredible finds. She found the first complete plesiosaurus skeleton, found the first fossil of a dimorphodon (a pterodactyl), and … More Review: The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World by Shelley Emling

Cover for Plague-Busters! by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal

Review: Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases by Lindsey Fitzharris

December 14, 2023

Medical Historian and author Lindsey Fitzharris is back and talking about plagues, but geared towards children. This book takes a look at six of history’s most deadliest plagues and how the world dealt with them. Each chapter explores a different disease, its symptoms, the history of finding a cure, and ends with a section on … More Review: Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases by Lindsey Fitzharris